Hydro Thunder Hurricane – Xbox 360 Review (Xbox Live Arcade)

Reviewed by Liam Pritchard on July 28, 2010

Hydro Thunder Hurricane - Xbox 360 Review (Xbox Live Arcade)  | read this item

Rather than just re-releasing the original Hydro Thunder with a HD paint job, Vector Unit has gone all out and created a full sequel to the 1999 Dreamcast launch title. While some will inevitably argue that Hurricane has done little, if anything to push the series forward, given the general lack of arcade racers around these days, just seeing a game as unapologetically brash and OTT as Hurricane getting a release makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside – regardless of its similarities to its decade old forbearer, it’s great to see a genuinely bat-shit crazy racer on XBLA.

After last weeks slow paced, melancholic Limbo, Microsoft has wisely juxtaposed that title for their ongoing ‘Summer of Arcade’ with the cacophony of colour that is Hydro Thunder Hurricane. With bold brash colours throughout, a blaring soundtrack (complete with Sega-esque voiceover man) and some of the more insane course design this side of Mario Kart, Hurricane stands proudly as the garish Ying to Limbo’s subdued Yang. And you know what? It’s worked like a charm. Not only does it show Microsoft’s commitment to variety, but it also shows how the company is willing to embrace both extremes of the industry – and both with an undoubted eye for quality.

While it won’t have the same kind of impact that the truly fantastic Limbo had last week, Hurricane is nevertheless a fine example of what can now be achieved on XBLA. It’s bold colour scheme and surprisingly nuanced handling immediately evokes fond memories of the original while the huge collection of shortcuts and speed boosts quickly serve to remind just how fun many of the 90’s Midway racers used to be – make no mistake, this is pure, 100%, unfiltered arcade racing and it’s all the better for it.

Saying that, whether this game is worth spending 1200 MS Points on is dependent upon two immediate factors; 1) That, in this day and age of Forza’s and Gran Turismo’s, you are willing to embrace the simplified handling of an unapologetically old school arcade racer and 2) That you enjoy the challenge that only online leaderboards can bring.

The latter in particular is essential to the games long term worth. Sure, it’s got quite a few single player modes to get through and some enjoyable, if slightly limited, online options, but if you are really going to get the most out of Hurricane, it’s more than likely going to be from chasing down faster times via the games abundant online leaderboards.

Ok, so it’s not quite Trials HD addictive (other than crack, what is?) but it certainly builds up a one more go mentality as your progress through the game with carrots constantly dangled before your eyes in the form of constant leaderboard updates.

That’s not to say that the game doesn’t have much to offer otherwise though – quite the contrary in fact. While Race, Gauntlet and Ring Master (no giggling), all have a long term emphasis towards leaderboard scaling, there’s still plenty to do in the more traditional sense of unlockables and trophies. With Novice, Pro and Expert trophies and a structure that unlocks boats, competitions and skill classes as you progress, there is plenty here to keep you busy before the emphasis on time chasing really kicks in.

Of the four single player options, Championship Mode is the most traditional in that it incorporates all three game types into a simplified, yet structured competition that awards you with credits based on your finishing position that again go towards unlocking further events and boats. It’s entertaining enough while it lasts, but due to its more traditional structure, is probably the shortest lived.

The other 3 game modes are simply based around each of the three race types, but with all three proving equally entertaining, it really is surprising just how addictive each race type can become – while gaining all the gold pro trophies will take up a fair bit of your time, it’s the temptation to go back and beat your previous best (or more importantly, your friends best) that keeps many of the earlier events worth coming back to.

The most basic of the 3 modes, Race, inevitably offers up the most traditional competition of the three, but with a whopping 16 racers on the track at any one time and 8 absurdly overblown tracks to choose from, each offering up exaggerated takes on areas such as Paris, Area 51, Bablyon and well, Asgard (if it is possible to exaggerate such a mythical location), this mode is nothing if not exciting. Ring Master sees you racing through ever diminishingly sized rings in an attempt to keep as much time on the clock as possible while Gauntlet tasks you with finishing a course within the time limit in the face of some truly absurd obstacles. Needless to say, for 1200 MS Points, you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck.

Outside of these single player options, there is a small collection of online options to sink your teeth into. Basic online racing allows for up to 8 players and, while simple enough, given the fast paced gameplay and emphasis on shortcuts and boosting, should prove reasonably competitive – the fact that you can play 4 player split-screen online is also a major bonus. Then there is Rubber Ducky; it’s simple, fun, and as you can imagine, just a little stupid. Rubber Ducky has the simple premise of pitting two teams against each other in an attempt to nudge the duck into the opposition zone – ever seen those adverts with the cars playing football? Well, it’s kinda like that, but with boats……and a duck.

Of course, all these features and options would count for naught if the racing wasn’t up to scratch, but as I’m sure as you’ve already guessed by my general enthusiasm thus far, Hurricane just about nails it. Fans of the original will no doubt find it all very familiar, but with nine boats to choose from (three from each class), all of which feel reasonably distinct within the confines of the games arcade sensibilities, there’s certainly enough choice to cater to the majority of playing styles.

Beyond the basic handling, the choppy waters will have a huge effect on how each race is approached. Vector Unit has done a great job on the water, both in terms of its physical effects upon handling and its visual prowess. While the rest of the games visuals tend to vary from impressive to decidedly last-gen (thanks in large to some extremely flat textures), you can always rely on the water effects to look absolutely top notch throughout.

The aforementioned shortcuts also have a huge effect on the way you race, with the same going for the nitro canisters littered liberally over each track. The combination of speed boosts and the all new boost jump has allowed vector Unit to really push the already crazy level design up to 11 with short cuts now showing up in some genuinely surprising places.

And that’s exactly what Hydro Thunder Hurricane is really – a game turned up to 11. It’s fast, furious and absolutely bonkers. Sure, it has its share of faults; the visuals are a bit hit and miss and its long term value is dependent upon a required penchant for time attack chasing, but my God, give in to Hurricane’s OTT aesthetics, its arcade handling and its complete disregard for the laws of physics and you’ll be in for one hell of a ride.

Tags: 360, Hydro Thunder, Hydro Thunder Hurricane, Microsoft Game Studios, Vector Unit, XBLA, xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE Arcade