| Wave Rally | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Opus Studio |
| Publisher(s) | Eidos Interactive |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation 2 |
| Release | |
| Genre(s) | Racing |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Wave Rally, also known as Jet Ski Riders, is a 2001 Jet Ski racing game developed by Opus Studio and published by Eidos Interactive exclusively for the PlayStation 2. It was also to be released on the Xbox but was canceled. [2]
The game provides players with both a Jet Ski and runabout on which to race. Five modes of play are offered: Arcade, Championship, Time Trial, Multiplayer, and Freestyle. The Championship mode awards points based on the player's final position in each race. The objective is to be the rider with the most points at the end of the season. The Arcade mode forces the player to reach checkpoints within a given time limit in order to continue with the race. The freestyle arena requires the player to perform various tricks with the aid of waves and ramps scattered around the open area. Tricks are performed using button and directional pad combinations and are judged according to composition, appeal and technical merit, among others.
Dynamic waves which vary in frequency and height can help or hinder the progress during the race. Races take place during different times of the day and in variable weather conditions. A cast of eight selectable characters, consisting of female and male riders, makes up the field for each race. Races take place in a variety of real world locations, such as the Maldives, New Zealand, Florida, and Venice. The official Kawasaki and Jet Pilot licenses allow for official watercraft and wetsuits. A two-player split-screen mode is also included. [3]
The Western release of the game had a soundtrack provided by Moving Shadow record label, featuring music from Omni Trio, E-Z Rollers, Technical Itch, 2 Bad Mice, Dom & Roland, Aquasky, Perfect Combination, 60 Minute Man & Tekniq, with additional remixes provided from breakbeat maestros Hybrid and Rennie Pilgrem. [4]
| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | 62 out of 100 [5] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Famitsu | 28 out of 40 [6] |
| Game Informer | 4 out of 10 [7] |
| GamePro |   [8] |
| GameRevolution | D+ [9] |
| GameSpot | 6.3 out of 10 [10] |
| GameSpy | 74% [11] |
| GameZone | 5.9 out of 10 [12] |
| IGN | 7.1 out of 10 [13] |
| Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine |  [14] |
| PlayStation: The Official Magazine | 5 out of 10 [15] |
Wave Rally received "mixed" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. [5] In Japan, where the game was ported for release on January 31, 2002, Famitsu gave it a score of 28 out of 40. [6]
Game Revolution commented, "It's got some nice waves, but a bad camera, tough controls, and some unsatisfying gameplay cause an evil tsunami of massive proportions." [9] Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine stated, "This game looks so great, but the controls may very well be the worst I have ever seen in a racing game." [14] IGN stated, "Wave Rally isn't bad to look or listen to, but in the end it seems like more trouble to play in view of the rewards it offers. Shoving yourself around the courses is a frequently frustrating task, even with a touch of catch-up to the AI. You can learn a better way around the tracks, sussing out the lines and finding shortcuts (of which there are many), but it's still entirely possible for the strange behavior of the water to throw you off, no matter how hard you try." [13]
All Star Baseball 2003 is a baseball video game published by Acclaim Entertainment in 2002. The game features Derek Jeter on the cover.
Smuggler's Run is a video game developed by Angel Studios and published by Rockstar Games as a launch title for the PlayStation 2 on October 26, 2000. In the game, the player plays as a smuggler who has a number of different vehicles at his disposal including dune buggies, rally cars, and military vehicles. The vehicles are used to smuggle assorted cargo through three different large, open levels. The game, which was an early release for the Sony PlayStation 2, features career and 1- to 2-player arcade modes.
Wave Race: Blue Storm is a jetski racing video game developed and published by Nintendo for the GameCube in late 2001. It is the sequel to the 1996 Nintendo 64 game Wave Race 64, and the third in the series that started with the 1992 Game Boy game Wave Race.
Wave Race 64 is a 1996 racing video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. Gameplay involves the player racing on a personal watercraft on a variety of courses while successfully manoeuvring the vehicle around various buoys. A multiplayer mode where two players can compete against each other on a chosen course is also included. The game supports the Controller Pak, which allows players to transfer saved data from one game cartridge to another.
Salt Lake 2002 is the official video game of the XIX Olympic Winter Games, hosted by Salt Lake City, Utah, United States in 2002. Developed by Attention to Detail and published by Eidos Interactive, it was released for Windows, PlayStation 2 and Game Boy Advance. An Xbox version was also planned but cancelled.
Lego Star Wars: The Video Game is a 2005 Lego-themed action-adventure video game based on the Lego Star Wars line of construction toys, and the first installment in the Lego video game franchise developed by Traveller's Tales, which would develop all future Lego titles from that point on. It was first released on 29 March 2005, and is a video game adaptation of the Star Wars prequel trilogy: The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, with a bonus level from A New Hope.
WWF SmackDown! Just Bring It, known in Japan as Exciting Pro Wrestling 3, is a professional wrestling video game developed by Yuke's, and published by THQ for PlayStation 2, and was released in November 2001. It is the third game in the WWF SmackDown! series, based on the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) professional wrestling promotion, the sequel to WWF SmackDown! 2: Know Your Role, the first game in the series to be released on the PlayStation 2 console, and the last game in the series to be released under the "WWF" name.
NASCAR Thunder 2003 is the sixth edition of the EA Sports' NASCAR racing simulator series. Developed by EA Tiburon and Budcat Creations and published by EA Sports. It was released for PlayStation, PlayStation 2, GameCube, and Xbox on September 18, 2002, and for Microsoft Windows on October 21. The product features Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the cover. It was the first time the NASCAR's Most Popular Driver Award recipient was featured on the cover, although he did not win the award for the first time until the following year. Dale Earnhardt appeared in the game as a driver as a result of entering his name as a Create-A-Car driver's name; he did not appear in the previous game due to his death. He appeared as a legend in subsequent games.
Mister Mosquito, spelled Mr Moskeeto in PAL regions and known in Japan as Ka, is a video game developed by Zoom and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 2. It was released in Japan in January 2001 and internationally by Fresh Games in March 2002.
Mystic Heroes is a hack and slash video game developed by Koei. The game is loosely based on Investiture of the Gods, a Chinese supernatural novel about the fall of the Shang dynasty and the rise of the Zhou dynasty.
Evolution Snowboarding is a 2002 snowboarding video game both developed and published by Japanese game company Konami. The game takes a new perspective on the snowboarding genre. It is the sequel to Evolution Skateboarding.
Freekstyle is a 2002 motocross racing video game for the PlayStation 2, GameCube and Game Boy Advance. There are four levels of gameplay: the circuit, a quick race, freestyle, and free run.
Top Gun: Combat Zones is a combat flight simulation game named after the 1986 film Top Gun. It was developed by British studio Digital Integration and published by Titus Interactive. It was originally released for the PlayStation 2 in 2001, followed by a GameCube version in 2002. Versions were also released for the Game Boy Advance and Microsoft Windows.
Splashdown is a water racing video game developed by Rainbow Studios and published by Infogrames originally for the PlayStation 2 and was later ported to the Xbox. It was released under the Atari brand name.
Shox is an arcade rally racing video game developed by EA UK and published by Electronic Arts under the EA Sports BIG label in North America and Europe for the PlayStation 2 in fall of 2002. Shox features 24 licensed vehicles from real-life makers like Audi, BMW, Toyota, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Lancia, and Ford. The game introduced a unique concept, "Shox Zones". Within each track there are specially designated areas, or "Shox Zones" where players are awarded Bronze, Silver, and Gold placements based on their driving skills.
The Adventures of Cookie & Cream, known as Kuri Kuri Mix in Japan and Europe, is an action-adventure video game developed by FromSoftware for the PlayStation 2 released in 2000. In 2007, it was ported to the Nintendo DS as Cookie & Cream.
ESPN X Games Skateboarding is a video game developed by Konami for the PlayStation 2 and Game Boy Advance. The PlayStation 2 version was released in North America on August 14, 2001, in Japan on September 20, 2001, and in Europe on January 25, 2002, while the Game Boy Advance version was released in North America on September 12, 2001, in Japan on October 25, and in Europe on November 16. The game was released as part of Konami's ESPN The Games brand.
F1 2001 is a racing video game developed by Image Space Incorporated for the Microsoft Windows version and EA UK for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox version and published by EA Sports for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2 and Xbox. It is based on the 2001 Formula One season. A port for GameCube was planned, but cancelled for unknown reasons, and eventually released with minor changes as F1 2002. A Game Boy Color version was also cancelled during development.
Sea-Doo Hydrocross is a driving game developed by Vicarious Visions and published by Vatical Entertainment. It was released on June 6, 2001 on the PlayStation after many delays, though the planned Nintendo 64, Dreamcast and Game Boy Color releases never came to fruition. Project lead was Bill Armintrout and game designer was Mitch Booker.
Jet X2O is a watercraft racing and stunt performance game that was developed by Killer Game and published by Sony Computer Entertainment.