Regular readers will know that we're huge fans of WipEout. The futuristic racing series has long been ignored by Sony — much to our disappointment — but if you're yearning for a quick fix of eye-watering speed (and perhaps a healthy nostalgia hit) then you may be in luck.
Programmer Dominic Szablewski has managed to revive the original PS1 WipEout through means that we're not going to pretend to understand — and you can play the game right now through your web browser. What a time to be alive, etc. The browser version can be found via this link.
Szablewski has documented the porting process in a lengthy blog post that's no doubt worth reading if you're into the technical side of things. It's all pretty interesting, even if, like us, you can't wrap your head around the specifics.
"Sony has demonstrated a lack of interest in the original WipEout in the past, so my money is on their continuing absence," writes Szablewski (and we hope he's right!).
"If anyone at Sony is reading this, please consider that you have (in my opinion) two equally good options: either let it be, or shut this thing down and get a real remaster going," Szablewski concludes.
We sometimes find ourselves daydreaming about a new WipEout, but will it ever happen? Try using arrow keys to race at WipEout speeds in the comments section below.
[source phoboslab.org, via videogameschronicle.com]
Comments 26
Single developer porting a PS1 game to browser: 0$
Rockstar porting Read Dead Redemption to PS4: 50$
Another dormant Sony IP, just waiting for some Sony owned studio to dust it off and re-introduce it to the masses on PS5 (and later PC most likely).
Still haven't beaten Zico to this day...
The collection that hit the PS4 a few years ago was a ton of fun. Really hoping we'll hear about Wipeout some day.
My friend and I trying to beat each others records in the 2097 demo accompanied by prodigy's firestarter is one of my fondest PlayStation memories.
The original wipeout was twitchy and unforgiving enough without adding online lag to the mix.
Can you imagine a full PS5 current gen reboot for this. 4K, 60fps, HDR and possible RT, would look amazing. Maybe add some mild character story mode for each vehicle as well inbetween the many races. Online multiplayer mode racing too why not
I always liked Wipeout and F-Zero. Like to see both of them come back. Nintendo could just port the GameCube version and test the waters as to how well it would sell.
@N1ghtW1ng zico went down. Down town at the hand of me in 2011. After like 4037 previous failed attempts lmao. A very rewarding platinum in the end however. Wouldn't have that dedication these days as a father of two that's for sure!
Long overdue a revival, somehow managed to Platinum WipeOut HD. Closest we have these days is Red Out 2 which is pretty good.
F-Zero GX, for me, is the absolute pinnacle of fast futurist racers.
Oft forgotten Extreme G 3 on the ps2 is also great.
Did everybody forget about WipeOut Omega Collection? That was released only 6 years ago.
In comparison, it’s been 20 years since F-Zero GX 😢
@Deadlyblack @Excess It was amazing and the VR mode was next level. It’s crying out for a PSVR2 port.
@Czar_Khastik Probably will run better too. 😅
Sony and Nintendo should get together and actively spite all fans of WipEout and F-Zero.
@BeerIsAwesome I played it to death back in the day, it's great!
PSVR 2 port of Wipeout Omega, do it Sony!!!
Oh man, WipEout! The first game that I bought at launch for my PS1. Blew my mind! It really felt like a piece of the future. The 3d graphics, pumping soundtrack and dystopian setting was really something else. It's the reason I discovered electronic music. Orbital, Underwold, Chemical Brothers, Future sound of London.. pure bliss!
Even though the gameplay improved in the sequels, I think the original is my favourite. Still have all 3 original PSX games in fully mint condition! Even bought WipEout 3 - Special Edition which had 3 tracks from WipEout and 5 tracks from 2097 - all with updated graphics and gameplay:D Needless to say I'd jump at a new PS5 game, come on Sony!!!
Fast RMX fillls the wipeout gap for me. Amazing game and runs glorious at 60fps on the switch, all this and the file size is under 1gb, top work from Shinen.
Never liked WipeOut. Always thought it was a poor man's F-Zero.
@Digital_Nomad It's not as fast, it has a focus on weapons, zone survival mode, the Fury DLC of HD has a few more as well of shooting mines and other goals.
As if other games can't do their own thing at all.
I mean if WipEout is a mix of F Zero and Kart Racers weapons, tracks and teams/characters it's more it's own thing technically. WipEout games have in some ways of more content then F Zero (depending what angles you look at and what you want out of a futuristic racing game).
While F Zero focused on the story mode/license test mini time trial like challenges in a GBA entry or other angles in X, GX or the other two GBA entries. Same with Wave Race or 1080 duologies. WipEout has gone it's own way over the years. The same as any racing game then people thinking oh seasonal, I mean not even close they change dramatically each GT or Forza. Or any shooter, they have differences between game to game.
Weapons not being in F Zero but bumping into others is it's own combat. The shields increase from weapon collecting then firing them in WipEout then the shield locations on the track in F Zero, it changes the way you think about things and both their own risk reward systems to get shields up again. Besides mode differences, I don't find them as PS All-stars and Smash as they 'could' be seen (both those are similar enough then other 2D Arena fighters I think so I do agree with people on it being a Smash clone because of how similar) they are very different games and I get why people think they are similar but when you play them they are very different decided/goal in mind games.
They have their own appeal I find. I enjoy their differences. Same as Fast RMX or Redout for their differences as well. Some games have inspirations for sure but does that make them bad not necessarily. I mean I'd rather play F Zero or any kart racer with other features not in Mario Kart games but the world has said otherwise in sales so got to buy what I can get.
I mean Medal of Honor eventually because a shell of it's former self of the start of modern shooters yet following COD then dying so...... While not the same for F Zero at all, and will never be seen that way as it isn't the same, it says a lot how some can fall after where they started.
So while I get it. It is very much it's own thing they have enough differences. But inspired I mean I don't know enough about other futurustic racers before F Zero or whenever Outrun 2019 came out but I don't think there was many. I mean Uniracers is still cool as well for it's ideas SNES only.
Just like there is very few Destruction Derby or Flatout style games with an arcade/no licenses and destruction focus aren't a Need For Speed (Street focus, licensed cars/music and more).
I mean not every platformer is Mario or Banjo or Crash inspired unless people are narrow minded, even if some devs take aspects from them, not all do, even many came before Mario 64 for 3D platformers even regardless of the limitations of the N64 cartridges and missions for 3D platformers being a direction to go later for many games (which I kind of hate not a fan of missions focus in some 3D platformers it's the reason I don't like many RPGs).
I mean Pacland came before Super Mario Bros is it poor man's Pacland no most people don't even know of Pacland compared to Mario anyways. They are different enough also.
Not surprised, licensed music holds WipEout games being re-released. If they removed the soundtrack well........ it would be on the service but not the same. They can't easily renew the music either.
If they put WipEout Rush on PS4/5 I mean........... A manager game is not what people wanted let alone a crowded mobile market filled with manager games (and oh an idle WipEout no Sony that's not what we wanted, we can watch replays from past games if that's what we wanted like seriously XD the mobile market for Indies great for everything else a pile of garbage) (even as a Gran Turismo B Spec fan I'm not interested). I mean at least we have the WipEout HD and the Vita one 2048 in the collection...... yeah it's not the same as past entries I know that. Any entries have limitations/differences for sure.
A new one for console would be nice then the 'crowded' mobile market to push WipEout too is more ideal XD and 'oh arcade racers should go to mobile' yeah no. No wonder the big budget futuristic racers are so appealing of Fast Racing series, Redout and many more.
This is why Destruction Derby and Ridge Racer were on the PS Classic. As much as people wanted GT1 & 2 or WipEout 1-3 on there, licensing holds things back of music, billboard ads, cars, likenesses of any kind, brand names, anything.
It's why I enjoy brand-less racing games like Wreckfest, Ridge Racer, Flatout, any other older racing games that did it, even Sega GT's custom cars in some cases over the licensed ones, but most people don't and want that 'realistic experience' well get the racing games cheap on old platforms and never expect them or their old ideas to be kept the devs won't have the licenses to work with and they change the direction of their games a lot over the years sometimes for the worst.
As much as us sim/arcade racer players understand because we know the differences they aren't seasonal unless they are WRC/F1/MotoGP a GT/Forza changes a lot yet people that don't play them don't get that. I mean GT7/Forza 8 aren't doing it for me at all yet past entries have ideas I like and more niche ones I've explored I've had a blast with their 'better' direction many of the modern ones could learn from then just their past selves.
If emulation didn't exist this would be pretty neat!
I doubt Sony will ever do anything with WipEout beyond what they already have though.
Wipeout will return... as a TV show & live service.
Wipeout Omega Collection is the kind of low-hanging fruit PSVR2 is crying out for. Doesn't need controller tracking so theoretically could be an easier port to develop than some of the other PSVR1 titles.
Come on SONY pull your finger out!
The fact Wipeout Omega Collection isn't playable on PSVR2 is almost criminal, the game ran so incredibly well on the old headset and porting it to PS5 and VR2 seems like a no brainer. One of the greatest VR games ever.
I played Wipeout XL on the PS1 and it felt so fast.
When I played a Wipeout game on PS2 it felt sluggish as hell.
I don't know what they did but it just didn't feel exhilarating like the PS1 games did.
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