Riptide GP (iOS) Review
Mark Adams / Aug 18th, 2012 No Comments
Riptide
If you’re a fan of racing games, in particular the Wave Race series or the Wipeout series of games, then there’s a game on iOS and Android that replicates the feel of those game in considerable detail. What’s more, its different enough to make the game feel fresh and exciting for anyone looking to play a game with a similar look and feel to those series.
Riptide GP is a racing game based on water. You sit astride a jet ski and race along water filled speedways that are rippling to various degrees, creating waves of all shapes and sizes. To control your jet ski you tilt the controller left or right to turn in the desired direction, you touch the bottom part of the screen to slow down, and finally you press the boost gauge when it has built up to propel your jet ski at even greater speeds. To make things slightly easier, you automatically accelerate, which really means you can concentrate on the racing aspect of the game.
There are twelve different tracks and each and every one of them are rendered brilliantly. Backdrops give a great feeling of depth and the water effects are really special. This is another cracking looking game on the iPad, and on newer Android tablets such as the Google Nexus 7 the game runs just as smooth with very high textured graphics. The player animations and ski jet movements are all very realistic which makes the game a joy to watch when in motion. The sound is also very impressive, and all sound effects and tunes fit the game nicely.
Riptide In Game
You can choose between three classes of race, easy level through to hard level and you can choose various ski jets. Initially the game comes with three differ ski jets, but more can be unlocked as you move on through the game. The difficulty even at easy is quite demanding, and you will need all your skill to win the race in first place. As mentioned, there is a boost feature, you can refill your boost by doing tricks while in mid-air. You can catch air by either jumping over a jump or hitting a huge wave. Simply use both thumbs to move in various directions at the bottom of the screen while in the air and you will perform a stunt tied to that movement. The boost really adds to your speed and can be the difference between winning or loosing a race, so every effort should be made to perform tricks.
There are a number of different modes to choose from including “race”, where you are pitted against AI ski jets of varying skills (think of it as a quick race option), “hot lap” which has you doing speed laps and last but not lease a “championship” mode which puts you through the paces of a well thought out championship. It’s all good whichever mode you choose.
Riptide GP is genuinely one of the best racing games available on mobile devices. At the moment it is free on iOS and has a small fee on Android. As its free, it is definitely worth downloading and adding to your collection. It’s a breath of fresh air that game companies are now finding the time to unleash the real power of handheld tablets.
Overall Riptide GP is not groundbreaking, however it does everything right. Well structured tracks, great control, amazing graphics and a one more go attitude that has you coming back time after time.
Mark Adams
Latest posts by Mark Adams (see all)
- FIFA Online - May 29, 2013
- Pitfall (iOS) Review - April 20, 2013
- How the PlayStation 3 Won the Current-Gen Console War - April 15, 2013
SUBSCRIBE BY RSS