This is all augmented further by the great track design. As is the case with many N64 games, the framerate has a habit for jumping up and down, but for the most part Star Wars Episode I: Racer is a very playable and visually appealing experience.

This looks fantastic when playing the single-player Time Trial mode, but the quality clearly diminishes once you add other racers, or another player, to the mix. The game also utilises the N64’s 4MB Expansion Pak add-on, allowing for a high-resolution mode. Each planet has its own distinctive look and feel, and the pods remain true to their film form. It’s not quite on par with F-Zero X in terms of pure speed, but it more than makes up for this with its stunning visuals the amount of detail is impressive for a game of its type on systems at the time. Where Star Wars Episode I: Racer truly succeeds is in how it manages to superbly recreate the sense of speed, danger and authenticity of the pod race that features in the film. The character models are a tad garish by today’s standards, looking rather blocky and lacking in detail, but it’s easily forgiven when you take into account just how good the rest of the game looks.

Each menu screen features its own unique 3D environments, such as the Mos Espa cantina and the pod race garage. One of Star Wars Episode I: Racer’s most endearing features is its presentation. Players can choose from a number of different pilots, ranging from well-known characters such as Anakin Skywalker and Sebulba to the more obscure ones like Ben Quadinaros and Dud Bolt. The game – unsurprisingly – is based on the iconic pod race from the film, featuring the movie's tracks plus a whole host of other courses set on various planets across the Star Wars galaxy. Nevertheless, Star Wars Episode I: Racer isn’t a success just because it sold well it’s more the fact that it’s actually a pretty good game that features nice visuals, tight controls and a well-nuanced difficulty curve.

Star wars episode 1 racer mods