Not only is it the most beautiful racing game we’ve seen since SEGA’s "Ferrari F355 Challenge," but it’s also more playable—amazingly—than "WaveRace 64."
An undeniable blast to play..., [but] most of the tracks are just higher-poly versions of those in "Wave Race 64," and while they’ve been tweaked with new details and shortcuts, it still feels like a rehash. [Dec 2001, p.83]
This game hit its peak on the N64, and while NST has done a great job at polishing and cleaning it so that it’s super tidy and sharp, it really doesn’t revolutionize the original title.
More waterways would've been welcome, but the various weather conditions can change each course considerably and most areas feature multiple shortcuts. [Nov 2001, p.142]
The steering feel[s] somewhat awkward at first as well as stiff. This to me interrupts the smooth control design of the original game and complicates it for no other reason than to be complicated.