Pod racing is back! More than 20 years after its initial release on Nintendo 64 and PC, Star Wars Episode 1: Racer is now re-released for a new generation on current gen consoles. While the news that this classic game is now readily available to old fans is exciting, having spent some time with the game this past week, I was sadly left feeling a mild sense of disappoint. Having not played it in well over a decade, I was excited at the chance to relive some of my most cherished childhood gaming memories. Although unfortunately the game still feels a little stuck in the past.

Star Wars Episode 1: Racer has seen better days and sadly, has not aged well for modern gaming standards. Improvements are minimal at best, ranging from a boost in resolution to 1080p when docked, and 720p in handheld mode on the Switch. Frame rate works out to be a somewhat smooth 60FPS, but that shouldn’t be too much of an ask considering not only the age of the game, but the the simplified geometry as well. The game was never marketed as a remaster, but the lack of TLC besides added support for motion controls and HD rumble, does leave a bittersweet taste in my mouth. The game was initially delayed earlier this year, so there was definitely difficulties in porting this older game to work on today’s gaming hardware. I just wish that work was more evident on the surface.

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While the varying degree of difficulty isn’t too much of an issue (there is a pretty decent split-screen mode after all!), another thing that detracts from the overall experience is the graphics. Now again, I’ll preface this by saying that I understand this was not intended to be a remaster or remake of the original game. But wouldn’t it have been possible at the very least to use some better anti-aliasing solutions or post process effects to give the game’s graphics a much needed face lift? The game is of its time, but the higher resolution only seems to highlight the game’s older visuals, destroying the game’s original art direction. Play this game on PC with some community mods, and the game is improved immensely in the looks department! Imagine what a team of experienced devs, with access to source code, could’ve achieved with a few tweaks.

If you’re happy at the prospect of reliving Star Wars Episode 1: Racer from your childhood then you’re in luck! Just don’t expect it to be the game you remember, and even though games as an art form have improved a lot since those days, be mindful of this game’s shortcomings when comparing it with newer releases. While this pod racer fan has had his fill for the time being, I hope newer, younger fans will discover this classic and create their own fun experiences to remember.