San Francisco Rush: Extreme Racing
San Francisco Rush: Extreme Racing — frequently asked questions
- What platforms is San Francisco Rush: Extreme Racing on?
- San Francisco Rush: Extreme Racing was released on Arcade, Nintendo 64, PlayStation.
- When did San Francisco Rush: Extreme Racing release?
- San Francisco Rush: Extreme Racing was first released on December 24, 1996.
About San Francisco Rush: Extreme Racing
San Francisco Rush: Extreme Racing is the first game in the Rush series. Tne N64 version contains six regular tracks and two hidden tracks. The regular tracks can be run in either reverse or mirrored modes and feature added collectible hidden keys throughout the track that can be used to unlock hidden vehicles. It also contains a Practice Mode and a Death Race mode where the game ends if the player crashes. The N64 port of Rush also includes a Circuit Mode and a save system for Fast Times, circuit progress, and hidden keys that the player can find on secret spots to unlock new cars.
Summary via IGDB.
Game details
- Platforms
- Arcade, Nintendo 64, PlayStation
- Developer
- Atari Games
- Publisher
- Atari Games
- Game modes
- Single player, Multiplayer, Split screen
- Themes
- Action, Non-fiction
Details via IGDB.
Reception
Every version compared
Prices, contemporary reception and the studio credited for each release
| Platform | Year | Loose | Complete | Sealed | Period reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nintendo 64 | 1997 | $16 | $47 | $198 | 9 reviews |
Also released on: Arcade · PlayStation. We haven’t priced or authenticated those versions yet.
Collector value & authenticity
Nintendo 64 · PriceCharting sold data · Verified 2026-10-22
Other releases and variants
| Release | Loose | Complete | Sealed |
|---|---|---|---|
| PAL release | $11 | $30 | — |
What it needs to play
- OptionalRumble Pak — supported (game manual).
How often it sells
- Loose: about 3 times a week
- Complete: about once a week
- Sealed: about 3 times a year
Sales frequency from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, as of 2026-10-22.
Price over time
- Loose
- Complete
A loose copy sold for about $4.25 in Jan 2007, $11.00 five years ago, and $15.97 as of Oct 2026.
Show as table
| Month | Loose | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2007 | $4.25 | — |
| Jan 2008 | $2.50 | — |
| Jan 2009 | $3.50 | — |
| Jan 2010 | $2.99 | — |
| Jan 2011 | $2.13 | — |
| Jan 2012 | $2.15 | — |
| Jan 2013 | $2.49 | — |
| Jan 2014 | $5.44 | $24 |
| Jan 2015 | $5.00 | $15.18 |
| Jan 2016 | $5.95 | $14.99 |
| Jan 2017 | $5.00 | $15.00 |
| Jan 2018 | $7.99 | $21 |
| Jan 2019 | $8.00 | $15.11 |
| Jan 2020 | $8.15 | $22 |
| Jan 2021 | $10.83 | $30 |
| Jan 2022 | $12.55 | $42 |
| Jan 2023 | $17.94 | $50 |
| Jan 2024 | $8.25 | $59 |
| Jan 2025 | $14.47 | $51 |
| Jan 2026 | $15.37 | $40 |
| Oct 2026 | $15.97 | $47 |
Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Oct 2026.
Release record
| Territory | Date | Cartridge serial | Known board |
|---|---|---|---|
| North America | 7 November 1997 | NUS-NSFE-USA | NUS-01A-02 |
| Europe / PAL | December 1997 | NUS-NSFP-EUR / NUS-NSFP-NOE | — |
- Region
- NA+EU
- Released
- 1997
- Authenticity
- Low
A leaping, jump-heavy arcade racer ported with extra modes, cheap and fun in bursts.
This is the Nintendo 64 version of San Francisco Rush: Extreme Racing, which began as a 1996 Atari Games arcade game. Midway's N64 port came out in North America in November 1997 and Europe in December 1997, and adds a Circuit Mode and a save system for Fast Times, circuit progress and hidden keys that unlock new cars.
Reviews of the N64 port ranged from mixed to enthusiastic: Electronic Gaming Monthly's reviewers split, and Next Generation called it just short of brilliant.
What the press said at the time
| Next Generation Issue 36 | December 1997 | 5 out of 5 stars |
| GameRankings (aggregate) | 83% | |
| AllGame | 3.5/5 | |
| Electronic Gaming Monthly | 6.75/10 | |
| GameFan | 234/300 | |
| GameSpot | 7.1/10 | |
| IGN | 8.9/10 | |
| N64 Magazine | 82% | |
| Nintendo Power | 7.8/10 |
“All told, SF Rush is just short of brilliant, it's a fun, challenging game that keeps you playing over and over again.”
“The game's only major shortcoming is the steering— basically, you can't. But if you can learn to compensate. Rush will leave you breathless on the streets of San Francisco.”
“Williams even added a hidden track and extra cars that were not present in the arcade game. The only problem is the horrific, two-channel soundtrack. Truly a decent N64 game that plays well.”
“Far from the serious racing that made up Top Gear Rally and certainly not the pinnacle of N64 gaming, SFR is nonetheless refreshingly different and thoroughly entertaining.”
Next Generation rated games from one star ("Bad: crucially flawed in design or application") to five ("Revolutionary"); three stars meant "Good: a solid and competitive example of an established game style." Undated scores are from the review table in the game's Wikipedia article, limited to reviews of the Nintendo 64 version.
Also on other platforms
PlayStation · Arcade
How the other versions reviewed
| PlayStation | GameRankings | 39% |
| PlayStation | AllGame | 1/5 |
| PlayStation | Electronic Gaming Monthly | 4.25/10 |
| PlayStation | Game Informer | 6.75/10 |
| PlayStation | GameSpot | 3.1/10 |
| PlayStation | IGN | 5/10 |
| Arcade | Next Generation | 4/5 |
| PlayStation | PlanetStation | 3.5/5 |
These are the other versions’ scores, not this one’s. Ports of this era were frequently built by different studios, so they do not transfer.
Worth knowing
- A sequel that wasn't. Advertisements inside the N64 box said San Francisco Rush The Rock: Alcatraz Edition was coming to the N64 in fall 1998, but those ads were later reported to be in error and meant only the arcade version. The Alcatraz track ended up in Rush 2: Extreme Racing USA.
Before you buy
A cheap cart, below the library median loose, with complete copies costing several times a loose one. PAL copies are a separate release and sell for somewhat less. The Rumble Pak is optional. Fake risk is low.
San Francisco Rush: Extreme Racing screenshots
Watch on YouTube
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