Introduction
Today we are going back in time to race! It is time to go back to the Nintendo 64 era. I am going to review a game named Wipeout, yes, I know it has the N64 behind it, but in this review I will just call it Wipeout. Is this a fun old racing game? How is the difficulty, these are some things I will try to find out! There is no story as you just have to race, let’s delve into the different sections!
What did I think before playing Wipeout?
I was looking for a racing game to play, I was just in the mood to race! It took me a while to find a decent game, but I eventually found this game called Wipeout, it reminded me of a game Simone used to own on the PSP. All I knew was that it was a racing game, so, I decided to check the Wikipedia page for more information.
The Wikipedia Page
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wipeout_64
On this page, I learned it was a sequel to another Wipeout game, it seems there are quite a few of them, but this is the only one on a Nintendo console. There are not many races to enjoy, but it does have split-screen. Simone does not like racing games, so I decided to play it on my own. I wondered if this game was really hard or as easy as Mario Kart, there was only one way to find out.
Rating
I rated Wipeout with a 7.0 before playing.
It seemed like any decent racing game, this one is a bit more blocky, being from a bygone time. We will look more at the graphics later in this review.
Gameplay
The gameplay is quite simple, you will need to win the race, while this might sound simple, it is not. I soon learned this game has an insane high difficulty, not only are there fifteen people in one race. The A.I. is tough as nails, and you will start at the end of the chain of racers.
If you have a good start at the beginning, you will get a massive boost, you need this! There are many boost pads for the futuristic devices you race in. Next to the boost pads, you will find item pads, these are also essentially. There are many different weapons and utility items to use.
For example, an autopilot which will drive for you at max speed, which is important. Since every small bump, and every time another racer hits you with a missile, you will slow down to a snails pace. This means you will need to have luck, skill, and a lot of practice to win races!
Luckily, there are not many challenges to complete. If you do complete them, there are also time trials to complete and some other game modes. All in all, if you want to master this difficult game, it is going to take a lot of your time!
Rating
I rated the gameplay of Wipeout with a 6,6
While this is a fun racing game, the difficulty is kind of out of whack.
Sound and Graphics
Graphics
This game has very old graphics, the sad part, however, is that they have not aged very well. The polygons are everywhere. While I can see that this is a racing game and back in the day it would have looked spectacular, it is just not as pretty anymore. The courses also look very simple and there are not many of them.
Sound
There are multiple soundtracks and they are fine, mediocre at best. The sound effects are quite annoying, but that might be because I keep bumping against the walls.
Rating
I rated the sound and graphics of Wipeout with a 5.5.
Like we would say in the Netherlands, met de hakken over de sloot. Which means, the sound and graphics are just acceptable, but not good.
What did I think after playing Wipeout?
I had expected a fun racing game that would take my mind off everything. And it kind of did that, but not because I liked the game. The mechanics are okay, and they do what they have to do. It was mostly because of how difficult this game was, I needed a lot of focus and did not even manage to get into first place.
You also have shields in this game, which means f they run out, you go boom. The fun part about this, that if you shoot an opponent enough times, he dies and is eliminated from the race. This might make it a bit easier to win.
Rating
I rated Wipeout with a 6.4 after playing.
I did enjoy the game, but sadly, it is not a long game, unless you want to master it.
What are my personal thoughts about Wipeout?
Kaboom! I do like blowing up things, in games, mind you. But this racing game might not have been what I was looking for. I did like going back in time to visit the look of games from my youth. This reminds me, I really need to play Hercules N64.
Rating
My personal Rating of Wipeout is a 6.0
Who has been wiped out! You have!
Last Words
Pros
- A short game that is easy to boot up but hard to master
- There are fun courses with weapons to blow up your enemies
- Fun gameplay mechanics for people who love racing games from a bygone era
- Multiple gameplay modes to enjoy
Cons
- The graphics and soundtracks are barely mediocre
- An insanely high difficulty
- Every small hit slows you down to a snail's pace
If you are looking for an alternate racing game for the N64, or just a fun game to train your racing skills, then this game might just be perfect for you. All you need is an emulator which can be downloaded on Steam, and the ROM.
The Final Rating
6.4
Please let me know what you think of Wipeout in the comments!
I hope you enjoyed reading this review, I hope to see you in the next review!
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Great memories with this game. I used to play it on Playstation and found the sensation of speed excellent. The soundtrack was great too.
i love this aesthetic
Good vid, not so good game.
Fun racing game
Wipeout was amazing. And beyond the graphics was the physics. Nothing in 2D plays like this. The bouncing of the craft after jumps. Literally landing on top of opponents sometimes. The physics gave a sense that this was not just 3D visuals, but a 3D world, with physics and a sense of gravity to back it up.
It reminds me old mobile games.
i think it is very good review
Back in the day it was quite a sight, not so much now. Still, a cool racing game.
I don’t think anyone misses this game at all
Still looks ok for such an old game.
I always mix it up with F-Zero X. Also a very hard Game!
I had this and F-Zero, and F-Zero beat it by every category in my eyes. It was challenging, but even getting destroyed felt good (with the “car” being burnt to bacon :D).
Wipeout had later installments on PS2, but I think I played it for less than an hour in total. Not sure what appeal does Wipeout try to have…
I see i already had commented but it looks like fun game, i liked such games like for example death rally (classic) from amiga (this one have even been released to steam, i have it, probably was free), of course there are many games like this, with many car upgrades, usable items/specials and competitions. If game is good or not it depends on those many little details and whole game engine 😉
It does depend on the game engine!