Released in Japan as Rally 99, Rally Challenge 2000 is a racing game with a rally theme. While it is an arcade-style racer, it features some simulation-like elements, such as how parts of the car can become damaged, which alter turning and speed. You can play in arcade mode (where other racers start far ahead of you), or compete in a tournament for the best time – although there are still CPU racers in that. Even though their performance in the race does not reflect a time – you can overtake someone who started before you, but still lose to them when looking at the times after the race.

The most notable thing about Rally Challenge 2000 are the reflections on the car windows, which reflect the world around them, on all of the windows. It looks impressive on the N64, but was less noticeable in the game’s original blurry form (many games note how it was unusually blurry, even for an N64 game). It is a bit too clean looking, but still impressive.

Plus, I could drive a car advertising Sony MiniDiscs.

Fine

Rally Challenge 2000 spins out on the first turn and ends up with its nose buried in a wall of tyres. The courses are uninspiring rather than awe-inspiring; the presentation is straight from SNES island; and the rallying itself, which should be a heart-stopping, gravel-spraying, powersliding journey from start to finish, feels like a fairly sedate drive along a quiet stretch of the motorway on a Sunday afternoon.

Mark Green, N64 Magazine #45. Review Score: 61%

Remake or remaster?

Nothing special for this one.

Official ways to get the game.

There is no official way to get Rally Challenge 2000.