Review: Hydro Thunder Hurricane

Hydro Thunder Hurricane is exactly what this generation needs more of, stupid crazy arcade games.

Developer: Vector Unit
Publisher: Microsoft
Platforms: X360 

If you’ve ever found yourself in a bowling alley or a roller skating rink, odds are you’ve come across an arcade cabinet of Midway’s infamous boat racing extravaganza Hydro Thunder. Hydro Thunder was one of my personal favorite arcade games as a teenager; it gave me a rush of speed and pure insanity like few arcade games have. In fact, the only other arcade game I can think of to deliver such a frenetic and bombastic experience is Sega’s Crazy Taxi series. But I digress, Hydro Thunder was and is still one of the best pure arcade games ever - and amazingly enough thanks to Microsoft picking up the licensing fire-sale rights from Midway a few years back, it’s finally back!

Made by the small ragtag team at Vector-Unit, Hydo Thunder Hurricane has managed to keep intact the spirit of the original Midway racer and add a slew of new features along the way. 

You’ll race a growing selection of jet-powered transforming super boats through some of the wildest race tracks I’ve seen in a years.  Make no mistake, this isn’t Forza, Hurricane isn’t a realistic racer by any stretch of the imagination; this is an arcadey carnival ride of sights and sounds. The kind of ride you don’t so much carefully control as you more or less hang on for the ride of your life smiling the whole time. This is exactly the same euphoric dumb bliss that Hurricane delivers in strides. 

Vector Unit have nailed the fun of past Hydro Thunder games but have also implemented a deliciously addictive carrot and stick system of unlocking tons of new race-tracks, boats, skins for your boat and even new game-play modes. 

It really is addicting. I myself just kept muttering to myself,  ”Oh just one more race” even though it was close to 1am. If unlocking and earning achievements isn’t enough for you, you can also race online via Live; adding a thrill to Hydo Thunder that I hadn’t experienced before. Don’t get me wrong, playing against the A.I. is fun but it’s soo much better hearing other folks screaming over the headset as you’re all trying to navigate these carnival like wild race tracks. 

Hydo Thunder Hurricane will set you back 1200 MS point or in human speak $15. If you’re an old school gamer that used to spend your weekends in arcades playing classic games like Outrun, then Hydro Thunder Hurricane will scratch that nostalgic arcade itch that’s been tickling. For everyone else it’s just a damn fun arcade game that really is - an arcade game. Something that sadly is missing a hell of a lot this gen. 

 By: Michael Torres