It's scientific fact that racing games are roughly 200 percent more exciting when the genre's standard asphalt surfaces are replaced with good ol' H20. One of the clearest examples of this was Midway's classic arcade racer Hydro Thunder -- a franchise that's been dormant for over a decade. However, Microsoft Game Studios and developer Vector Unit today announced that they'll soon blow the proverbial dust off the series this summer with Hydro Thunder Hurricane, an Xbox Live Arcade-exclusive sequel to the arcade classic.
Hydro Thunder Hurricane will include a number of multiplayer-oriented game modes, eight super hazardous race tracks and several returning speedboats from the series' original iteration. There's support for four-player local matches, eight-player online matches and a co-operative "Rubber Ducky" mode, which just sounds so intense.
Vector Unit is showcasing the title at PAX East. We'll let you know how it handles.
1: Can this atrocity. 2: Beg for forgiveness from every Hydro Thunder fan for being arrogant enough to assume you could make a sequel. 3: Contact Raw Thrills and agree to do a port of H2Overdrive, the REAL Hydro Thunder sequel.
This is an utter joke. "Not your father's Hydro Thunder" indeed.
Come on, don't hate on Blight just because he's not pleased with the sequel. I understand he's negative about many things, but really? Let a man have his opinions.
I agree with Blight. I watched the trailer and thought something seemed "off." After thinking about it for a bit, I decided that the gameplay they're showing feels slow, undramatic. Hydro Thunder was wild, crazy, totally unrealistic. If you follow Blight's YouTube link and watch the H2Overdrive trailer, that's more like it.
By the way, while looking for old Hydro Thunder footage for comparison, I discovered this video of an H2Overdrive motion cabinet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfxAbTrkcyk Damn, that looks like fun! While I hope Specular's moratorium on console ports of H2Overdrive ends soon, it's definitely true that you could not replicate this cab's experience at home.
I'm with you in spirit, Dr. Blight- if not fully in opinion.
I mean, I'll still buy this, because it might be good on it's own merits. I don't think it looks terrible- but you're fully right that it does look pretty different from the original in terms of track design, speed and handling.
I'm reminded of the Guitar Hero/Rock Band split off. The original Hydro Thunder guys ended up doing a new more fully featured version of their game for a different publisher, while the named sequel is being done by guys that loved the original and now own the name to it, though they didn't make it. And as Guitar Hero under Neversoft had it's own feel and style, I think we'll see something similar with Vector Unit's (a MGS studio, it's worth mentioning-) take on Hydro Thunder.
I just hope it's awesome. Because I'd rather have good games be out there than bad ones.
Also- is there like, a Hydro Thunder community out there or something? Because I had no idea.... but I'd totally check out their forums. :)
Well apparently someone didn't like the looks of this, but I think it has potential. Truth be told, there are not enough games like this on the XBLA right now but this is looking like it will be a great addition. Stop being such a negative nancy, Dr. Blight.
Hydro Thunder on the Dreamcast was one of my favourite games, and I've always wanted to see it on the XBLA.
This looks like it has captured the spirit at least. I look forward to playing it to see that it feels the same though.
I think it's good that they're doing a sequel rather than a port. It'd be great if they could include the original courses though (or something resembling them in some way).
It's an inferior attempt at a sequel, not made by Team Hydro like H2Overdrive is.
The boat physics are off, the water physics are off, the 'NOS' bottles are off, there's no evidence of checkpoints, the announcer sounds moronic...the whole game is wrong.
And apparently H2Overdrive outclasses anything these outdated consoles can provide. The game is running on a 9800GT. While that's old hat for PC's, the consoles can't match it by a long shot.
I can't tell you how many quarters I've spent on Hydro Thunder, I even get the chills now when I still see them in Dave & Busters. I will have to buy this to relive the days before real jobs, bills and house payments...
Games like this are what made the PS1's catalogue so rich and varied. Nowadays we're left with the same template racers/shooters/adventures. Even if this game isn't as great as it could be, at least it is something relatively new for this generation.
I'd like to see a new or HD-updated Felony 11/79 or Thrill Drive from the arcades.
I don't think it looked that bad. Kind of jaggy, but fun. I loved the Dreamcast version (except the load times were among the worst ever...seriously). If we are lucky it might be $10 (probably $15), but I'm all for more arcade racers (can we get a new RUSH game, please?)
