Great visuals...cool gameplay...LOTS OF FUN
I've gone through the tutorial and the first few missions and I really like the game so far. Spending so much time trying to shave 1/10ths of a second off my lap times in GT5P, I like playing a game that has speed & precision, but doesn't make my head hurt like the racing simulators or FPS games
The Look:
For a downloaded game, I think it looks great. The action is really smooth and the water looks and moves like real life. The tropical background is cool and I'd love to see them come out with other locations too. Wakeboarding down the LA River seems like it could be fun.
Play:
Being the noob that I am, WB HD provides me with a lot of things to learn to become better. Different combos do different tricks, get you higher ratings and more points. The tutorial was really well designed at progressing you through the different movements and tricks. The missions themselves build on what you've practiced in the tutorial in a logical progression...which I like. And most importantly the physics seems right on the mark. Since I spend most of my gaming on GT5P, physics is important to me.
Sound:
There's only one background tune for the gameplay, which thankfully isn't annoying but WB supports custom music...so I'm gonna have to start loading my own. That's gonna be GREAT!
Intangibles:
This is where I really think the game is awesome (for me). I like the way the game makes you WANT to try the missions over and over not just to complete them, but to work for higher totals and more points. With many of the "casual" games I've downloaded once I get through a level I immediately move on. With this one I actually ENJOYED replaying the level and honing my skills, going for higher and higher totals. I really liked that.
Summary:
I think Wakeboarding HD knows what it is and does a good job of being that...a really fun game that provides fast play with great visuals. You don't need a PhD to learn the controls, and I think WB is gonna be my new Go-To game for just plain "FUN"
I give the game a big thumbs up for knowing what it is and being very good at it. I definitely think it's worth the money.