If you’ve read my bio, I’ve mentioned that I grew up with the N64. During the N64’s lifespan, there were a ton of kart racers to play besides Mario Kart. Or, if you’d like to, you can call them Mario Kart clones. One of these kart racers didn’t have any kart racing involved, but I put it on that category since the gameplay is similar to Mario Kart. That game is Snowboard Kids.

Snowboard Kids was released for the N64 in Japan in 1997, and in America in 1998. Unlike most racers on the N64, this game involved kids riding snowboards. The goal is to race downhill and get to the finish line. You also have to finish a number of laps around the track.

Like Mario Kart, there are items around the track. There are two types of them, and you can hold one of each. There are shooting and support items.  The shooting items are like your traditional green and red shells. As for support items, some give you a boost by using a rocket, or a fan. There’s also an item that throws plates out and lands on everyone so that you can catch up. Shooting items are in red boxes, and support items are in blue boxes. You also need to collect coins throughout the track in order to get them.

The game got an enhanced version that released on the Playstation in Japan. It added four new characters and enhanced visuals on some of the tracks. The game also introduced more options to customize the characters.

Also, the game got a sequel titled Snowboard Kids 2 on the N64 in 1999. It featured nine characters and fifteen courses.

What happened?

After Snowboard Kids 2 released, the franchise entered a dormant state for a few years. It stayed dormant until SBK: Snowboard Kids was released on the Nintendo DS. Many fans of the first two games weren’t happy with it since it abandoned the big nose art style of the first two games. They instead opted to go with an anime art style.

As of today, the franchise is owned by SEGA since they own ATLUS. As for the developer, Racdym, the name of their studio changed in the year 2000 to Racjin. By looking at their website, it seems that they’ve shifted their focus to pachinko machines and mobile gaming. From a business perspective, pachinko machines and mobile gaming are huge in Japan. You can check out their website here.

Conclusion

I don’t know what the chances are for a remaster or revival since SBK: Snowboard Kids was the last title in the franchise, and it didn’t do so well. Also, both games remain as a hidden gem. I would definitely love to see a remaster of the first two games before they decide to make a Snowboard Kids 3. I only say this because I’m sure Sega would like to see if the games will do good. As long as they market it properly and go back to the big nose art design, I’m sure it will do well.

As for the soundtrack, I wouldn’t mind if they remaster it, but in all honesty, I always thought the soundtrack for both games were amazing. So, I don’t think a remaster for the soundtrack is necessary.

I wrote this post because I want to see Snowboard Kids get revived. I know that there are a few of us out there that want to see this happen. If we ask both Sega and Atlus, maybe they will consider it one day.

What are your guys’ thoughts? Would you love to see Snowboard Kids get revived. Let me know in the comments down below.