30 Years Later, Nintendo's Forgotten N64 Racing Game Deserves a Switch 2 Rebirth
News Source
β’Fri, 02 Oct 2026 20:00:16 GMT
π° What Happened
Polygon looks back at Wave Race 64, the water-racing game Nintendo released for the Nintendo 64 about a month after the console launched in North America in September 1996. The writer recalls renting the console by the hour because stores were out of Super Mario 64, making Wave Race 64 his first N64 game. The piece argues it deserves a return on the Switch 2.
π The Backstory
Wave Race 64 was the second game in the series, after 1992βs Wave Race on the Game Boy. It was built to show off the N64βs new water effects. At first the game was going to use boats and work a little like F-Zero, but on water. Instead, it made the water itself the star and became a showpiece for the new console.
π― Why It Matters
It shows how older games can still be worth revisiting and why fans want classic titles on new consoles.
Polygon looks back at Wave Race 64, the water-racing game Nintendo released for the Nintendo 64 about a month after the console launched in North America in September 1996. The writer recalls renting the console by the hour because stores were out of Super Mario 64, making Wave Race 64 his first N64 game. The piece argues it deserves a return on the Switch 2.
Wave Race 64 was the second game in the series, after 1992βs Wave Race on the Game Boy. It was built to show off the N64βs new water effects. At first the game was going to use boats and work a little like F-Zero, but on water. Instead, it made the water itself the star and became a showpiece for the new console.
It shows how older games can still be worth revisiting and why fans want classic titles on new consoles.