The arrival of Wave Race 64 on Switch as part of the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack has been the cause of much celebration in the Nintendo Life office. Those water physics have the power to impress some two-and-a-half decades on, and it still handles like a dream.
If you've never played the game — or if you're a PAL gamer and only ever played the 50Hz version — we urge you to dive in and give it a try. We'd even suggest that it's worth subscribing to the higher tier service for, if only temporarily. Check out our updated retro review for why we're such huge fans.
This classic's appearance on Switch has also resurfaced an old debate: Which Wave Race is best — 64 or the 2002 GameCube sequel, Wave Race: Blue Storm?
There's no argument as to which one looks the best, with the generational leap of the 'Cube's tech offering a far prettier experience in Nintendo Software Technology's US-developed entry. Wave Race 64's chunky polygons — highlighted all the more on Switch thanks to a higher resolution output — look adorably primitive by comparison.
Still, handling-wise, Nintendo EAD's 64-bit entry still feels nigh-on perfect. This writer has always preferred the more precise feel of the N64's spindly analogue stick, too, even if it's only an imagined difference. The analogue mechanism of the N64's pad — a proper stick! — versus the 'ball'-style GameCube equivalent always felt more responsive to racing line micro-adjustments. And those tiny inputs can make the difference between cresting a wave perfectly or barrelling into a buoy and ruining your race. It's the same with F-Zero X versus GX, although that old chestnut is for another article.
They're both great games, then, but which one is your favourite? Let us know in the poll below and we'll settle the matter once and for all.
Oh, and of course there's also the original top-down Game Boy racer that kicked off the series in 1992. Don't get us wrong, Wave Race is a fine game in its own right (especially if you've got a link cable and three pals) and we'll include it in the poll below. However, we're under no illusions as to where it'll rank on the podium. Feel free to surprise us, though!
Have you been enjoying the N64 game on Switch? We've got a sneaking suspicion that the game didn't arrive in the first wave of Expansion Pack games thanks to Drake Lake and emulation foibles that messed with how fog and mist effects appeared on Switch. Fortunately, Nintendo put the work in and improved the emulator. Let us know your thoughts below!
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Comments 60
I only played Wave Race N64 for the first time yesterday and while I really like it I do prefer Blue Storm... it had more courses, weather effects and content in general. Yeah the handling was more realistic and sim like, but I didn't mind that, it was still fun to play once you were used to it and in a way gave it more depth.
I will say though that the N64 game seems to have a much nicer soundtrack. The Blue Storm soundtrack is very forgettable.
Blue Storm seemed to have lost something, just wasn’t as enjoyable as Wave Race 64
I’d say Blue Storm due to nostalgia and the tracks being really memorable.
Never played Wave Race 64 but did play a TON of Blue Storm back in the day, so naturally Blue Storm is what I'd pick.
I have never played the game before but judging from graphic aspect, I prefer the Gamecube version.
But, I can try the alternative Aqua Moto Racing Utopia on Nintendo Switch.
I'd say 64 is the best - Bluestorm just didn't quite have the same verve - it's still good though. The GB game is also actually pretty good - glad you included it!
I prefer the 64 entry, mainly because of the general tone. I already mentioned this in another thread but Blue Storm feels more like a Sega game to me. 64 is simply much cleaner as is the music. Gameplaywise both are fairly challenging and fun.
I really hope the next entry goes the direction of 64.
Blue Storm for me, it felt more exciting. The first game had a bigger impact on me though as 3D gaming was new to me back then.
It would be nice if Nintendo made all of these games available instead of just 64, because I don't feel like I can judge these fairly.
Removed - unconstructive feedback
Blue Storm is the better game. Both games featured remarkable water phsyics for their day. I look at the water in Splatoon and think they could use that for a new wave race lol.
I voted 64 as it wowed more on release. It was one of a handful of games where I was truly amazed the first time I played it. Blue storm was a much more complete game and the one I would buy if I had a choice between the two today.
Jet Moto was so good.
Blue Storm obviously,
but for the sake of discussion.
Still have to play 64 but played a lot blue storm back in the day. And I love it. So I vote for blue storm and hope for an inclusion in NSO sometime
I would need to play both of them again (64 and Blue Storm) to judge them.
The original on Game Boy. My favorite racing game on the system.
@LivingLegend It’s a timely weekend poll to hopefully foster some lighthearted community chat about a couple of great Nintendo video games. Just a little bit of fun amongst the myriad scandals, online outrage, and negativity.
On topic, it’s got to be Wave Race 64 for me! As one of my first dozen or so 3D game experiences, it was a real Keanu ‘woah’ moment. It seemed impossible that a game like this could exist outside of an arcade.
in its time wave race original was the better game but today i would always prefer the one on ngc
I actually never played blue storm so I just bought it off Amazon with a case(no manual) for $19.95. I'll come back and vote!
Wave Race 64 has the purest controls as you can play it entirely one handed. I'm really glad I got the N64 controller for the Switch when it was briefly back in stock just to get the proper experience for playing this.
Blue Storm was such a step up graphically that when it started to chuck it down in game I'd actually shiver as it felt cold.
Whichever is your favourite we can all agree we're long overdue a sequel to this and 1080°
@LivingLegend,
And it's working, sure know their audience on here.
I would always say blue storm but I played the 64 one after so it’s not as special for me. Blue storm blew my mind when I first played it 🤯
Blue Storm is easily the best in the series. As a huge fan of Wave Race 64, Blue Storm only improved on it in every way. I'm genuinely shocked how many people are voting 64 over Blue Storm.
@Euclidianboxes yes I’m desperate for new wave race and 1080!
Wave Race 64. Blue Storm was just missing that magic something. Plus the cheating AI of the racers was infuriating.
Hydro Thunder & Diddy Kong Racing.
… Wun can only hope.
Wave Race 64 for me. Graphically Blue Storm was incredible (I’d say it still looks good today) but it just didn’t play as well as 64, there was something about the handling that just didn’t feel right.
Still, it would be nice if Nintendo could make a sequel. I know they don’t like to make a new game without some unique idea to differentiate it from the originals, but I’m sure gyro and HD Rumble could be used to do something a bit different (as long as they keep it optional 😉).
64 just feels perfect, BS never felt as slick to me. It's one game I miss the N64 pad with though.
As others have said Bluestorm was missing that something. So wave race 64 for me.
I actually haven’t played Blue Storm. I played a lot of Game Cube games back in the day but never got around to this one.
I liked Blue Storm but I remember going back to 64. The water tried to hard to be real in blue storm. And there was like always water or rain my my camera from what I remember.
Blue Storm is just harder to play but once you’ve mastered the controls it’s amazing. It looks good enough to eat as well!
Wave race 64. Blue Storm always felt off. But I appreciated the 1080 universe merger.
Handling and physics is simply perfect in WR 64, in Blue storm just average.
Blue Storm really cranked the realism up, but I always felt it lacked something that its N64 predecessor didn't. Wave Race just felt more fun overall to me; I'm not sure why, maybe it was the track design or its overall simplicity due to hardware limitations.
Whatever it is, Wave Race 64 is my favorite--and no, I never played (or to be honest, cared to play) Wave Race on Game Boy. Never was much of portable gaming fan, and when Nintendo sent me that N64 preview tape showing Wave Race 64 and other N64 launch games, there was no turning back to a Game Boy game I don't recall ever seeing in stores anyway.
I don't find any of these two games very good or fun, but, the Game Cube version is much more fluid. The Version of the N64 is unplayable to me, with that low FPS nowadays. A remake 1080 60fps is required.
In my opinion, the Nintendo 64 games have aged very badly. I'm old school like some here, i've been playing games since the 70s, but the N64 in particular, in my opinion, is console that has aged very badly.
Yes 64 is the better one, but Blue Storm made some good improvements. Being able to use the turbo boost yourself for example. The water reflections and the changing weather were a nice touch. Blue Storm also felt more weighty. It had a steeper learning curb. It had less original tracks though. Some of them were reused from 64. I'd love for a new Wave Race with the old tracks included!
While I wouldn't say it's the BEST, the original GB Wave Race is mighty impressive considering it's on the GB and worth mentioning. It's feels better than you'd expect.
I've only played Blue Storm, so I won't vote, but that game was fantastic.
I'm partial to Wave Race 64, but it could be that it just impressed me more in that first generation of 3D games, and the water was mind blowing at the time, too. Couldn't believe how real it looked.
As much as I still love Blue Storm to this day, I just have to give it to WR64. There's something special about the presentation of WR64, Blue Storm has an excellent presentation as well, but it doesn't excite you quite as much as WR64 did. I think it was a mix of the announcer and music. It's still really cool Blue Storm has individual coaches for each racer. I think WR64 also just impressed me more when I first saw it because nothing else was like it.
I like the 64 one more, becuz the racers looked cooler more like power rangers.
All great and valid points made in the comments, but glaring oversight by a lot of you.
Can you play with a drop of water on the loading screen on Wave Race 64?
Exactly. It used cartridges.
@Mattock1987 I agree with you 100%, and I'm still not sure what it is that makes 64 feel better than blue Storm. I think it has something to do with the controls but I'm not 100% sure.
Wave Race on Gameboy with a link cable for the win
WR64.
Sometimes, simple is better. That's why I tend to have more fun with good ol' Goldeneye 64 compared to more modern and complex shooters..
I've got to echo the sentiments of many others. Loved Wave Race 64, but something got lost in the translation to Blue Storm. It was more precise, looked better, but somewhere the arcadey fun was lost along the way.
I had Wave Race on GB, skipped it on N64 and had Blue Storm. For reasons best known to nobody, the one I played most was the original on GB so that one got my vote.
Never felt I was fighting against waves in Blue Storm. Waverace 64 is the best water racer ever made to me I know each waves of every tracks by heart lol.
As many have said, Blue Storm just didn't have the magic of Wave Race 64, whatever that was. I don't have a Switch and i still miss playing Wave Race sometimes, after all these years.
Well, I prefer Blue Storm. I like that there are 8 players, more realistic, and maybe it's even harder, than the N64 Wave Race. Although I'm happy for the Nintendo 64 version of the game on Nintendo Switch. I'm playing with it.
Wii sports resort
@Anti-Matter Do not waste your money on that game, it is dreadful, especially on switch.
The only thing better about 64 than Blue Storm is the music, imo. Some may consider the simpler controls/mechanics in 64 to be a good thing, but I love the advanced control options and additional things to they added to the gameplay in Blue Storm. The WR 64 soundtrack is absolutely one of my favorite Nintendo OSTs of all time. Blue Storm definitely had some shortcomings which made it feel like a rushed launch title such as the lack of course variety(basically all re-vamped courses from 64) and reusing characters from 1080 Snowboarding.
I do agree with what some have pointed out on here about the overall presentation and tone of 64 being better than Blue Storm. I agree with that 100%. The music, enthusiastic announcer, and presentation in the menus/track intro screens are straight up gold. However, Blue Storm has more depth in the controls and is much more difficult to master with superior water physics which puts it on top for me personally.
@Anti-Matter Sure, if you like playing rubbish games go for it.
The issue with Blue Storm is it's not only Americanised but it forgets its roots. The animation is stiffer than WR64 and the control doesn't feel as good. Also it didn't look that hot on release.
NST ruined both Wave Race and 1080, both inferior sequels. With the power of GameCube a decent team would've had Wave Race BS running at 60fps, easy.
My recollection Wave Race 64 had more dynamic course, such as water level or wave intensity changing. The game had more varied levels and included hidden shortcuts appearing in each level. Blue Storm had great weather effects, but I think 64 had higher intensity waves on some of its tracks. (For context I owned Blue Storm, but only rented 64 back in the day.)
Blue Storm had great graphics, but was a lot harder, esp because you could lean and needed to perfect that to do better later on
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