The Episode I pod-racing scene in its ideal adaptation. Mind-bending speed, twenty-five official pilots, eight planets with varied scenery and a dizzying glide. LucasArts delivers one of the most astonishing futuristic racers on the N64, on par with F-Zero X for adrenaline.
Your verdict
Category
Racing1 player3+
Split screen
Description
Podracing game adapted from the spectacular race in The Phantom Menace. Published by LucasArts, released in Japan in 2000. Twenty-five official pod-racers including Anakin Skywalker, races on eight planets including Tatooine, mechanical pod-racer upgrades, and extreme speed.
Star Wars Episode I - Racer review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
2/5
Story
★★★★★
"Classic"
Star Wars Episode I Racer (LucasArts) unfurls the film's podracing universe: Tatooine deserts, canyons, caves and exotic planets crossed at breakneck speed by streamlined podracers. The art direction hones the Star Wars grounding and the sense of velocity, with varied, credible settings. A generous art direction, faithful to the imagination of the prequel era.
The soundtrack draws on John Williams's themes and the exotic textures of the Star Wars universe: heroic brass, tribal percussion and epic swells that accompany the speed of the podracers. The music instantly summons the film's imagination and the adrenaline of the race. A grandiose, immersive accompaniment, faithful to the saga's sonic setting.
Japanese pressing from July 2000, issued as the Japanese N64 market was collapsing toward the PlayStation and the looming next generation. This late release on a declining base explains a modest run, at odds with the game's worldwide success. The Japanese cartridge stands out through its local Episode I dressing and makes a prime import target for anyone completing the N64 Star Wars line across the three major territories.
Is Star Wars Episode I - Racer still worth playing in 2026?
A racing game from LucasArts, Star Wars Episode I - Racer transposes the spectacular pod racing from The Phantom Menace into an extreme speed experience on exotic tracks. The exhilarating sense of velocity, the management of the two engines and the variety of tracks make it one of the N64's most memorable racers, technically impressive at launch. The driving pleasure holds up remarkably. For a Star Wars fan or a fan of retro arcade racing, the title keeps an intact intensity and sense of speed.
