- JP release: 27th March 1998
- PAL release: November 1998
- NA release: N/A
- Developer: Human Entertainment
- Publisher: Human (JP), Gaga (PAL)
- N64 Magazine Score: 62%


Air Boarder 64 is a trick-based skateboarding-style games, but on hoverboards. The fascinating thing about Air Border is that this came out before Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. The unfortunate thing is that the developers of Air Border never seemed to figure out what the player is supposed to do in a game like this, instead opting for a bunch of random modes.

You have a trick mode (spoiled somewhat because you have to hit gates in a certain time), a time trial, coin collection and free play. It all feels like the developers were testing different things, but none of them really feel like a completed feature, seeming a bit disjointed. The five levels also feel like they’re each from a completely different game, with zero cohesion in theme or level design.

You have the starting skate park, a forest level, a bit of a city during winter, a few islands connected by a massive bridge and one where you’re tiny in a house. Like the modes, these also feel like they were testing random ideas and couldn’t work out a direction for the game. None of them take advantage of the fact that you can fly up walls, either.

Even though it feels more like a lost prototype than a final game, I can’t help but find this game fascinating, and the core movement and tricks are enjoyable. It’s not a good game but, even with its complete lack of direction, it’s not terrible, either.

Fine
And that’s just it. This plainly hasn’t been playtested enough. The courses are lovingly designed, especially the Giant House level, but the events don’t do them justice.
Tim Weaver, N64 Magazine #16
Remake or Remaster?
It would be interesting too see this tried again, using what the Tony Hawk series did with the genre.
Official Ways to get the game
There’s no official way to play Air Boarder 64
N64 Games by Date
1997: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
1998: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
1999: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
2000: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
It’s always fascinating to see what a messy (or non-existent) direction does to a game. Usually leads to really polarizing titles, or reviews that insist on trying to separate the “good” from the “bad”.
In this case, I wonder if this game would’ve acquired a highly-specific fanbase, if Tony Hawk hadn’t eventually shown up.