Admit it, guys. If you’re about my age, you have to admit it: As much as we love to make fun of Star Wars Episode I today, back in the day when we were kids we totally ate it up.
I did.
I think I had a Jar Jar Binks plushie.
Of course, if you’re like me, you also thought that the podracing scene was the best part of the movie by far, because crazy homebrew vehicles > wimpy lightsabers any day.
…well, now that I’ve got every nerd in the universe out to destroy me, let’s move on to the Nintendo 64 game that this spawned: Star Wars Episode I Racer.
I gotta say; this was one of the better racing games I played. The tracks were challenging (some of the later ones were very challenging) and the game really gives you a sense of speed that isn’t often matched.
Also driving through the canyon on Tatooine is fairly similar to driving down the highway in northern Idaho. True story.
One of my favorite parts of the game, though, is the sound design, because it was unintentionally hilarious. Examples include: your character saying things at the wrong time:
*podracer explodes*
Anakin: “It’s working. IT’S WORKING!”
…or characters saying the same line multiple times in a row.
Watto: “Have you seen… my chance cube? Have you seen… my chance cube? Have you seen… my chance cube?”
YES WATTO I THINK WE’VE SEEN YOUR CHANCE CUBE GOSH.
Seriously though, this game was good. Definitely one of the better racing games I’ve played, and probably the best thing that came out of Star Wars Episode I.
…well, except for those battle droids that say “Roger roger”. I liked those.
One part I remember with the Tattoine(sp) track..was that very narrow gap twoards the end of it. if you it wrong it was Game over man..game over..also the rocks on the other side of it..very irritating..
if you hit*…fail typo is fail…
I looooved this game. I don’t think I ever made it through to the end, but I did like to drive all of the courses backwards and forwards very very slowly to find all of the sekrit passages and breakable things. 🙂
The thing that amused me most was that there are ALWAYS two silly podracer pilots who were slower than me no matter how long I spent driving backward around the track. As long as I turned forwards and made an effort, I always passed number 11 and 12.
…
C’MON EVERY NERD IN THE UNIVERSE, FOLLOW ME! I KNOW WHERE SHE LIVES!
As bad as the prequel trilogy is, I still embrace it as part of the overall Star Wars universe.
The game on the console was fun but I made a recent discovery: the local mall here’s arcade actually has the Episode 1 racer arcade game. You know, the one you actually sit in and work the silly controls?