Beetle Adventure Racing has a rather odd story of how it was created. EA gave a team the task of making a Need for Speed for the N64. Instead of doing this, they developed their own idea for a car game, one they felt suited the N64 more. EA executives were impressed but still wanted NfS – and the developers still carried on with their idea before getting greenlit and deciding on adding the Beetle as the car of the game.

The adventure angle is entirely within the tracks, and is something that comes across really well. The tracks are filled with interesting parts, and there are a ton of shortcuts and hidden areas to discover. I really like how the laps work in the game – the starting area is on its own little stretch, you do laps of the main course, but the end of the third lap twists off into a new final part of the track – in one level, a volcano erupts and you have to drive around lava. While there are only six tracks, they’re packed full of so much stuff that you want to try different routes – not to mention that they’re quite long.

Although it’s not just a case of seeing a shortcut and taking it – as some of them are slower than the main track. There are bonus point crates to find (which gets you extra lives) and some of them are just fun to take, yet I do wish that there was an exploration option that tasked you with finding the crates (and perhaps other hidden collectables).

Beetle Adventure Racing is a lot of fun and the handling works very well, but a few more modes to take advantage of the tracks would have turned it into a must-have. It’s a lovely idea for a racing game, and something you don’t see now. It’s a shame the sequel, Adventure Racing II (which was going to ditch the Beetles to have unique, customisable cars) was cancelled.

Great

There are some amazing effects to marvel at, particularly in the desert level’s pyramid, where towering pillars are reflected in the polished floors and eerie shadows play across the ceilings. Since there’s so much to see, the effort expended in seeking out all the various routes is usually rewarded with a glimpse of some kind of visual treat, as well as the simple thrill of battering through what you thought was a solid wall and heading into an entirely new section of track.

Martin Kitts, N64 Magazine #27. Review Score: 81%

Remake or Remaster?

I would love to see an expanded remaster of this. Sprucing it up a bit, trying to incorporate what was planned for the sequel and adding some modes and missions.

Official Ways to get the game

There’s no official way to play Beetle Adventure Racing.