I missed it by a day but yesterday was 30 years since Wipeout, and the Sony PlayStation, launched in the UK. The PlayStation had launched late in 94 so many of the UK launch titles were well known, but Wipeout was new for the UK.
It was the first game I tried and its impact was immediate. The graphics a step up from the competition, the weight and feel of each vehicle was so good but the overwhelming memory is the graphic style and the soundtrack. It looked and felt like a next generation title.
The graphic style was thanks to The Designers Republic and was a breath of fresh air compared to almost everything else but the soundtrack…it was so good. It introduced me to Leftfield, Orbital and most importantly The Chemical Brothers. I’m still convinced I was faster when Chemical Beats was playing. Further versions got bigger and faster and I’m still amazed that there isn’t a new version on the PS5 or at least a remaster featuring the best tracks from each game. Money on the table Sony, at least from me.
I was lucky to pick up a book from Volume last year celebrating Wipeout but I’d much rather have a new game. If you are in the mood for a book celebrating the original PlayStation Read Only Memory have one coming out next year which you can order now.
And yes, I fired up an emulator today and played a few games of Wipeout. So good.