Wave Race 64 invents the jet-ski game with revolutionary wave physics. The swell literally lives under the floats, the Kawasaki riders each have their temperament and the eight waters offer remarkable variety. Still irresistible, and one of the prettiest Nintendo games on the platform.
Your verdict
Category
Sports1 player3+
Split screen
Description
Nintendo's groundbreaking jet-ski racing game with revolutionary wave physics and riders on varied bodies of water. Published by Nintendo, released in 1996 in Japan. Eight aquatic courses with variable weather conditions, dynamic wave physics, championship mode, and 2-player multiplayer.
Wave Race 64 - Kawasaki Jet Ski review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
1/5
Story
★★★★★
"Anecdotal"
Gameplay
"Masterful"
The swell is the real star: the water surface reacts continuously, lifting the jet ski and forcing you to anticipate every wave to hold your line. This astonishingly alive physics gives driving full of finesse, where the slightest shift of weight matters. The textures have faded, but these riding sensations, never truly matched, remain a treat in the hands.
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
Taming a jet-ski on water that swells and responds to every turn: the wave modelling delivers a unique riding sensation, at once demanding and exhilarating. Learning to read the swell and round the buoys becomes a pleasure of mastery. Bright, smooth and surprisingly technical, an aquatic racer with no equal.
Original Nintendo Japanese September 1996 edition under the local Wave Race 64 Kawasaki Jet Ski title, distributed as an N64 launch title in Japan under a Kawasaki license agreement for the official jet skis. This early Japanese cartridge keeps the full Kawasaki branding, clearly distinguishing the Japanese version from the later US release. An inaugural piece of Nintendo's jet-ski simulation catalogue.
Is Wave Race 64 - Kawasaki Jet Ski still worth playing in 2026?
Wave Race 64 invented jet-ski racing with revolutionary wave physics for 1996. The swell literally lives beneath the floats, Kawasaki riders each have their own temperament and the eight aquatic venues deliver remarkable variety. Grip feel, weather shifts and heat pacing build a cartridge of absolute Nintendo elegance. Today the feel remains irresistible and the soundtrack sticks. For retro racing fans and Nintendo technical showcases, it remains one of the loveliest N64 games and a strong recommendation to revisit.
