STAR WARS™ Episode I: Racer

Episode 1 racer is an excellent futuristic racer that's fun while it lasts, but doesn't hold much replay value. The sense of speed is great, as is the boost mechanic that constantly requires you to balance speed with overheating engines and to play chicken with tight turns. The AI is pretty terrible, and you would often need to crash several times for it to pose any challenge. Races allow you to upgrade your pod with winnings, and how much you earn is based on how you set the prize pool (you can choose winner takes all and gamble that you will win, but come out with no winnings if anyone beats you). It is only possible to earn winnings the first time you complete a track in the top four, which means if you do lose a race it may be possible to lock yourself out of upgrades for that playthrough. There are plenty of unlockable racers, thought the entire game can be beat in 3-6 hours depending on your level. Debug options available on consoles are locked to button presses that you likely won't have on PC (mapped to N64 buttons). A fan-made executable to up the AI speed and difficulty for the GOG version as was possible in the debug mode on N64 is available here, and significantly improves the experience: https://github.com/Tehelee/SWEP1RCR_CM

Oddly enough I've finished the game at the beginning of 2018, though I've played it a few times before in my younger years. To the game's benefit it really keeps the feeling of the pod racing sequence from Episode 1. Most of the voice over, I think, is done by the same people that were involved in the movie, soundtrack is top notch, the speed with which the racers move and their handling feels adequate, the racing tracks are varied enough that you won't get bored. My main issue is with some of the end game tracks. They are really uneven, Abyss being the most brutal of the invitational courses in which the simplest mistake can and will send you at the very end without any chance to recover any lost time. You will have to keep trying until you get every turn at the correct speed in order to succeed. Personally I've tried that particular course for a few days straght until I got everything right and I still felt that it was just dumb luck that I've had finished first. It can be somewhat frustrating near the very end with some of the tier 3 and invitational courses but don't let that phase you out. With enought patience the no. 1 place is never impossible.

For years I've been hoping Pod Racer would arrive at GOG. Each May 4th I've been let down. But now it is finally here! For one who have completed the game many times, It has the same feeling as the original. No need to emulate the N64-version any more - this is the real thing. Thank you, GOG!

Episode I: Racer, or "Podracer" as most people know it as, is one of the most fun racing games of all time. It's tracks are interesting, it's racers blisteringly fast, and the controls responsive. The upgrade mechanics are challenging but not overly punishing, and the tracks get incredibly creative and long in the medium and final circuits of the game. The GoG version runs almost flawlessly on my Windows 10 PC. It lacks resolution options, but scales well enough to be very playable on my monitor. The sound works wonderfully as well.

Love the game, remember I played it as a kid, had troubles with it not starting, now 22 years later, same problem.