Championship Surfer

Mattel has sent over a preview version of its surfing game, Championship Surfer. For those looking for a quick surfing fix, there is an arcade mode that lets you choose from eight members - who all have different strengths and weaknesses - of the Team O'Neill surfing team. After choosing your surfer, you get to make another decision regarding the type of board you use, and like the choice of surfers, each board offers different benefits for the type of waves you'll be riding. Then you finally get to surf. Like the actual sport, you start out laying flat on your board waiting for waves to approach. Once you see a good wave coming - you shouldn't have to wait long, as the waves come quite often - you must start to paddle, and when the time is right, stand up on your board and start surfing. In the arcade mode, you must earn points for performing different tricks, like surfing the tube. In addition, you must avoid various obstacles such as Jet Skis, swimmers, and buoys, because they'll knock you off and cause damage to your board. Each level in the arcade mode requires that you reach a specific point total before you're able to progress to the next beach.

Championship Surfer also includes a championship mode that judges you based on your surfing performance, a rumble mode in which other players can join in to surf on the same wave, and a king of the waves tournament where two players surf against each other at a time. Additional modes such as trick attack, free surf, and training will help you fine-tune your surfing skills before entering into a tournament.

Championship Surfer should be on store shelves by November.