Wave Race: Blue Storm

Review

Only one of two GameCube launch titles published by Nintendo itself–the other was Luigi’s Mansion—Wave Race: Blue Storm is a follow-up to the extremely impressive N64 racer, which, until this sequel, still featured the most realistic simulation of moving water ever. Blue Storm, naturally, looks even more impressive, with huge rolling waves, water splashing on the camera screen, and beautiful reflections everywhere. This is the game that’ll impress your non-GameCube-owning friends–unless you think they’ll be excited by a ghost-themed vacuum-cleaning simulator.

Although the graphics have certainly improved, some of the other changes in Blue Storm are more controversial. The biggest problem is the extremely heavy handling of the jet skis. It’s no doubt more realistic, but, to the average player, it initially seems like you’re driving a water-borne milk truck, such is your craft’s total inability to take corners at speed. Things improve with practice, but it does severely limit the game’s initial appeal. The cheaty, Mario Kart 64-style AI doesn’t help matters, either. All this isn’t enough to ruin the party, however, and this is still a topnotch and, most unusually of all, original racer. –David Jenkins — Amazon.co.uk