wipEout Rewrite
A re-implementation of the 1995 PlayStation game wipEout, playable in a web browser and on desktop platforms.
What is wipEout Rewrite?
wipEout Rewrite is a fan-made re-implementation of the 1995 PlayStation racing game wipEout. It rebuilds the game from the ground up to run natively on modern systems and in web browsers, preserving the original's fast-paced anti-gravity racing gameplay. The project serves as both a playable tribute and a technical case study in retro game reconstruction.
Retro gaming enthusiasts, developers interested in game engine programming, and hobbyists looking to explore reverse-engineering or porting classic games to new platforms.
It provides an authentic wipEout experience that is no longer commercially available, with the added benefits of open-source code, multi-platform support, and the ability to run directly in a browser without emulation.
Overview
This project is a complete re-implementation of the classic 1995 PlayStation racing game wipEout. It faithfully recreates the high-speed anti-gravity racing experience with original assets, offering both a playable web version and native builds for multiple platforms.
Key Features
- Faithful Recreation — Reimplements the original game's mechanics, tracks, and visual style using reverse-engineered or recreated assets.
- Multi-Platform Support — Builds for web (via Emscripten), Linux, macOS, Windows, and other Unix-like systems.
- Dual Backend Options — Supports SDL2 (with gamepad/controller support) and Sokol backends for graphics rendering.
- Flexible Build System — Uses CMake and Make for easy compilation across different environments.
- Web Playable — A fully functional version is playable directly in modern web browsers.
Philosophy
The rewrite prioritizes accuracy to the original gameplay feel while modernizing the underlying codebase for portability and maintainability. It embraces open development and welcomes community contributions to improve both gameplay and technical implementation.
Use Cases
Best For
- Studying the recreation of a classic 3D racing game engine
- Learning about porting games to WebAssembly via Emscripten
- Exploring SDL2 and OpenGL-based graphics programming
- Understanding build system configuration with CMake for cross-platform projects
- Experimenting with gamepad/controller input handling in C
- Analyzing approaches to preserving retro game assets and gameplay feel
Not Ideal For
- Developers seeking a fully polished, bug-free game ready for immediate casual play
- Teams requiring a stable, production-ready game engine with comprehensive documentation and support
- Projects needing a flexible racing game framework for creating entirely new games from scratch
- Users on BSD systems wanting to use the Sokol backend, which is unsupported
Pros & Cons
Pros
Faithfully replicates the original wipEout's mechanics and feel, as detailed in the developer's blog, ensuring an accurate retro experience without emulation.
Offers builds for web (via Emscripten), Linux, macOS, and Windows using SDL2 or Sokol backends, making it accessible across modern systems.
Encourages community contributions with a list of 'Ideas for improvements' in the README, fostering collaborative enhancements.
Supports CMake and Make with various flags like PLATFORM and RENDERER, allowing customization for different environments and use cases.
Cons
Missing key elements from the original game, such as game-end animations and reverb effects, as openly listed in the 'Not yet implemented' section.
Requires users to manually source and organize original game assets (textures, music) from external sites, adding complexity and legal ambiguity.
The Sokol backend lacks gamepad support, and analog input is described as feeling 'like balancing an egg,' limiting accessibility for some players.
Explicitly marked as 'Work in progress' with bugs, making it unreliable for consistent gameplay without frequent issues or fixes.
Frequently Asked Questions
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