PAX East 2010: Hydro Thunder Hurricane Hands On

If you were an arcade gamer in the late 90's and early 2000's then there's a good chance you have fond memories of Hydro Thunder. With its over the top boat racing action, wild environments, heavy boosting, and excellent water physics, Hydro Thunder stole more than it's fair share of my pocket change up until I picked up the Dreamcast version clocked in more hours than is probably healthy. So when developer Vector Unit announced at PAX East that a true sequel would be on the way exclusively to Xbox Live Arcade in the form of Hydro Thunder Hurricane, I knew that I had to check it out. As it turns out the new Hydro Thunder feels just like the old Hydro Thunder, only better.

I've got to hand it to Vector Unit, they know what made the original game such a hit and haven't strayed too far from that formula. Many favorite boats from the original make a return, each of which looks gorgeous with their new HD designs that transform when you collect boost. Like the original they are divided into classes which act as the difficulty setting for the game, with the A.I. getting a significant skill boost in the Expert class compared to the Novice crafts. The tracks, on the other hand, may even surpass the original in terms of craziness. Viking ghost ships, sea monsters, whirlpools, and even the thunder god Thor get tossed into the mix to make each race that much more thrilling. And they're not just eye candy this time around. Thanks to new water physics, ever boulder or glacier that falls into the water sends out dynamic waves that must be maneuvered, or used as jumps if you've got the boost for it. Even the wake coming from opponent racers can effect your handling if you approach them at the wrong angle. But the reward is worth the risk, since trailing an opponent gives you a drafting boost that can set you ahead of the competition.

Also returning from Hydro Thunder's arcade debut are the shortcuts, which seem to be everywhere in Hurricane's courses. Some can only be reached by using a boost jump, others must be activated by green triggers on the course that shift the environment, while others seem to only be possible by taking advantage of the aforementioned wave physics. Hydro Thunder Hurricane sports fewer tracks than the original, but I was able to play the same course three times taking fairly different routes each race. More dedicated playtime will probably reveal one path to be the fastest through the course, but it's definitely nice to see that there is no shortage of options on each course.

And that was just in the standard race mode. Hit the jump for a look at some of the new game modes and multiplayer options in Hydro Thunder Hurricane.