So realistic you'll reach for the towel at the end of the race...
User Rating: 8.9 | Wave Race: Blue Storm GC
One of the release titles for the GameCube Wave Race: Blue Storm finally hit my cube a few weeks ago. On paper, this doesn't look like a winner. Very few actually have any kind of knowledge of or interest in jet ski racing. Also the gameplay options are very traditional and somewhat limited. Yes, there are different tracks and riders. But not, as it is fancied today, any kind of real career mode or ability to upgrade your equipment. Choose difficulty, rider and game mode - and of you go! Amazingly, what's left is more than adequate for making a great game. 1. Graphics, atmosphere and ambience The aquatic environment is absolutely alive and realistic. I have seen water in the real world look less like water, than it does in Wave Race: Blue Storm. And not only the water effect as such is amazing. All sorts of things are going on below the surface. Dolphins, turtles and killer whales are visible below and sometimes above the water. All in all you actually feel like you want to stay there just to enjoy the view. 2. Controls and physics The water is not just there for the looks. On your jetski you'll experience how the water affects your "driving" from the silent Aspen Lake to the roaring waves in the Habor. Combined with some of the tightest controls ever realised this is the most accurate simulation of navigating on water in any game. As in the real world you will find, that driving your jetski efficiently is difficult. It takes time to master. But when you do, the satisfaction is great. I find myself coming back to this game mainly because of the sheer joy of riding with some skill in the beautiful sorroundings. Using the waves to my advantage while navigating the buoys in a smooth, effortless manner. And of course beating the track record with just a few fractions of a second or finally winning the race at La Razza Canal at the hardest difficulty. Although and old game this original Nintendo release can compare with any new game for the Cube or any other platform. And you'll probably be able to grab it for almost no money at all in the bargain bin at your game pusher. Happy sailing!
