A small arcade-racing bombshell from Paradigm under the EA Sports banner. The New Beetle conceit hides six gigantic courses packed with brilliant shortcuts and secrets. Handling is deliciously twitchy, the battle mode is a hoot and the art direction bursts with personality.
Your verdict
Category
Racing1 player3+
Split screen
Description
Officially licensed Volkswagen New Beetle racer on imaginative tracks filled with hidden secrets. Published by EA Sports, released in 1999 in Europe, North America, and Japan. Six uniquely designed tracks with shortcuts and bonuses, three race modes, 4-player battle mode, and a catchy electronic soundtrack.
Beetle Adventure Racing! review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
3/5
Music
★★★★★
"Memorable"
2/5
Story
★★★★★
"Classic"
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
Launching a Beetle along tracks riddled with secret shortcuts and improbable ramps: the race becomes a playground of exploration as much as a competition. Unearthing a hidden path that upends the standings delivers a sly pleasure. Snappy, generous and surprisingly deep, this arcade racer shines above all with several players.
Addictiveness
"Engaging"
Difficulty
"Balanced"
Lifespan
"Average"
Technical info
💾0,01 GB📅09/04/1999
Published by Electronic Arts
Beetle Adventure Racing! (N64) price, value & rarity
European Electronic Arts pressing from April 1999, which finally leverages the New Beetle then being rolled out on the PAL market alongside a concurrent ad campaign. The European version is identified by its multilingual manual detailing the real technical references of the vehicle and by a Volkswagen Original Zubehör sticker present on first-wave German copies. That promotional specificity sets it apart within the PAL collecting field.
An underrated gem
Behind its slightly kitschy Beetle licence hides one of the most generous racers on the console: gigantic tracks riddled with shortcuts, secrets and alternate paths to uncover. Snubbed for its advertising wrapper, it was quickly forgotten. Lovers of exploration-driven racing and multiplayer fun will turn up plenty of great finds.
Is Beetle Adventure Racing! still worth playing in 2026?
Beetle Adventure Racing is a small arcade racing gem from Paradigm. Behind the New Beetle premise hide six huge tracks packed with secret shortcuts and carefully placed surprises. The road feel is gloriously punchy, the sense of discovery constant and the battle mode brings real chaos to multiplayer. Visually it still impresses for an N64 title. For fans of expressive retro arcade racers who reward exploration, this remains one of the best-kept secrets in the system's catalogue and a worthy addition to any collection.
