Extreme G

The closest comparison I can make to this game is "Wipeout XL" on the Playstation (I haven't played Wipeout 64). It's setup in almost the same way. It's a futuristic racing game in which you collect powerups for weapons. The difference is that this game utilizes  futuristic racing motorcycles rather then hovercrafts.

The game features 12 unique tracks,  8 sleek racing bikes (several more are available when you beat the game), and loads of powerups scattered throughout the tracks.

The tracks are all well designed with the same futuristic look as the bikes, All are littered with hills, slopes, and jumps too. The really look cool, and are a joy to drive through.

As you would expect in a game like this, the bikes all have various charistics that affect how the vehicle will perform. Some accelerate faster, while some have a higher top speed. Nothing new here. However, one welcome addition is the fact that there are various primary weapons equipped on each racer. The weapons are: Excel Cannon, Pulse Cannon, and Laser Cannon. This increases the replay value dramatically as you must now balance your choice of weapon, along with the handling traits. In other words, it will take some time before you learn which bike performs best for each track.

As in "Wipeout XL", you collect the various powerups that are scattered throughout the course. There are loads of different ones too.  I do like this game better though. The powerups are more prevalent, and don't keep you waiting before you can fire them off. Probably more of a matter of choice, but I perfer a game that has constant action, and doesn't keep you waiting at all.

The game has a decent assortment of options, and should keep any gamer happy for quite some time. There are practice races, "Extreme Contests" (which are like tournament play), "Time Trials", and a pretty awesome "Shoot-Em-Up" mode. Depending on how well you do in the contest mode, new tracks will open up for you to be used in practice mode.

Graphically, this game looks awesome for a N64 game. The effects and shooting are really cool, while the game has a high-tech look throughout. The bikes are all sleek, and sharp and look like something out of a Hollywood movie. My only complaint is that the game tends to re-use textures too much. I'm getting used to that though as you see it in almost all N64 titles.

The sound is your standard N64 non-CD sound. Basically this means it sucks when compared to almost anything on Playstation. However, for a Nintendo title it sounds pretty good. Explosions sound real, and other effects really give that relistic feeling of speed (The wooshing sounds).

Overall, I really like this game. The sense of speed is awesome, and the feel is pretty cool. It did start to feel the same after awhile, but it was great fun at first. Still it's one I would return to after a short layoff. I reccomend it to all N64 owners.

RATINGS
GRAPHICS 88%
SOUND 75%
GAMEPLAY 82%
ORIGINALITY 85%
REPLAY VALUE 80%
OVERALL 82%