Wave Race 64 and My Parents Divorce in 1996 - My Retro Life 

I loved taking a stroll down memory lane with y'all on this one, as Wave Race 64 was always a game that I escaped into during a very hard period in my life. Hope you enjoyed the video. Thanks guys.

This is what games do.....they help you go through tough times,they heal you,take you someplace else.That's why I think we all love them so much.

Divorce on children is really hard..... God bless your Dad

My parents divorced in 1993. I was 10 years old. It tore our family completely apart. 6 of us kids. Without going into excruciating detail, I will say that video games played an enormous part in my healing process. Mario Kart, Super Mario World, Wonder Boy, Turtles in Time... many others. They always take me back to those better (but also heartbreaking) days.

My dad would watch me play video games when I was younger. I remember him commenting about how realistic the waves looked in this game. I sometimes wish he could see the games now because he always wondered what future innovations would look like. Thanks for your videos. Your dad seems like a really great guy.

I’m almost 50 years old, which means I’ve seen it all from Atari to the current consoles. Wave Race 64 is my favorite video game of all time. It’s the perfect video game. Kinda tragic that Nintendo hasn’t made a new one since 2001. I still hold out hope they’ll return to the series one day. This video did a wonderful job of highlighting some of the wonderful things that make this game special.

Listening to these stories is so CATHARTIC. You and I are the same age, we grew up in the same part of the country, although I grew up Boston (and yes I mean IN Boston as in our house was 5 miles from Fenway Park), my parents divorced in ‘93. My mother died in 2018 on April 1st from undiagnosed Pancreatic cancer. I should say it was diagnosed VERY VERY LATE. They gave her 6 months and she last less than 6 weeks. I left home when I joined the military right after high school in fact it will be 20 years coming up since I left home. My mother was an abusive alcoholic but we had to live with her because my father was a truck driver who was gone 6 days a week usually. He remarried in 2007 and they live about three hours from me here in North Carolina. I had an N64 and played WaveRace 64 ALL THE TIME!! I used video games as an escape. When I was in that world there was NO ABUSE, NO YELLING, NO FIGHTING, NO SHAME, NO EMBARRASSMENT….between WR64, GoldenEye 007 and Star Wars Rogue Squadron (even though I have never seen ANY Star Wars movies ever) I had so much fun. THANK YOU FOR THIS!!! Sorry for the long comment, the good news for you is, you’ll probably never see it because it will get lost in with all the other comments you get…and that’s fine, I just wanted you to know. I’m a 38 year old fully disabled combat veteran, I own my own home, I never had kids and I just lost my two fur babies unexpectedly within 5 days of each other. My baby girl was only 4 years old but apparently she had an undiagnosed blood disease called “Addisons disease” that my fiancé (whom I’ve been with for over 12 years at this point) weren’t aware of. Our boy Bandit had tumors on his kidney and his liver, so we put him down because we didn’t want to see him suffer anymore but he was about 10 years old. Again THANK YOU FOR THIS!!! It is a trip down memory lane that’s for sure!!!!

1996 was the year my dad passed away from cancer. Twisted Metal was my escape. I feel you Tyler. God bless bro.

Talk about nostalgia.... "warm up time, follow that dolphin" gave me goosebumps

I was born in 03 so I never really got to experience the N64 and GameCube when it was at its "peak" but ever since collecting games I have recently picked up Wave Race Bluestorm and 1080 Avalanche for the GameCube and holy those games are so good. Usually play them at night or when Im trying to de stress myself from school. 1080 and WaveRace have been on my list to get on the N64 also. Nintendo gotta bring back these games back. Luv these videos a lot. Me and my dad watch these videos a lot which leads to our bond for video games grow bigger. I thank u for that.

When my parents divorced i was 11 and i lost everything i had in one day. The day after i was living 200 miles away in the middle of nothing. 3 months later i got my first console: the sega mega drive . It literally saved my life ❤ Cheers from Italy

This water was better in 1996 than some water is today.

One of the best channels on RU-vid!

Priceless content! We're so blessed to have you sharing your precious memories with us! My family and myself absolutely love your channel❤Thank you for sharing such wonderfully heart healing content! You guys are wonderful 👾

My Dad was not into video games, but wave race is one game he played a lot and kept trying to beat my high score in stunt mode. When I was at my moms for a weekend my Dad spent hours one night and beat my high score.

Wave Race 64 is truly something special. Also, oh my god I can't believe you name dropped the Rippingtons! Seriously another reason to admire and cherish your work Tyler.

Aw man this one hit home for me. When my parents split about 8 years ago it was a tough time for me and my brother. Loosing my childhood home and watching my family and innocence be ripped away before my eyes was a tough pill to swallow. I escaped through the things I loved, especially video games. Going back to games I used to play when I was even younger from then. Anyone who’s going through it rn I encourage you to do the same. Thx for the video as always ❤️

I'm happy for you that Wave Race 64 gave you comfort. Games on many Nintendo consoles since NES have given me comfort and helped momentarily forget about stress & sadness... good times.

Hey man, your channel is so good. Is a special way to reconnect with my past through touching histories. I won a snes at 90s after my parents divorce and helped me healing too. Your content shows the importance of video game in a so cool way. Thx for that :)

Great video as always Tyler..you always cheer me up even with more sadder videos like this 1!

Tyler I always look forward to your videos there so comforting to me if I’m having a bad day with my condition I watch one of your videos and it helps me! So thank you always here to support!

One of my favorite consoles of all time it feels good to see you with your dad in these videos

One thing I love about WR 64 is the game's announcer. You can feel like the biggest loser in school, and it makes you feel like a winner and appreciated. Top it off with the amazing soundtrack. Blue storm had ONE soundtrack I liked, but the game overall was way too hard. It punishes you for not being perfect frame by frame. Went back to playing this last year, even using emulation and save states, game is still hard. WR64 was more simple and relaxing. On expert mode, stay out of Mariner's way. I think blue's story was trying to latch on to the edgy fast & the furious craze that was going on during the time. Instead of being wave race, it tried too hard to be Midnight Club and Need for Speed.

I rented this from Blockbuster and a previous renter gave all the racers fun names. I learned the c-word (not crap) that day hahaha. Will never forget my dad running to the living room when he heard my sister saying "Go C***, go!"

Thank you for sharing your story around this great game. I was in Jr. High when this game came out. My best friend and I would spend hours playing it at his house on his GX TV. All the vibes you mentioned were definitely felt as well. My best friend and I grew apart when we got to high school. We fell in different crowds but this game always reminds me of the time we were inseparable and loved the same things.

The universe is crazy man, I was just looking up the OST for Wave Race for a nice dose of nostalgia and you uploaded this video just days before.

Happy to see comments are working on this video! I get excited anytime I see a new video from your channel. Everything you post is both nostalgic and wholesome, considering all of the negative things we see this generation. I was born in '87, but your videos are so reminiscent of my childhood that they really hit home for me. In a weird way I feel like a part of your family, and a kid again whenever I watch your videos.

I always relate to how you talk about the video games of your past and what memories they’re tied to, good or bad. That’s really what being a retro gamer is all about though; the memories. That’s why I love My Retro Life so much. Thanks Tyler ❤

This was very touching. Videogames were part of what got me through my dad’s passing when I was 9.

I really appreciate that you have your memories captured on camera. I still have couple of games from back in the days but I wish I could have captured on camera memories like you to actually know for sure that I really played them I can only rely on my memory 🤯

Love relating to ya bro. Keep it up! We were kings.

Thanks for sharing this with us! it's painful yet very relatable. I remember how I had my own handful of games I would retreat into when my parents divorced.

These videos are making me cry. I'm speechless

I love your channel so much ❤️ please don't ever stop making these.

Awesome video dude. The emotion this game brought out of me while playing is so nostalgic. That feeling of being in a peaceful secluded area with the serene sounding music. Just made me really feel like I was cruising around on a jet ski without a care in the world. The music really reminds me of the first water level in Mario 64. Both of which give me the same feeling of calmness and being at peace. This was the fourth N64 game we ever owned, but one of the first N64 games I ever experienced on the system. I was blown away by the colorful visuals, the enthusiastic announcer, the interesting course designs that were always evolving both with increased difficulty settings as well as mid-race, even the way the rider would shake his head after returning to his jetski from a nasty spill. It was amazing. I was born in 1986, so I was around 10 years old when the N64 came out. I was at an age of discovering video games and that was certainly my most nostalgic time with video games ever. So many great memories.

I’m so on board with this Tyler. I grew up in the NES/SNES era but I was the perfect age of like 13 when the N64 came out and so low poly games like Wave Race and PilotWings have such a nostalgic pull on my heart. The massive jump from 2D Super Mario World to 3D Super Mario 64 wasn’t like going from black and white silent movies to technicolour, it was more like going from cave paintings to virtual reality. I count myself so lucky to have come of age at that amazing time of technological advancement the likes of which we probably won’t experience again in our lifetimes. Also I really appreciate how you use these old tapes to process the hard times of life. It’d be tempting to run from that stuff and be afraid of confronting the painful often bittersweet memories that they bring up, but I can see it’s like therapy for you and I really respect you for embracing it as a way to work through feelings of loss or regret or sadness to a place of acceptance and gratefulness for the good things in life.

Man every time I see the wave race water it makes me want to go swimming because the water in that game is so clear and looks like actual real water.

My father suddenly passed away 1 days ago before my birthday a few years ago. The next day, in my birthday, I received a PS5. It was hard to get excited about it because of the sudden loss but it was also nice to escape reality for a bit and just check out of life for a bit. The only game I had was Astrobot which game with the console. It was a nice fun platform with lots of silly moments and a great soundtrack like wave race! It really helped me cope for a bit l. I’ll always have a special memories of that game.

I remember playing this in the waiting room at my orthodontist's office a ton growing up. I'm happy to have a CIB copy of it in my collection today. This game - and your videos - always take me back to happy times. Thank you :)

Seeing these games in the chronological context is invaluable. The documentation of this youtube channel is so important to me.

Watching your videos helps me remember and realize how good I had it growing up. Thank you

Wow, such a great video and brought back good memories of this game. I was there for the livestream last week, and to see how you masterfully edited everything is amazing. I got the N64 in 2000 and actually got Wave Race 64 after playing Blue Storm. I personally prefer Wave Race 64 too. I wish Blue Storm kept the tight controls and musical style of 64. Thanks again for another great video!

its weird, because you remind me a lot of myself in appearance to see your old footage. and to find out we were facing the same kind of personal hardships at the same round about time frame. my parents were separated in 96 and divorced in 98. your a couple years older than me, i was born in 88, but some of the parallels were too hard to ignore. both wave race and pilot wings were the zen to the turmoil around me. your relatability is outstanding, and a big reason for your success. thanks for another great video and letting us see into your family Tyler.

This channel is so meaningful and awesome. Our childhoods mirror each other. Except I'm from a small town in sout AL. And 3 years older . Much love tyler

I was saying earlier over on Instagram in a comment that to me, gaming has been the one common thread that had been a constant on my life from the early 80s to now. From being bad stuff like bullied at school, to my fight against bulimia, losing my grandad, where gaming was there for me to escape into. But also the good stuff like those Xmas presents, gaming with my kids, gaming with my misses. Gaming for me is not just about the games, it’s about the memories!

It was early 2000s when my parents divorced. Both of them heavy alcoholics. I found pleasure and escape in video games. JRPGs on the PS1 were some of my favorites. Final Fantasy 7, FF Tactics, Legend of the Dragoon, Legend of the Legaia, etc. I'm glad to see RU-vid didn't disable the comments on this video. Great one Tyler.

This is my all time favorite racing game. I have fond memories of the winter of 1996-97 cooped up at home on a snow day playing this and Mario 64.

Such fond memories of playing wave race with my brothers, totally agree with the feeling of peace with the music and soothing wave effects. I feel it still stands up today and is on my top 10 N64 games.

Sometimes watching these videos, I am jealous of your childhood because of all the stuff you got, your relationship with your Dad and him engaging in hobbies with you as a kid and the footage you have but these videos remind me no ones life is easy. Thanks for sharing. I used to spend hours in wave race with the dolphins too. It was such a happy game

I never had the chance to play this game! Now that I'm older and trying to collect all Nintendo 64 games, I've heard about this title non-stop. I then decided to check out my sub box and oop, here's your video about the game! I love racers, and this game looked so special for so many people. Thanks for sharing your story with it, I'm going to pick it up when I see it :)

Great video. I love the warmth with which you talk about games, and the personal stories you tell. I love Wave Race 64.

Played this once around the holidays at a friend's mansion when I was a kid. I remember playing this in their very large living room. Good times.

Love this. Loved your story btw! It’s so comforting to see people delve into the emotional aspect of why the Nintendo 64 was so important for us. A lot of ppl don’t realize how important that was in making the system such an iconic part of our upbringing. It was such a nice thing to see a ‘human being’ side to the topic of our love for video games.

I'll never forget the first time I saw that water.

We’re about the same age. My parents got divorced in 1997. It’s crazy how we can go through so many of the same things worlds apart. For me it was a lot of the same games-especially the wcw wrestling games and especially ocarina of time were my saviors during that difficult time.

Wave Race 64 was one of those games that came out of nowhere for me and blew my socks off on all levels. Physics, graphics and overall gameplay. It was one of the first games I remember going back to over and over trying to beat my record. Glad you have such good memories tied to this game. And that soundtrack, omg.

For me this also was a magical game. First of all because the graphics were groundbreaking for that time. But also the great soundtracks and the feeling of being in beautiful nature makes it very soothing like you said. I love it and i totally understand you made a video about it. The producer really captured a certain feel.

Loved this game. Memory unlocked! Thank you for sharing your life during this time.

I remember being blown away by the waves on the title screen.

I remember playing this with my uncle who was 8 years older then me I think I was 6 when it came out. We played it for hours. Good memories from simpler times

Wave race is one of the best games on the N64. I often have it playing in the background on my CRT in my game room. The wave physics are amazing and the graphics and music are very tranquil. Awesome video dude!

I have so much nostalgia for this game especially with the music like you said (and clay fighter which I saw in the background lol) my parents also divorced around this time around 98 or 99. And also lost my father in 2018. We have a lot on in common. Be well!

New to the channel!! Really love the connections you make to your own childhood! Thanks for your openness and sharing these stories! I can relate!

I always felt that wave race for the Game Cube had poorer water physics... it felt too "flat" and not as "bouncy" as the water feedback of the first one... And yeah, also true about the music aspect... the drained away all the personality. Even with the flaws I liked the GC and played it a lot with friends. Great video as always, wave race is still a gold one for me :)

We always had “racing tournaments” with my cousins. Mario kart 64, wave race 64, and Diddy Kong racing were the 3 games we would race on… so much fun 🍻

My parents were divorced too, although I was too young to remember. Me and my dad spent a lot of time playing sm64, wave race, and like the first 5 levels of goldeneye. Picking me up after school. Feel the wind between my fingers sticking out the window, on the way home. Maybe get some subway or rotisserie chicken and head home to grandmas. (He lived there for awhile and was the best time of my childhood, not just there but at my mom’s too. Just something about that time) My mom played ocarina of time with me a good bit. The n64 will always be in my heart.

I played that game alot when I was kid. I loved it. I'd forgotten about Drake Lake till you showed it here, and it took me back. I remember loving the still water in that level.

I love this channel so much! You really perfectly put into words why video games are important with every video game

I always genuinely enjoy and look forward to your videos. Like Wave Race, there’s something tranquil about your videos. You & your Dad continue to bring joy to me and so many. Thank you for your hard work and care you put into each video!

Wave Race 64 was and still is my favorite N64 game ever. Long summer afternoons in 2011 with my cousins and uncle just racing all day into the night. Good memories

Thank you for sharing your precious memories and videos . Best wishes.

I been kinda depressed lately so I've been playing the Nintendo switch expansion pack. Been playing donkey donkey country and Star Fox 64 a lot. Those games always take me back to a better time.

I remember when my parents split back when i was a kid in 89. In those days i used to play Strider a lot in the arcades. The same year i got the home conversion for the Commodore Amiga 500, it was not very good but i played it constantly. Even today Strider as a game is very special to me. Sometimes i pop in the disc for the PS1, and it takes me right back to those times. It was my escape, but so glad i found one during those hard times.

The music in Wave Race 64 was always calming to me. Middle school was hard for me since alot my elementary school friends abandoned me for being nerdy and still liking "kids stuff" like video games. So I remember after school I sometimes turn on thr 64 and just listen to the intro music for Wace Race 64.

WR64 was the 2nd game I played on the N64 back when it came out. It still holds up till today in my opinion, I love the OST. I don’t own it anymore but I’ll play it on my Wii U every now and then. Great video 👍

The I laughed out loud at the title because the juxtaposition of Wave Race and family problems is absurd. Although both are similarly nostalgic to me. Great vid.

I went through a similar experience in 1997. Parents getting divorced around Christmas that year so they went all out on gifts for my sister and I. Opened my N64 console, Super Mario 64, Blast Corps, and of course Wave Race 64. Every couple years I play through it. Such a relaxing game.

I remember waking up every morning before school and playing some wave race...good times.

Great video Tyler! I have fond memories of playing Waverace 64 with my wife in our first apartment together! I would assume part of Nintendo not doing another Wave Race game would be that the GC version didn't sell well and that they would have or re-license the Kawasaki brand.

Divorce is tough especially the toll it puts on to kids. Thank God there were these video games to keep our minds off the horrible things in life just to escape for even a few minutes or sometimes hours or days at a time. Some of the best weekends were spent in these other worlds these video games provided us. Thanks for sharing.

My parents divorce and being abandoned by my mother had a major impact on me, Star Ocean The Second Story back on the PlayStation was the game that was my escape and ultimately became one of the most important games for me and my absolute favorite video game and jrpg of all time. I would come home from school everyday and just absorb myself into it and get lost in the magnificent world and characters and the iconic music. I was truly going through a very confusing and difficult time and it led me to some very dark places,my best friend thankfully was there for me and it was because of him that I fell in love with Star Ocean. So playing the remake has just been surreal because I get to not only revisit my favorite game but also to have such memories attached to it and looking at how far I have come from when I was 15 to now. Star Ocean 2 really helped me alot and I am very thankful that it helped me through one of the darkest times of my life and it still is to this day.

It's nice to hear how Wave Race 64 helped you during that difficult time and what a great game to help get you through that time. The game has also always made me feel happy and relaxed whenever I played it. It's like an awesome 90s blast of positivity and sereneness. I never knew about Wave Race on the Gameboy and the 64 version being the sequel. I feel that if Nintendo made a new Wave Race in the style/spirit of the 64 version, it would be a smash hit.

I remember opening this game on Christmas, I got it with my new N64 with Zelda and Mario…I was like: “ok, not really into this, but hey it’s a new game for a new system”…like you said, VERY relaxing game, I don’t think I got frustrated a single time. It was amazing seeing the water effects at the time. You had your favorite level, but my favorite was Sunset Bay. The color and the music were fantastic in that level, the music always fired me up and when doing flips and tricks off of those jumps with the crowd cheering and the announcer impressed and the music all mixed together gave an extreme amount of “yeah, baby!!!!” emotions. I always used the girl, she was easiest to control with the analog.

The water physics in this game is still super impressive. So ahead for its time. And it's a downright shame we never got a proper sequel on the Nintendo 64. When I think which N64 game should have received a sequel, I always say Wave Race 64. Yes, I know Wave Race: Blue Storm exists, but it just wasn't that good. In my opinion.

Thanks for sharing such a difficult period in your life and how this game helped. I know what you mean about certain games bringing a sense of calm. Morrowind did that for me. Just getting lost and exploring to beautiful music. I only rented wave race but loved playing it with friends.

Dolphin Park was my ZEN place during the N64 era.

Yes! I had wave race on the gameboy! Many hours passing that one. My cousins had wave race and we always spent most time at dolphin Park as well

I never had a 64 until I was older, but my babysitter's kids had one. Wave Race 64, Mario 64, and Shadows of the Empire were just the greatest things on the planet. I could sit there doing backflips and diving underwater all day 🤩

To be entranced by the game's soundtrack and visual presentation at our Best Buy with the behemoth display back in 1996, Wave Race 64 with the enhancements of both water physics and game mechanics was a great addition to the N64's ever growing exclusive library next Super Mario 64. This was the gaming platform that dethroned Sega's position to deadlast. 3D Gaming has arrived. Yes, games from Japan had a lot of Jazz fusion influences in their music particularly Hiroshima of the 80s. 🎷🎹

Tyler, you really have a great channel. Truly touched me with your videos. If anything you incorporate videogame music into your videos fantastically. Just now i saw a Nintendo trailer for a thousend year door. And i was like.. i know that amazing music from one of tylers old videos. And i want believe Nintendo themselves was inspired by you when they remade that fantastic introscene😊

My parents also Divorced in '97 i was 15 and also turned to video games as my escape that year but then again i realize now Games have always been a healthy escape for me

Thanks for sharing. Great story. We had a blast with the game back then. We used to play it after intense 4 player sessions of goldeneye or Mario Kart. The waves gave it something special. Till this day I think it's still The best yet ski game out there.

This was the first N64 game I got, and it was the only one I had for a while. I used to just go around, exploring the courses and jumping waves. It’s good to know I wasn’t the only one who played it like that. 😂

This show is like a mix between a Christmas story and the wonder years and it’s awesome!

Its crazy my friends own wave race and i had only rented it a few times but no one could ever beat me in a race. I always loved playing it and beating my friends.

Waverace 64 was the first game I rented and played on my 64, man just the water graphics alone amazed me at the time. Such a fun game, definitely a landmark in my gaming journey!!

Another great game that i still play to this day, i was super stoked when the game cube made a new one, my friends and i used to have sleepovers, playing this game for hrs!!

Wave Race was my first game I got with my N64 Christmas Day in 96. I remember sitting on the floor in my grandparents living room with my parents reading the instruction manual trying to figure out the N64 controller😂

Love the channel and love the content ! Great vids Tyler keep up the great work!

This game embodies escapism for me. I was so happy with it's rerelease on NSO. Replaying it after all those years felt like coming home.