With Midway and its fortunes long since cast into the wind, you'd be right to think that the chances of getting a sequel to the company's arcade boat racing game, Hydro Thunder, were extremely slim. But that very sequel is on display here at Penny Arcade's PAX East, and it looks like Vector Unit, the independent developer putting it all together under the name Hydro Thunder Hurricane, clearly understands what needs to be done.
Now, Vector Unit didn't actually buy up the rights to Hydro Thunder in a Midway fire sale. As it turns out, it was Microsoft that picked up those rights. Actually, this just has me wondering what other Midway properties Microsoft picked up along the way. But forget about that. Hydro Thunder Hurricane is an Xbox Live Arcade boat racing game that utilizes the same mechanics as the original arcade game, including boost pick-ups and different courses, each with their own distinct visual theme. While the tracks are new, the boats from the original game return with some light redesigns and new skins. Also, at least environment--Lake Powell--will return, though it's an all-new track set in the same area found in the original game.
Austin writes, "So, you’ve downloaded all the free games Xbox Live has to offer, but you still feel you’re missing something. You have gotten a small taste of the Xbox Live Arcade, and now you’re ready to dive right in."
Nice top 5 list but there are a lot of really good games. My top 5 in no order -
1. Trails HD (soon to be Trails Evolution)
2. Battlefield 1943
3. From Dust
4. Monday Night Combat
5. Hydrophobia
Top 10 -
6. Shadow Complex
7. Lara Croft : GOL
8. Black light: Tango Down
9. Perfect Dark (Classic)
10.Castle Crashers
There are PLENTY more such as Limbo, Hydrothunder which i JUST downloaded today ironically enough and Death Tank. (highly underated) Also can't wait for MINECRAFT ON XBOX! WOO HOO!
NIce list but with one big omission, well two actually
BRAID!! highest rated indie game ever and one of the best games of all time
my top 10 would be
1. BRAID
2. Shadow Complex
3. Limbo
4. Bastion
5. Outland
6. Castle Crashers
7. Loaca Croft: GOL
8. Battlefield 1942
9. Rez
10. Trials
seriously though Braid is the best XBLA game ever
Thunderbolt writes: "There’s a certain disappointment that comes packaged with Hydro Thunder Hurricane before you even play it: Why isn’t it a full release? Arcade racers are becoming rare lately and with the introduction of services like PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade these games have been relegated almost exclusively to downloadable form. That’s not to say that this is entirely a bad thing; after all, it’s good to see such games getting a new lease of life in a somewhat less risky environment. Yet Hydro Thunder Hurricane typifies a key issue when dealing with more ambitious titles in a downloadable environment: content."
PlayDevil has posted a XBLA review of "Hydro Thunder Hurricane".
Will this HD classic game blow you away?
Here's a snippet from the review:
"Hydro Thunder has four main gameplay modes, all of which evoke classic arcade gameplay. There is the standard race mode, ring mode has you driving through rings in a time-trial style mode, gauntlet is similar, but you have to avoid exploding barrels, whilst championship puts multiple stages together for the hardcore racers out there."
Nice, so Microsoft bought the rights. I love Hydro Thunder!!! I'm glad someone realized it's a great game and revived it!
LOL @ being the guy who loved the 'DADDY' version of Hydro Thunder..
But who cares..it Hydro F-ing Thunder + Xbox Live? = Heaven
Thank you Micrsoft!
Arcade gave me some of the best games that I ever played back in the day..and although I will officially go bezerk if I ever get to play a non-Mame Burger Time..I'll take Hydro any day
Life is god
Evil