By: Nintendo Software Technology (NST)

Wave Race 64 was one of the first games to be released on the Nintendo 64. It was praised for its impressive wave physics and intense racing feel. With the release of Wave Race: Blue Storm, NST hopes to reinvent jet ski racing once again for the launch of the GameCube. Although the learning curve will frustrate you just as much as the original, the actual racing in Blue Storm is pure liquid bliss.

In Blue Storm, you choose one of eight jet ski racers and navigate between buoys on a water-filled course. Players finish races to unlock weather conditions and eventually new tracks. The graphics in Blue Storm are very impressive. First of all, the wave physics are exceptional. The waves splash off rocks and dramatically affect the race. The water teems with aquatic life and gorgeously reflects the backgrounds. One small, yet immersive effect splashes droplets of water onto the screen as you race, increasing the feeling of racing on water. The different weather settings completely change the look and feel of the course. All this at a rock-solid 30 frames per second (even in 4 player split-screen multiplayer) round out this graphically satisfying title.

However, the real beauty of Wave Race: Blue Storm comes from the gameplay. Racing is just so much fun. Your jet ski glides over the water and bounces off waves in a realistic manner. It's incredible how the wake from the jet skis disturb the water and the other racers. Even after several hours of gameplay, there's something relaxing about weaving your way through Aspen Lake on a sunny day, and something undeniably exhilirating about muscling you way through the waves during a rainstorm on Ocean City Harbor.

However, racing bliss comes at a cost. If you've never played Wave Race 64, you will almost certainly fail miserably in your first few races in Blue Storm. You may even be tempted to give up on the game. I tested this idea on some Wave Race newbies, and surely enough, they were turned off. I estimate that it takes at least an hour to learn how to play it properly. Once this is accomplished however, it becomes second nature.

One gripe about the game is that Blue Storm does suffer from a lack of tracks, with only 8. Even though they are varied to a great degree, you can always use more tracks, right? Right.

My suggestion is that you try Wave Race: Blue Storm before deciding to buy it. Once you overcome the steep learning curve, you'll uncover a gem of a racer, complete with great graphics and rewarding gameplay. Wave Race: Blue Storm is definitely one of only a few games that delivers a truly unique gaming experience.

ASY
Jack