Wild Ride

"Wild Ride Surf Shack. A simple yet fun Surfing game"

INTRO
Wild Ride is a pretty fun and entertaining surfing game on the PC. Granted there is only one beach and very little to do besides free surfing and contest surfing but it keeps the fun going by being very control responsive and the multiple characters available keep it entertaining.

STORY 1/10
There is no story in Wild Ride. It is a simple and straight forward surfing game that consists of free surfing and contest surfing modes only. There are multiple characters available and they all have their own little biographies and whatnot but in terms of story there isn't any type of progression throughout the game whatsoever.

CONTROLS 9/10
The controls are very responsive in my opinion. You have the option of using a plug in controller or you can simply use the keyboard controls like I did and be very satisfied overall. The characters all respond nicely to your commands and you never really feel like you have to fight to keep yourself in command of the action. The control scheme allows you fluid yet simple gameplay.

GAMEPLAY 8/10
Gameplay is split into two categories. There is Free Surfing mode which as the name implies, allows you to surf the one and only beach without the countdown timer. The waves do eventually end but you can simply catch another wave again and continue. There is also Contest Mode in which you choose one of the 6 playable characters and take them through several heats until you either win it all or lose to the computer. Sadly you never get to see the competition surf so you simply need to give it your very best in order to advance. As you progress through the various heats you will also be able to buy board repairs and wax for better stability although these items do cost you valuable points. In terms of flat out gameplay you surf one wave on one beach. At the far extreme of each end of the wave is a marker buoy. If you go beyond the buoy a huge shark will come to eat you. there is also a cool little pier that you can jump for massive points and last but not least, an occasional UFO will appear. If you manage to hit the UFO it will also rack up the points nicely. Moves-wise you can get tubed, perform arial maneuvers and simply carve your way up and down the face of the wave. Lip tricks and floters are not available sadly and any contact with the breaking wave will result in a wipeout.

GRAPHICS 7/10
The graphics in Wild Ride are average at best but considering the type of game and simplicity involved, do not really deter that much from the overall package. The wave looks realistic enough, the characters are unique enough and the overall scenery is cartoony at best. It isn't great but it certainly isn't terrible.

CAMERA 9/10
The camera options are pretty cool in that you can select from 9 or so different camera placements in order to find the one setting that suits you best. There are skycams, FPV Cams, beach cams, over the shoulder cams, and several more. Every type of view that one could want to try is available and it creates a nice touch to switch around depending on the situation and your level of experience.

FMV's, MUSIC and SFX 7/10
There are no FMV's sadly but there are 27 tracks available on the disk that you can choose from. All of the tracks are your typical surfer styled theme songs but they are fitting to the type of gaming experience I must say. The SFX are decent, nothing special, there is an announcer who announces certain things like "Dude, a shark!!!", "Insane!!!, "Double Insane!!!!", Triple Insane!!!!" etc. etc. The wipeout and pier crashing sounds are cheesy but again, fitting to the type of gameplay.

REPLAY VALUE 8/10
Replay value is pretty good simply because of the responsive control scheme, the various characters and most importantly because you can access a hidden cheat menu which will allow you to tweak many of the games functions like speed, points, extra lives, tron mode, free roam etc. I still play the game from time to time and I've had it for years.

OVERALL 7/10
In all I rate it a 7 simply because of it's age and outdated technology. The game is really fun if you like surfing and is a worthwhile pickup if you ever come across it. The gameplay is simple and fun, the music is fun enough and the easiness of it all is what makes the game enjoyable and never ever frustrating. Wild Ride certainly gets my nod of approval.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 06/15/04