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Beetle Adventure Racing
EA forgot to market it. We didn't forget to love it.
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PRESS START
An Introduction To Today’s Game
Nobody looked at the Volkswagen New Beetle in 1998 and thought: that's a racing machine.
It was cute, round, and aggressively marketed to people who put flowers in their dashboard vase.
And then Beetle Adventure Racing showed up on the N64 and made a strong argument that maybe we had it all wrong.
What started as a Need for Speed title for Nintendo 64 got redirected after EA signed a licensing deal with Volkswagen, and somehow, against all odds, the pivot worked. Really well, actually.
BEHIND THE PIXELS
Let’s Dive Into The Game
Beetle Adventure Racing is an arcade-style racing game developed by Paradigm Entertainment and EA Canada. Every car in the game is a Volkswagen New Beetle.
That's it. That's your garage. And yet the game manages to feel more varied and lively than most racers of its era, because the tracks are doing a lot of the heavy lifting.
The game offers six main courses that take you through an English countryside, a snow-covered mountain pass, a jungle island with an active volcano, an Egyptian desert, a haunted forest, and a coastal harbor.
Each track is long, branching, and packed with alternative paths, hidden shortcuts, and crates to smash. Some of those crates give you bonus points. Some unlock cheats.
Three per stage are hidden well enough that finding them feels like a genuine discovery. Smash one and the game rewards you with a cheerful "Groovy!" which, fair warning, will live in your head permanently.
The physics model sits comfortably between simulation and kart racer. The Beetles handle with a satisfying weight to them, sliding through corners without ever feeling out of control.
Nitro pickups scattered across the tracks give you brief bursts of speed, and the game rewards exploration rather than punishing you for leaving the racing line.
Multiplayer is where Beetle Adventure Racing really earns its reputation.
Up to four players can compete in Beetle Battle, a vehicular combat mode where you race to collect six colored ladybugs scattered around arena tracks, try to take out your opponents, and then sprint for the exit once you have them all. It is chaotic, mean-spirited in the best way, and the kind of mode people remember decades later.
Paradigm had worked on Pilotwings 64 before this and brought real technical skill to the draw distance, keeping the notorious N64 fog minimal and environments readable at speed.
The soundtrack leans into breakbeat and drum-and-bass, which sounds odd on paper and works completely in practice. The music shifts by environment, keeping longer play sessions from feeling repetitive.
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GAME INFORMATION
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WHERE TO PLAY
The original copy or emulation will be your best bet in playing the original version.
Original Copies of the Game (All prices in USD)
Loose: $30
Complete: $72
New/Sealed: $350
COVER ART
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GAME OVER
Why You Should Play This
This is another one of those games that I had never played before and was suggesting by my buddy Peter. It’s one of the highlights of writing this newsletter… sharing the retro games that meant a lot to me and then learning about ones that I missed.
Beetle Adventure Racing is a genuinely good game that EA forgot to tell anyone about. The box art was forgettable and was blamed by the devs as to why it didn’t sell well.
The marketing was thin, and somehow it still earned universal acclaim from critics at the time. The track design holds up. The multiplayer holds up. The controls hold up.
The only things that show their age are the resolution and the fact that six tracks, no matter how well designed, eventually run out.
I didn’t expect to walk away from this game liking it so much. Only beetles? But here we are. This was a blast to experience and I’m glad I finally played it.
There is no remaster. It is not on Switch Online or any digital storefront. The only way in is through original N64 hardware and a cartridge, which you can still find secondhand if you go looking. If you have the means, it is worth the hunt. Bring three friends and prepare to never look at a Volkswagen the same way again.
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RETRO HARDWARE
Miyoo Flip V2 Retro Handheld Game Console
The Miyoo Flip V2 is a tiny clamshell retro handheld that lets you carry a whole library of classic games in your pocket. With a bright screen, solid controls, and the nostalgic flip design we all remember, it’s perfect for quick gaming sessions anywhere. Click the picture to check it out. My readers can use the following code for a 12% discount: NY12
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