Extreme-G Review – Definitive 50 N64 Game #48

The list so far: The Definitive 50 N64 Games

The N64-era radiated with the glow of super-fast futuristic racers. While this genre is best known for its twin titans, F-Zero and Wipeout, a number of other worthwhile competitors appeared in the 90s.

Extreme-G places you in the cockpit of an extreme motorcycle, demanding extreme precision and extreme reflexes just to navigate its extreme courses. Managing to find time to blow up opponents with the ruthless arsenal of weapons provided on top of that is a true challenge.

The game’s main mode, Extreme Contest, is broken up into three championships:

Atomic consists of races on four tracks, Critical Mass is made up of 8 tracks, including the four featured in Atomic, and Meltdown includes all 12 of the game’s standard tracks.

Of course a range of unlockables, including cars and crazy cheats, await. They won’t come easily however (unless you look up the codes online like I did). Extreme-G is a gruelingly difficult game, and frankly, it’s crazy speeds can actually make controlling your bike a little unwieldy.

The game’s tracks are built around 4 settings. Expect to see sandy desert ruins, a dilapidated city, a treacherous mine, and a space station.

Rather than offering just races, Extreme-G also provides a variety of other modes.

For individuals, there’s Shoot-Em-Up. This mode challenges players to blast away as many drones as possible.

For groups, there’s Flag Game, where opponents vie for flags placed throughout courses. There’s also Battle Arena, which pits you against each other in a frantic fight to the death in a contest reminiscent of Mario Kart’s Battle Mode.

Extreme-G went on to receive a direct sequel on the N64. The series made the leap to next gen as well, with two more sequels. That includes, Extreme-G III, an old GameCube favourite of mine.

Unfortunately, as with so many of the western-developed franchises that made the N64 what it was, the future of Extreme-G is bleak. The rights to the franchise were purchased by Throwback Entertainment after Acclaim went bankrupt. A resurrection has been teased, but don’t hold your breath.

Sadly, the super-fast futuristic racing genre itself seems to be in a dormant state. Despite the cries of fans, F-Zero has not been seen in years, while the studio responsible for the Wipeout franchise was recently closed down by Sony.

Let me know what you think of Extreme G and the Definitive 50 in the comments section below. Don’t forget to rate and subscribe.

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Check back next week for entry #47 on the Definitive 50 N64 games.

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