G.G Series EXCITING RIVER Review - Screenshot 1 of 2

The G.G Series continues rolling forward with its seemingly endless number of releases, and this time it's branching out into light racing territory. True to the identity of the series that it's coming from, G.G Series EXCITING RIVER offers a barebones yet enjoyable arcade game that shows its value not through its depth, but through its replayability. While there may be some problems with the controls and not everyone will be sold on its admittedly lackluster amount of content, G.G Series EXCITING RIVER is an excellent arcade title and one that we'd suggest deserves a space in many digital libraries.

The premise sees players take control of a canoeist racing against others down a choppy river. Along the way logs, rocks and strong currents obstruct the player's progress and threaten to capsize the canoe. It works well, and the fast paced nature of each race keeps things interesting, especially given that the player is only given roughly thirty seconds to reach each checkpoint. The environments are colourful and the sprites are wonderfully animated, while the pleasant, upbeat Irish shanty constantly playing in the background contributes well to the theme of urgency.

Gameplay unfolds with a basic two button scheme that does take a bit of time to properly come to grips with. A tap of "A" paddles right and tapping left on the D-Pad paddles left, and it's by rapidly tapping these buttons one after the other that the canoe accelerates. While it is a simple means of propelling the canoe, you'll likely spend the first several minutes floundering around as you try to figure out how it works. Otherwise, a tap of the "B" button enables a boost, but this is next to impossible to steer and should only be used in emergency situations.

G.G Series EXCITING RIVER Review - Screenshot 2 of 2

If there are any complaints to be made against this, it's that there's not nearly enough diversity in levels. There are fifteen levels available and they can all be beaten in the space of around twenty minutes. Not only are there not enough levels, but they're all roughly the same thing, with the only major difference being placement of hazards. It would've been nice to have been given the opportunity to see more than the same river over and over again, but what's there is still engaging enough that it won't bother most players.

Conclusion

G.G Series EXCITING RIVER is a fun little arcade racer that'll keep players coming back to beat their scores and best times long after they clear its extremely short run time. While there are some minor issues with the initially confusing setup of the controls and the lack of diverse environments or levels, one must remember that you get what you pay for. For what it is, G.G Series EXCITING RIVER is a compelling arcade title and one that we'd suggest to anybody looking for a brief and enjoyable racer on their portable.