Wave Race: Blue Storm Review (GameCube)

Starting off in Wave Race: Blue Storm is noticeably more difficult than the N64 original, but with more stunts to learn and the new boost feature it's much more rewarding when you get the hang of it. The majority of the tracks are updated from the original game; which is no bad thing as they've had a significant facelift and were excellent to start with. Each course has three difficulty levels that change the layout as well as the skill of the opponents.

You can play as one of eight racers with differing sets of stats on their respective Jet Skis: Acceleration, Top Speed, Manoeuvrability, Stunt Skill and Strength. The other main difference between the playable characters is the "pit-chief" you have and the music used throughout the game - which is good by the way.

The visuals don't fail to impress. Water is obviously the star attraction: from drops splashing on the TV screen after a jump to the stormy weather. You can choose to race in different weather conditions, which affects not only the wave height and visibility, but also the water level in some courses. The weather effects are brilliant: racing whilst the rain falls harder and harder, ending with multiple lightning bolts is an experience you'll definitely want to take part in!

The championship mode will take a while to complete over the 18 iterations of tracks - especially as there is no single race mode where you can practice against opponents. Multiplayer mode is great for people who have already learnt the controls, but for a quick blast with people that don't own the game, Wave Race will disappoint.