For the record, I was a huge fan of the original Wave Race. It was one of a
group of first-generation N64 titles that nothing else in the systems five-year run
could surpass. In that case, it is probably a good thing that Nintendo decided to wait to
release a sequel until they had the hardware to do it justice. The Gamecube fills that
requirement nicely.The object of the game
remains mostly the same this time around: race against the opposition while navigating
between buoys, performing tricks, and battling against the waves, wakes, and weather.
Missing five buoys or straying too far off course will end your race early. The landscape
taxes your driving skills, forcing you to maneuver around piers, rocks, debris, between
barges, and more. Shortcuts are everywhere, often forcing you to break through a wall, a
hut, or submarine under a boardwalk. There are plenty of ramps to jump and tricks to
perform. This time, however, the tricks are more than cosmetic. Performing tricks or
passing a sufficient number of buoys fills your turbo meter which, once full, can be used
for a temporary boost of speed that can make all the difference in a race.
There are six modes of game play to choose from. Championship
Mode requires you to race against seven opponents, through three circuits. With each
progressive circuit new tracks are added, repeated tracks are modified, and the computer
opponents become more competitive. It also allows you to unlock racing options for the
rest of the game. All eight characters are playable from the start, so most of the extra
options consist of tracks and weather. To unlock a track, or weather conditions for a
particular track, you need only have played it in Championship Mode. Luckily, the game
lays out the weather effects for each race of the circuit as you play, then lets you
choose which course to race in those conditions, so you can get the effects you want for
each course without too much hassle. There are eight total tracks, and five different
types of weatherClear, Clear/Partly Cloudy, Cloudy/Partly Rainy, Rainy, and Stormy.
This may not seem like much at first, but each new circuit changes the courses
dramatically (other than the setting, they are nearly unrecognizable by the time you reach
the expert circuit) and the weather brings rain, snow, fog, and waves ranging one foot to
nine feet. By the time you are finished there are dozens of different racing experiences
to be had in each mode of the game. Unlocking all of the options you want will take a lot
of replay in each circuit, and the game gets tough fast. The obstacle courses and computer
opponents in the expert circuit are incredibly unforgiving. You can expect to be consumed
by this game for a while. Other modes include a Tutorial, Free Roam, Time Attack, Stunt
Mode, and a four-player, split-screen Multi-player.
The control set-up seems simple at first. The directional stick
turns your jet ski right and left and moves your characters center of gravity
forward and back (important when turning and negotiating waves). You accelerate with the A
button, crouch with the B or Y button, use your turbo boost with X or Z. You lean right
and left with the shoulder buttons. The C stick controls your camera. Tricks are performed
using the directional stick in conjunction with accelerating, letting off the gas, and
crouching. Some tricks are quick and easy, some take time to learn. All of this looks easy
on paper, but the nuances and physics of the game give the control a bit of a learning
curve. Negotiating multiple waves of different sizes takes skill, as does skiing over ice,
ramps and consecutive series of ramps. The wakes of the other jet skis affects your
control. There are waterfalls that change the current, and large, falling debris that
create huge, unexpected waves. And during the course of a race you may encounter all of
these, at the same time, all while the weather is changing around you.
The graphics are rendered beautifully, although in a totally
unrealistic manner. This is more of a stylistic choice than a programming limitation,
however. The tour de force of the game is the water. Not just the wave modeling, which is
terrific, but also the water as a whole. There are layers of textures and reflections.
There is the water itself, the reflection of the background cast over it, your character
and his or her reflection on top of that, then the landscape underneath the water, and any
sea life swimming in between. All reflections shimmer and deform accordingly. The opacity
of the water changes with the weather. The effect is almost hypnotic. It is not perfect,
however, not by a long shot. The biggest problem comes with the layers below the surface
of the waterthe sea floor, sea life, and the parts of your characters body
that are occasionally in the water. While everything is convincing on top of the water,
nothing shimmers, shortens, or deforms underneath the surface. At times, this makes the
water appear too clear to be convincing. The courses are gorgeous. There are lots of
wonderful details like smooth character models, fish jumping, ducks taking flight, sea
turtles swimming, dolphins racing beside you, and the weatherholy cow, the weather.
The raindrops hit the camera lens, fog creeps in and sets a cold, spooky tone, lightning
erupts in the sky, silhouetting the landscape and reflecting on the water. And the weather
is constantly changing. A race may start out partly cloudy, maybe with a drizzle, and
slowly brew into a monster storm. Wow. But there are so few lighting and shadow effects,
or deep textures aside from the water, that the overall look becomes very cartoony. The
surface of the water is perfect, and the cartoony look works for the game, but a little
more attention paid to the special effects under and around the water would make the
visuals a lot more solid as a whole.
The sound works well, but doesnt rise to greatness. The
sound effects are dead onthe engine has that high jet ski pitch that changes over
each wave and jump, the crashes are sharp and nasty, the thunder booms, etc. The voice
acting is good, but the commentary from the coaches can get irritating. Each character has
his or her own coach, and while they are quick and almost too emphatic when you are doing
well, they are also very condescending when you make a mistake. Ayumi Stewarts
coach, Robin, is by far the worst. I wanted to strangle her. Luckily, you can turn the
voices off in the options menu. The music isnt bad, has its high points, and ranges
from techno to a six-string blues kind of sound.
Wave Race: Blue Storm is both a wonderful technical achievement and a joy to play. It
is a solid jet ski racer that offers a much different experience than that of your
traditional auto racer. It is refreshing to find yourself gliding over the glass-like
surface of a calm lake and fighting nine-foot waves in a thunder storm, instead of
grinding gears on the pavement yet again. There are details beyond the surface of the
water that should have been pushed farther, and the courses and opposition become
downright exhausting by the last circuit. But I have no problem saying that Wave Race:
Blue Storm is a must-play launch title for the Gamecube.