Underrated classic old school gameplay
Firstly, The graphics although simple are surprisingly good, the water effects are pretty amazing for gba and the micro does it justice to full effect, My only complaint is lack of other environments away from the wave, Maybe they could have made a lilttle village where you could buy your gear etc and do mini games before going out on the surf but its not such a big deal and doesn't take away from the overall gameplay. The game itself is just fun to pick up and play, whether its seeing how long you can last in the barrel or attempting the biggest air off the lip, there is a rewarding feeling once you get a great combo and rhythm going on the wave which is how it should feel just like in real life when you gain momentum and just everything feels in sync. The locations are great and true to their real life locations, my favourite is mavericks. Each location has a different feel, although the general gameplay might feel the same, the wave requires a different approach either because of the height or the power of the wave and you can definitely feel this in your ability to surf. The controls are responsive and smooth, the character feels noodley and easy to move unlike other surf games which makes it pretty easy to get straight into the action. The music is also pretty good and typically surf themed, the sound effects are also nice, the one complaint i have is the commentator who can get annoying after a while but you just kinda get used to him and blank it out as you get into the game. There is a challenge mode similar to tony hawks which also adds extra gameplay,usually the missions involve pulling out certain tricks or combos etc.
Overall, Although not perfect, the game is a really fun and accessible game to play on the go, the game actually is very relaxing to play and takes little time to get involved in, I rate gba games on how likely i will feel bothered to go back to a game for a quick play, a lot of gba games require serious amounts of time for progression but this game is just a great pick up and play title, Definitely give it a try, the game can be found pretty cheap these days so go and get it!