Xbox

Splashdown

Splashdown is a fantastic title, and should satisfy fans of water based racers nicely. From the gorgeous graphics and water effects, to the solid play mechanics and sheer fun factor, Splashdown is a AAA title in every respect. With loads of stunts to learn, numerous riders to choose from, and over 40 courses to master, the replay value is through the roof. Don’t hesitate to pick this one up. For fifty bones, it’s well worth the price of admission. Just remember: A watercraft is not a toy and can be hazardous to operate. For your safety, wear a helmet, eye protection, a personal flotation device and a wetsuit. Then bash the snot out of the rider next to you.

With all of these fine Xbox exclusive features, Splashdown is an excellent example of a multi-platform title done right. Rather than just doing an easy port, Rainbow has refined and enhanced an already good game. If you're looking for a fast and fun Sea-Doo racing game, Splashdown for Xbox is one of the best.

Auch auf der Xbox kann Splashdown überzeugen - allerdings nur eingeschränkt. Vor allem anhand der veralteten Musikuntermalung lässt sich unschwer erkennen, dass das Game schon vor einiger Zeit auf einer anderen Konsole zu sehen war. Und die Änderungen zum PS2-Cousin halten sich deutlich in Grenzen. Sicher: ein paar neue Strecken sind da und das Wasser sieht so gut aus wie nie zuvor. Doch trotzdem wurden die vorhandenen Fähigkeiten der Xbox nicht ausreichend ausgenutzt. Eigens erstellte Soundtracks und ein Vier-Spieler-Modus fallen einem spontan ein. Dass Splashdown trotzdem System-übergreifend mit der Konkurrenz mithalten kann, liegt vor allem am unkomplizierten Spielprinzip und der grandiosen Steuerung. Unter dem Strich nette Unterhaltung, die auch für Mehrspieler-Partys genutzt werden kann, die jedoch niemand braucht, der zufälligerweise auch eine PS2 und die dazugehörige Version zu Hause stehen hat. Dazu sind die Unterschiede einfach zu gering.

I think this is the one of the most fun games I have played in a while. Free Ride is where I'll spend most of my time, but this game truly has something for every racing fan. If you liked Wave Race even in the slightest, I suggest you go pick this one up, as it's way more fun, and a lot prettier to boot.

In a sense, it's almost sad to play through the new courses created specifically for the Xbox version of Splashdown because you get a glimpse of what could have made this game not only one of the Xbox's best, but also the finest water-based racing game, period. When you race through the new courses and then through the original courses, it almost feels like you're playing two different games--one that truly captures water racing and another that gives small little tastes of what it can be like. In any case, the improvements that Rainbow Studios made to an already good game are certainly for the best, so Xbox owners looking for a racing game that plays and looks great would do well to pick up Splashdown.

Splashdown isn't all about straight-forward racing, when you’re in the air you can perform stunts, that if successfully executed, increases the overall acceleration and top-speed of your watercraft. To perform stunts you have to push a direction on the l-stick while pressing a modifier button. Each character has 25 stunts, all of which are shared between every character, however each racer does have one unique trademark stunt. If you are feeling saucy you can hit the black button while performing stunts to get the ‘thrill-cam’ perspective of the action. This feature is a catch-22 of sorts since it is the coolest vantage point to view the action from, but also the hardest perspective from which to successfully pull off stunts.

Tout comme son homologue PS2, Splashdown Xbox est un jeu très rafraîchissant qui brille par son excellente réalisation graphique et son gameplay très instinctif. On s'amuse dès le premier coup d'accélérateur pour ne plus lâcher le pad jusqu'à avoir débloquer tous les circuits et tous les persos.

This is a jump right in and play kind of game. Nice to have around when you’re not looking to get into anything serious and don’t want to think to much. It offers excellent graphics and sound, and is a nice change of pace from all of the car racers available.

Jetskiing hasn’t been done on the Xbox yet, but fortunately Atari is here to save the day. Splashdown’s PS2 release marked the first time that quality jet ski racing could be found outside the Wave Race series, and this Xbox version brings the love to the Microsoft crowd. A straight-up port of the PS2 original, it adds two new tracks, two new riders, and some minor visual upgrades. The difficulty and A.I. are tuned a bit better, too this version isn’t quite as tough. Overall, though, if you’ve already conquered the PS2 version, you can safely skip right past this game.

Splashdown manages to blend a perfect mix of control, arcade-style gameplay, and sim-like qualities to create a great racing experience. The tracks are creative and the gameplay challenging. I would have liked to see the trick system explored in greater detail, but this game is focused more on racing than stunts.

Splashdown is fun, but it lacks the difficulty and depth that made the Wave Race series so successful. There are a few levels with big waves, but for the most part it feels like the game could just have easily been on a dirt bike. The water is rarely against you, which is a shame because that's what makes a sea-faring racing game different from all the rest.

Overall, we have a title that could have been a lot of fun, but only scratches the surface of its potential. It’s an average game that may offer some brief stints of fun on a rainy day but cannot be recommended for extended periods of play.