The third of the Rush games on N64, heading back to San Francisco, but given a sci-fi spin with bright neon lights and fast cars with wings. It’s another arcade racer whose best mode is still the “practice” mode, where you can explore all 6 tracks, hunt down hidden coins, and discover new shortcuts.

The other new addition is the wings that you can bring out while in the air. The don’t grant the same level of control as, say, Mario Kart 7/8 gliders, but are rather much more subtle, slightly influencing your trajectory. It takes a good amount of practice to be able to use it properly, but you can reach some great shortcuts if you do.

On top of the stunt mode returning with multiple stunt courses, there’s also an “obstacle” mode. Here, you have to make it through a long series of brutal obstacles within five minutes. It’s incredibly tough, but also great.

San Francisco Rush 2049 is a really fun racing game, but it’s a shame there aren’t that many tracks.

Fun

As a complete – if ever-so-slightly-flawed – package, San Francisco Rush 2049 has emerged as an unlikely, yet very welcome member of the N64’s racing elite – the throught and effort bestowed on it really shows. Infinitely more rewarding than Ridge Racer could ever hope to be, 2049 offers a unique slant on an otherwise tired genre, while delivering more single-player replay value than any other future-racer game before it.

Geraint Evans, N64 Magazine #48. Review Score: 91%

Remake or remaster?

A Rush collection would be nice.

Official ways to get the game.

There’s no official way to get San Francisco Rush 2049