Wave Race: Blue Storm Review

By Tom Bramwell Published 2 May, 2002

Review - arguably the best Japanese launch title, this aquatic monstrosity sets new highs for water-based visuals, but is it any good to play?

Version tested: GameCube

Turbulent

'Wave Race: Blue Storm' Screenshot 01b

Splish, splash, splosh

Some say Wave Race: Blue Storm was the best of the Japanese launch titles. If you spent a large sum of money on importing the Cube and its three major releases, you will certainly feel that way. The N64 version of Wave Race, chaperoned through development by Shigeru Miyamoto, whose name is so synonymous with high quality releases that even our word processor recognises it, was heralded as a breakthrough in aquatic visuals and the first truly impressive jet-ski game.

Blue Storm does wonders with its legacy, even if the game is effectively an update, comprising the N64 version's four original courses, as well as a peculiarly named addition, Ethnic Lagoon and a few unlockables. The original courses have been reworked slightly, and new weather effects add variation and depth to the experience.

The single player game consists of a single Exhibition (qualification) round, followed by a series of three circuits, which I am happy to describe as intermediate, hard and impossible. Players take up the mantle of one of eight characters, each with their own coach and unique character attributes, and race in these circuits, unlocking the next challenge if successful. The idea is to amass points by placing respectably, and thanks to the weather system there is a degree of strategy to consider. Each circuit is a certain number of days long, with a race set on each, and weather forecasts are offered for up to three days in advance. The trick is to choose the tough ones to complete on the clear days, saving the easier races for tough conditions.

Admirable

'Wave Race: Blue Storm' Screenshot 02b

The reflections are stunning, as you can see

In terms of visuals, Blue Storm lives up to its ancestry. Like the N64 version, the rolling waves and bobbing riders will have your jaw firmly glued to the floor, and although the PAL version of the game runs at 50Hz, the virtually borderless display and optimisation has rescued the game from its predecessor's fate, and load times are mercifully short. In clear conditions it's often possible to see right the way to the bottom of the lake, ocean or lagoon upon which you race, and choppy conditions mist the water over, while rain creates a fancy speckled effect on the lens of the third person camera following your rider, rather as though you were driving through a storm.

Even in the grip of a Tsunami (which can happen), the GameCube copes admirably with the framerate and detail including rider reflections, hand gestures and multiple jet-skis. Killer whales and dolphins, citizens of the oceanic kingdom, race along beneath you, occasionally surfacing to produce an obstacle, all the while your coach is yelling instructions and encouragement in your ear and alerting you to their activities.

However there are a few problems, visually. For a start, the backgrounds are noticeably low resolution. Huts and vegetation looks quite shoddy racing around an island, and rocks, icepacks and floating wooden crates in the harbour level look a bit blocky. Admittedly, often you are far too busy racing to concentrate on problems like these. However on some tracks, notably the new Ethnic Lagoon, if you race through the finish line too close to the left side of the track, the cameraman, who pans round to capture your celebration or frustration from the side, often clips through scenery.

Control Freak

'Wave Race: Blue Storm' Screenshot 03b

The next buoy in line will light up, making it easier to choose the right side, or in this case, the left

The control system is, like the N64 version, fairly simple and intuitive, with a degree of depth for those who like to showboat. The left analogue stick will not only turn you, but moving the stick forwards or backwards changes your rider's position, useful if you need to affect a tight turn or you don't want to drop too much speed to perform a simple adjustment. Acceleration is handled by the A button, but you won't want to be holding that the whole time, and the B button provides a useful crouching facility, improving aerodynamics and thus, providing a useful augmentation of your rider's speed racing down straights. A new addition - the Turbo boost, accumulated by passing a number of buoys correctly - is activated by Y or Z, and a tug on the left or right pressure-sensitive triggers will see your rider lean in that direction. Turning too sharply while leaning can unseat him. Or her.

Tricks are possible, and the manual dedicates a generous four pages to listing them. These can all be learnt in the helpful in-game tutorial mode, which will take you through the basics, then the hard stuff, then the impossible stuff, with useful pre-recorded videos to illustrate techniques. Putting the tricks to use in the single payer game may be a bridge too far for some, but fortunately a dedicated Stunt mode is included, giving you a lap on each of the courses with added jumps and hoops to manoeuvre through instead of buoys to slalom. Learning lots of tricks will help you to rewrite the high score leaderboard, allowing you to demonstrate to any upstarts who question your Stormy crown with overwhelming authority that you are, in fact, the man.

Further to the single player tasks, up to four players can take part in a split-screen multiplayer race, and while the game does sacrifice some detail to achieve this, it remains an object of visual splendour. Splashback on the PlayStation 2 has difficulty looking this good, for instance.

Wacky Water Weasel

'Wave Race: Blue Storm' Screenshot 04b

Stormy weather makes for a bitch of a race, but a hell of a show

The overall feel of the game is extremely tight. You do seem to be racing a jet-ski across a body of water, and the water is teeming with life, sometimes froth and often your unseated rider. Apart from coming unstuck regularly, you can also look forward to losing speed and Turbos if you miss a buoy. The physics can be extremely unforgiving as well, and the game doesn't make any effort to point your rider in the right direction as he clambers back aboard after a spill, which often helps to convert a five second lead into a two second deficit, but the game is meant, at least in part, to be a simulation.

The occasional frustration of an undignified exit from the top three is waylaid, if you ask me, by the game's unparalleled depth. It's true, N64 fans will be disappointed to see rehashes of old courses instead of new environments to explore, and the number of possible shortcuts in each track is quite small, with harsh penalties in store for those who deviate and fail to make them properly. But the dynamic nature of a lot of the courses, with new obstacles popping up throughout the races thanks to the tide, weather conditions and wildlife, more than make up for this. And supplementing this diet of salt water and wipe-outs is a replay system which spits out videos almost as impressive as those seen in Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec, particularly after stunt sessions.

The difficulty, from the average gamer's perspective, is that (along some might say with Rogue Leader) Blue Storm is disproportionately hard when placed next to the likes of Luigi's Mansion, Super Monkey Ball and Pikmin. And racing on water can be extremely frustrating. It certainly had me swearing profusely on more than one occasion, as my elderly neighbour will probably be able to testify. She's a bit hard of hearing, too. But even I had difficulty discerning the soundtrack music from the roar of engines and the incessant nagging about buoy orientation from the coach in my ear. The fairly boring techno beats do little to complement the action, although do offer some faintly perceptible background noise besides the lapping of the waves…

Conclusion

Blue Storm provides a nice challenge for those of you who have been waiting since the 64-bit version to take it for a burn, but casual racing fans may want to steer clear. The controls, physics and visuals are all of the utmost high quality, and the engine noises and audio accompaniment, both from your coach and the track announcer are crystal clear. There's even a chap with a British accent, so bonus points there. There are a lot of extras to uncover apart from the tricky single player circuits, and overall it's an accomplished release. If jet-ski racing tickles your fancy, buy this.

8 / 10

Read the Eurogamer.net scoring policy
Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (150) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Mugwum Verified Operations Director, Eurogamer Network #1 10 years ago

    The review hasn't been up long enough for you to have read it, so please do that before you start telling me what I think.

  • miffo #2 10 years ago

    games set on water usually suck controlwise. bloodwake on xbox has nicer looking water by the way.

  • Mugwum Verified Operations Director, Eurogamer Network #3 10 years ago

    "this is just hyping it waay too much"

    It's introduction text. It has absolutely nothing to do with the review. Furthermore, it's not hype if it's my opinion, is it?

  • st3ph3n #4 10 years ago

    Good review Mugwum, I loved up the first one and this is definetley getting a purchase.

    Also - "Tricks are possible, and the manual dedicates a generation "

    Don't you mean Generous?

    Also, my Word Processor (word XP and 97 on this work musheen) doesn't recognise Shigeru Miyamoto. Does this make me a bad man?

  • Moonbender #5 10 years ago

    Screenshots the size of a GBA display ...

  • st3ph3n #6 10 years ago

    idontthinkso - you're a twat aren't you.

  • Mugwum Verified Operations Director, Eurogamer Network #7 10 years ago

    Ta st3ph3n. John's blown his PC to bits in a miscalculated experiment involving a super soaker and a pot of jam, so I haven't got anybody to poke about for this sort of thing today :-)

  • daveo #8 10 years ago

    Certainly Waverace 64 worked because of the way the ski interacted with the water rather than how it looked (which was still really good for those days). BTW is 'maan' pronounced the same as naan (bread) or nan (me granny)?
    Edited by 1 at 02/05/02 @ 13:40

  • mal #9 10 years ago

    While we're editorialising, water is usually teeming with life, rather than teaming, rather like my bed, which teems with delectable young ladies. Feel free to edit this comment to amusing effect!
    Edited by 1 at 02/05/02 @ 13:42

  • otto #10 10 years ago

    poor Mugs is getting a lot of stick today ;)

  • st3ph3n #11 10 years ago

    Excellent, I once blew up a pc when a bracket came loose after a bit of upgrading.
    Whilst it was lodged under the motherboard I turned the PC on and Smoke filled the air.

    Rest in PeC my little P60, for you served me well.

  • Whizzo #12 10 years ago

    Anyone wanting some jetski action on their PS2 can get Splashdown from Play.com for 15 quid! Damn good game.

  • st3ph3n #13 10 years ago

    Anyone chanced it and went into EB to see if they are willing to part with machines early?

  • DocX #14 10 years ago

    "Excellent, I once blew up a pc"

    I blew up an Xbox dev kit the other month. Damn those Americans and their crappy 120volts!

  • Pirotic #15 10 years ago

    you can notice the frame-rate difference between the PAL and NTSC gamecube software, nintendo better get off there ass and include a 60hz version in future else im going to.. erm... catch them in a net and poke them with a stick.. yere!!

  • pjmaybe #16 10 years ago

    Is it me, or are the only wave-race type games worth playing the big bastard ones in arcades with the huge sit on / stand on cabinets...?

    Peej

  • Tricky #17 10 years ago

    St3ph3n,

    I asked in EB the other day and they categorically refused to sell one early. They said they've had to sign something from Nintendo that prevents them from selling anything until tomorrow.

    Tiiti - God knows what you call great graphics then 'cos this game is absolutely amazing when you look at it in motion. The movement of the water is definitely the most realistic ever seen in a computer game. It's certainly on my list of three to buy tomorrow.

    *edit*

    Hang on. Where did Tiiti's post go to?
    Edited by 1 at 02/05/02 @ 14:07

  • Gestalt #18 10 years ago

    "catch them in a net and poke them with a stick"

    Poke 'em With A Stick - the exciting new game which lets you collect Nintendo programmers, imprison them in a little ball, and poke them with a stick until they give up their magic 60Hz coin. Gotta Catch 'Em All!

    Or something.

  • Nemesis #19 10 years ago

    Today, my friends, I am officially old. My 5 year old son was describing how his lvl34 Pokemon was ready to evolve into Milkthefranchiseasaurus or something over the phone and he lost me.

    Pokemon. How the hell do they remember all the d@mn names!

  • Kylun #20 10 years ago

    Pokemon. How the hell do they remember all the d@mn names!

    Same way we remembered all the names of the Transformers....?

  • Pirotic #21 10 years ago

    i can recall about 80 out of buggers..

    charmander,squirtel,bulbasour,erm..... shoe?

    hmm.. im starting to forget, that must mean the next fad is on its way... as for transformers, i only liked the dinosour ones and i cannot remember any of there names apart from Otimus Prime.. the guy who turned into the truck
    Edited by 2 at 02/05/02 @ 14:32

  • daveo #22 10 years ago

    Optimus profit was there leader I believe

  • Whizzo #23 10 years ago

    Pokemon. How the hell do they remember all the d@mn names!
    Just watch the show, you'll end up knowing the names in no time, well unless you ended up kicking the screen in because it's so crap.

  • Nemesis #24 10 years ago

    ....at least TCN doesn't get flooded with it. Although Dragonball Z gets a fair bit of play, unfortunately.

    Watched Akira for the 1st time yesterday, picked it up on DVD. Is it me, or does the end kinda make NO sense.

  • Nemesis #25 10 years ago

    Anyway /polite cough/ Wave Race then. Looked a bit dodgy on the splitscreen mode down at HMV, single player looked ok, play was a bit choppy tho aha ha.

  • Tricky #26 10 years ago

    lol - yeah the end of Akira might seem to make no sense until you watch it again. Basically it's about the evolution of man to a higher plane. Watch it again and you might see that now. Jesus I can't believe I'm waxing philosophical on the boards of EG ;-)

  • Tricky #27 10 years ago

    Shorely you don't think u can get away with such bad puns. Or were you trying to fish for compliments?

  • #28 10 years ago

    Good review Mugwum. You might want to consider putting on some flameretardant suit or something before the xboxkids start showing up spanking you silly for giving same score as Halo though =).

    Played around a bit with the demo version of this the other day, it's definitely on my list of games to purchase. Damn hard to control the first time around. Since i never picked up a N64 and thus never played that version it's a musthave for sure.

  • Pirotic #29 10 years ago

    screenshots really dont do it justice, when you race and it splashs on the screen and with the vibration pack you can sorta feel the force of the water hitting the jet-ski.. its very cool

    as for Akira, yere.. basically Akira is the brain in the jar who was the first human to evolve to this higher plane, the army etc obviously dont want any of them as they pose a risk.. then he gets really fat, then it ends.. dont ask questions, he just does.. in all truth i think Akira is overated, ghost in the shell is a true classic
    Edited by 1 at 02/05/02 @ 14:37

  • Nemesis #30 10 years ago

    Yay, I'll watch it again, maybe with the Jap voices and subtitles.

    For anyone getting the DVD, the behind the scenes "featurette" has got the worst translater voice you'll EVER hear.....call this translation work job satisfaction, 'cos I don't etc.

  • Whizzo #31 10 years ago

    Yay, I'll watch it again, maybe with the Jap voices and subtitles.
    You watched it with the horrible dubbed voices, yuck! To the tower with you!

  • dudley #32 10 years ago

    lads! *please* give us an iss review before tomorrow!

  • Tricky #33 10 years ago

    The one he's got is probably the new dub - it's way better than the old English dub (Kaaannneeeeeedddaaaaaaaaaaaaa!) and has the added benefit of being in Dolby Digital 5.1. I agree that it really should be watched in Japanese with subtitles but that sound mix is only Dolby 2.0 and I love putting my speaker system through its paces ;-)
    Edited by 1 at 02/05/02 @ 14:42

  • daveo #34 10 years ago

    Why is it that most people who disagree with this review speak in some kind of street partois? Is this a requirement for naysayers or am I getting old(er)?

  • Nemesis #35 10 years ago

    Nono, the voices are rerecorded, so it's ok.

    But, rather oddly, the small girl is voiced by the same person who does Lisa from The Simpsons, so that can be a little distracting.


    (and for those wondering how I know, they use the "old" voices in the featurette)
    Edited by 1 at 02/05/02 @ 14:50

  • Whizzo #36 10 years ago

    Didn't realise the english dub has been redone. I think I'll have to get the DVD soonish my copy of the double VHS pack from many moons ago is showing its age and if I remember correctly the subtitles weren't done too well.

    Right that's it ordered from Play.com then, one thing I really love about Akira is the soundtrack, fantastic stuff, especially the track where they're racing at high speed through Neo Tokyo.
    Edited by 1 at 02/05/02 @ 14:51

  • Tricky #37 10 years ago

    It's definitely worth getting - they've really cleaned the print up. I got it when it came out in America in that lovely limited edition metal tin. If you compare the remastered print to the old video copy you'll be shocked at just how bad it really is. This link gives you an idea.

    <a href="http://www .akira2001.com/html/picture.html">http://www .akira2001.com/html/picture.html
    </a>

  • wizardque #38 10 years ago

    Mugwum:
    Good review. I played and really appreciated the original, so I was very interested in seeing the sequel. I bought it the day it came out, played it first. It didn't disappoint once I really got a grasp on using the shoulder buttons to help me turn.

    Three big points:
    Replay ability
    You can go back and play this game again and again. Every race is different, same track or not. The weather completely changes the track and is the best implementation of weather I've seen in any game to date.
    Characters
    I was highly disappointed with this portion of the game. I've beaten it through twice and I will probably go back and do it again...but that's only with one or two of the characters, most of them are completely useless on most of the tracks. The computer cheats and plays them well, but for the user there isn't much selection.
    More
    Why can't the characters become better at things, ala every other type of racing game out there (SSX, Tony, etc)? Why only 7 tracks that you race over and over with changes? Sure, the track races completely different when you go at it backwards, but it's still the same graphics...

    Overall, it's definitely worth the purchase, I'll play this one for as long as I have game cube, but a few things keep it from being the definite game to won for the GC...

  • Tricky #39 10 years ago

    It never fails to amaze me just how far off-topic we really go on these boards ;-)

  • Pirotic #40 10 years ago

    without wanting to sound to smug im the happy owner own an original animation cell from akira, i won it years ago from CVG.. or was it Superplay, keep it safey in a folder along with my complete street-figher comic collection and my gundam playing cards
    Edited by 1 at 02/05/02 @ 15:02

  • st3ph3n #41 10 years ago

    Akira - Excellent DVD boxset, ending still confusing.

    Mugwumisgayisgay? HAHA, I made a shit joke like he did also.

    Transformers - Play have shipped me R1 Season 1 boxset today. JOY.

  • Nemesis #42 10 years ago

    St3ph3n........from HMV.

    Transformers: Generation 2 Release 11-03-2002
    DVD £15.99

    Transformers: Movie: SE Release 26-11-2001
    DVD £15.99

    Transformers: TV Series: Vol1 Release 28-01-2002
    DVD £15.99

    Transformers: Tv Series: Vol2 Release 29-04-2002
    DVD £15.99
    Edited by 1 at 02/05/02 @ 15:04

  • Aka #43 10 years ago

    Akira - Excellent DVD boxset, ending still confusing.

    I've watched it loads of times (got the new dvd) and still find the whole film total confusing. But there's sometime very attractive about it.

  • st3ph3n #44 10 years ago

    Got the R1 Movie for $12.99 whilst in the US of A last summer. Excellent stuff, my little cousin loves it, It could make a resurgance.

    Season 1 boxset is 4 Discs, 3 of the series, 1 of Extras + 2 Cels of Characters from the show. £34.99

    Worth it? Hope so.

  • st3ph3n #45 10 years ago

    The next big thing if you all want to know is something very cool which I currently have my hands on. I can't really post the link because I am selling them in the UK, and that would be free advertising, and the website isn't quite finished until tonight.

  • Gestalt #46 10 years ago

    "most of them are completely useless on most of the tracks"

    That's what I thought when I played it at the Nintendo Show last September - I really hated the game because it was virtually uncontrollable. Turns out I'd picked the guy with a turning circle like an aircraft carrier. Ahem. Dunno if it's got any better since then, but back in September it almost seemed that your choice of character had more to do with your chances of winning the game than your skill.

  • Kylun #47 10 years ago

    and still find the whole film total confusing

    I think that is mainly so confusing cos the story had to be soooooooooooooo (and I mean soooooooooooooo) condensed from the comic.....

  • Khab #48 10 years ago

    Season 1 boxset is 4 Discs, 3 of the series, 1 of Extras + 2 Cels of Characters from the show. £34.99

    You realise this is one quarter of the way to a 'Cube?

  • st3ph3n #49 10 years ago

    You realise that they have put 4 Hong Kong legends box sets on also. That would look good on my DVD shelves. Although I already have the Bruce Lee Master collection. 5 Disc loveliness.

  • DocX #50 10 years ago

    "condensed from the comic"

    Yeah isn't it from about 10 years worth of Manga? No wonder it didn't make sense!

    Anyone seen Metropolis? Gorgeous cel anim mixed with CGI - looks like a FF game.

  • Pirotic #51 10 years ago

    manga films never have proper endings which annoys me, Blood the last vampire only lasts for about 50 minuites :(

  • ssuellid #52 10 years ago

    Legend of the Overfiend and Demon Womb made some sense but the best has to be the Crying Freeman series - apart from the one that they subbed out the animation for. Fist of the North Star is pretty good to. Akira is way over rated.

  • bystander #53 10 years ago

    On the topic of Transformers, has anyone any idea of how much an original VHS version of the Transformers movie or the first episode of Transformers would be worth?

    It's just that I've got the videos at home, gathering dust, and I was wondering would any of them be worth anything? (Or do I need to hold onto them for another 100 years ,etc)

  • st3ph3n #54 10 years ago

    You can still get them on VHS, so probably not worth much. Unless it's the first series with original music and not the updated music they did after they made season 2.

    Sad isn't it. I must have spent too much time on <a href=http://www.thetransfo rmers.net>www.thetransformers.n et</A>

  • otto #55 10 years ago

    These transformers. They were robots in disguise weren't they?

  • Whizzo #56 10 years ago

    When was Transformers shown in the UK? I think it was rather after my time as I can't actually remember much about them other than seeing the adverts on the telly at Christmas for the toys.

  • st3ph3n #57 10 years ago

    I'm 21, so whenever my time was would be when the transformers were.

    (put that in your Grammar checker and watch it squirm)

  • Nemesis #58 10 years ago

    Mid 80's I thinks.

  • Whizzo #59 10 years ago

    Well that answers that then, I was probably in full time employment when Transformers were on TV. Dangermouse and the original Grange Hill were more my time. Having a look at the IMDB it was in production '84-'87 so it's older than I thought but I still don't remember seeing it when I was still at school.
    Edited by 1 at 02/05/02 @ 15:53

  • otto #60 10 years ago

    Dangermouse! Now *there's* a subject worth taking up!

  • Divebomb #61 10 years ago

    Yay Transformers - love 'em to death, me.

    The cartoon is REALLY cheesy and doesn't stand the test of time - there are some nice comic TPBs from Titan, though, and of course the new Dreamwave comic.

    Er... back on topic - Wave Race Blue Storm, not really my cup of tea.

    And all you sad Xbox fanboys? WE DON'T CARE WHAT YOU THINK mwahahahahahaha

  • Nemesis #62 10 years ago

    A good place to start..............

    http://www.sausagenet.com/

    Dangermouse etc....DangerMouse lives in a trusty red pillar box just outside of 221b Baker Street. And don't be fooled, 221b ain't the place they advertise!
    Edited by 2 at 02/05/02 @ 16:03

  • otto #63 10 years ago

    http://www.sausagenet.com/

    Wow - good link! Similar to my favourite nostalgia one-stop-shop, TV Cream

  • bystander #64 10 years ago

    You can still get them on VHS, so probably not worth much. Unless it's the first series with original music and not the updated music they did after they made season 2.

    I think its the first series with original music. I try and find out sometime, but in other words I guess I'll have to hold on to it for another 20 years then, before it might be worth something.

    Can anyone remember StreetHawk, ThunderCats or Lost Cities of Gold? (Or am I just getting old?)

  • Nemesis #65 10 years ago

    Thundercats Hoooooooooo.

    http://www.sa usagenet.com/dogtanian.htm

    One for all and all for one, Muskehounds are already ready.......superb stuff.

  • Whizzo #66 10 years ago

    Can anyone remember StreetHawk, ThunderCats or Lost Cities of Gold? (Or am I just getting old?)
    I remember them, Streethawk wasn't much good if I remember right, it was better than Manimal or Automan though!

    The recent Marmite ad featuring Zippy is rather a good blast from the past.

  • otto #67 10 years ago

    There are some great Thundercats outtakes on the web eg here (scroll down a bit)

  • Nemesis #68 10 years ago

    Shnnnnnnnnnnnarf.

    Quite. /cough/

    Bring back Dungeons and Dragons say I, minus bloody Uni. Miiiiiiiiiiiiii. Irritating g1t, someone stamp on 'is back. Unfortunately, I believe the film killed it good and proper.

  • bystander #69 10 years ago

    Dungeons and Dragons...

    Did they ever get back to the fairground?

  • Nemesis #70 10 years ago

    As my dear Mum used to say 'Careful if you want a cheap ride at the fairground, you never know what kinda dragons mouth you'll end up entering.'

  • Whizzo #71 10 years ago

    Did they ever get back to the fairground?
    They did in a couple of episodes I think but they had to return in one episode as evil dragons were unleashed on Earth and they could only stop it by never going back. In another episode they were the other world's only hope for some reason and they felt they couldn't leave. All this done from memory so I'm probably wrong.

  • AnotherMartin #72 10 years ago

    I vaugely remember them once getting back to the fairground and then going through some moral dilema as to a. stay in the 'real' world now the had finally made it back or b. go back to the fantasy world because if they didn't something nasty would happen to all the weirdos that lived there. i think they chose b.

  • AnotherMartin #73 10 years ago

    /me to slow :-(

  • Whizzo #74 10 years ago

    Just did a quick search around the net and there's quite a good D&D faq here. I was mostly right... ;-)

  • Pirotic #75 10 years ago

    dont forget visionarys, dinoriders and mask

  • otto #76 10 years ago

    I'm amazed no-one's mentioned He-Man yet

  • Whizzo #77 10 years ago

    I'm amazed no-one's mentioned He-Man yet
    Because it's not that fondly remembered? It was ok but if there was something else on I certainly would rather watch it than He-Man.

    Obviously now the "Real Ghostbusters" i.e. the one based on the movie was good.

    10 points for anyone to spot the link between those two shows...

  • otto #78 10 years ago

    Sorry Whizzo, I was under the wrong impression, I thought *all* the shows being talked about here were shite

  • Whizzo #79 10 years ago

    I thought *all* the shows being talked about here were shite
    Sacrilege! Wash your mouth out! They were only mostly shite...

  • skalmanxl #80 10 years ago

    Thundercats and Transformers RULED back in the days!

  • Pirotic #81 10 years ago

    jace and the wheel warriors
    bucky 'o hare

    oh.. and.. the one with the family going thru space, cannot remember what it was called however, just had a man with a beard and his son going around in a spaceship.. :p ideas on a postcard

  • DocX #82 10 years ago

    "family going thru space"

    That'd be Ulysses

  • FWB #83 10 years ago

    "Thundercats and Transformers RULED back in the days!"

    http://www.thetransfo rmers.net/

    I actually have it in my favourites. There's a link there to another site which has a brilliant midi version of the theme tune.

  • Pirotic #84 10 years ago

    Ulysses... thats it, had a cool themetune

  • FWB #85 10 years ago

    "Ulysses... thats it, had a cool themetune"

    The best TV show theme tune award goes to... the A-Team. anyone disagree and I'll bash you senseless with a kipper.

  • DocX #86 10 years ago

    "The best TV show theme tune award goes to... the A-Team"

    Nah, even Monkey had a better tune than that.

  • Errol #87 10 years ago

    'The best TV show theme tune award goes to'

    Got to be 'Monty Python's flying Circus'.

  • FWB #88 10 years ago

    /kipper slowly makes its way towards DocX.

    I'm giving you a chance to take that back.

  • ssuellid #89 10 years ago

    Space 1999 - the first series had the best theme of any TV program in the history of the world ever. Funky.

  • FWB #90 10 years ago

    Arhh... looks like I'm gonna need alot more fish.

  • ssuellid #91 10 years ago

    No fish, just admit you were wrong.

  • bystander #92 10 years ago

    You've all wrong Airwolf had the best theme. ;) :p

  • wizardque #93 10 years ago

    Gestalt:
    I'm of the impression if you don't pick 1 of 2 characters, you don't have a chance at beating it. I think that's a design flaw... or just a, "we need more characters, flow em" type theory.

    btw, no more PC loving for you?

  • hulahoops #94 10 years ago

    One word, and one word alone.

    Knightmare.

  • FWB #95 10 years ago

    Dungeon Master!

  • hulahoops #96 10 years ago

    Ulysess Ulyse-es flying through all the galaxi-ies, in search of earth, flying into the night.

    The theme tune went, I think. Rather than "flying through all the garden peas" as I initially thought.

    Childhood mistaken lyrics, now there's a subject.

    Spellcasting "D-I-S-C-U-S-S".

  • hulahoops #97 10 years ago

    Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors had the best tune, IMO;

    "There's a power that comes from deep inside you, and you know you're reaching t'ward the line, and you know there's a long long way ahead of you, but when your wheels get you there, things should turn out fine..!"

    Cheesy as hell and I wouldn't be surprised if it's Michael Bolton, but it didn't half prick up the hairs on the back of my neck on a Saturday morning in my pyjamas.

  • FWB #98 10 years ago

    http://www.cul ttelly.co.uk/lyrics.html

    In 1972 a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem. If no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire, The A Team.

    Do-do-do-do da-da-da do-do-do-de la-la-la-la-la
    Edited by 1 at 02/05/02 @ 18:14

  • FWB #99 10 years ago

    "u lot really are the biggest load of tossers ever in the history of mankind"

    Arhh. Thanks. It is great to know that you're loved, especially by a Hooker. :)

  • hulahoops #100 10 years ago

    "u lot really are the biggest load of tossers ever in the history of mankind"

    Well we can't ALL have had a happy childhood...

  • Whizzo #101 10 years ago

    T J Hooker:u lot really are the biggest load of tossers ever in the history of mankind

    He's just annoyed that Fallguy was a much better show than his.

  • hulahoops #102 10 years ago

    I could jump from a tower building, I could roll a brand new car!

    Edit: Oh, that was the unknown stunt man, wasn't it...
    Edited by 1 at 02/05/02 @ 18:35

  • Whizzo #103 10 years ago

    Oh, that was the unknown stunt man, wasn't it...
    That's the theme song from "The Fall Guy" now I found out what the proper title was. One thing that always sticks in my mind was the opening credits where Heather Thomas, wearing a blue bikini, walks through a set of western style bar doors.. Huhuhuhuhu
    Edited by 1 at 02/05/02 @ 18:41

  • Alastair #104 10 years ago

    Sorry for going vaguely back on topic, but I spent mylunchtime trawling round Slough looking to see who hadn't sold out their allocation of Cubes. (I have give up on Amazon getting it to me tomorrow).
    HMV said they hadn't had _any_ pre-orders, so that is where I'm heading tomorrow lunchtime.
    Also quite excited 'cos while on a golfing trip in the Algarve at the weekend, I managed to win 400 Euro in the casino so my Cube is paid for. :o)
    Plus SMB, Rogue Leader and ISS2 (unless Mugs posts a crap review of it tomorrow morning....) Might also get Luigi's Mansion and then trade it back in when I finish it. Plus an extra controller..... Oooh the choices!:o)

    Oh, and Scooby Doo, the Flumps and Mr Ben were/are the tops!
    And it was Ulysses 2031.
    Edited by 1 at 02/05/02 @ 19:24

  • Whizzo #105 10 years ago

    Oh, and Scooby Doo, the Flumps and Mr Ben were/are the tops!
    I can always remember the episode when Pootle puts a carrot in Grandfather Flump's Flumpet don't know why. There was a possibility of a live action movie of Mr Ben with John Hannah playing the title role. Never went into production unfortunately it'd could have been worth watching.

    And it was Ulysses 2031.
    Nah it was Ulysses 31, so called because it was set in the 31st century.

  • bystander #106 10 years ago

    Slough. I can remember working there (for EB), now they've gone and changed it to Game, so there are now two Game's within 5 minutes walk of each other.

    I wonder if its possible to get a student discount for a GC in HMV?

  • Alastair #107 10 years ago

    'so there are now two Game's within 5 minutes walk of each other.'
    As I discovered this lunchtime!

  • Gestalt #108 10 years ago

    "anyone remember StreetHawk, ThunderCats or Lost Cities of Gold"

    I try to forget the first two, but assuming you mean <A href="http://us.imdb.com/T itle?0122356">Mysterious Cities Of Gold</a> .. ah, now that was classic TV. Had me glued to the set as a kid. Now why can't someone re-release it on DVD? :)


    "Bring back Dungeons and Dragons say I"

    "Let's go on the Dungeons & Dragons ride!" /me cringes. It seemed cool at the time. But then, so did Dungeons & Dragons. *coughs*


    "Ulysses"

    Oh, now you're making me all nostalgic. A sci-fi cartoon series fairly loosely based on Homer's Odyssey (the Greek dude, not Homer Simpson). They don't make make 'em like they used to... *sniffs*


    "had a cool themetune"

    Er .. well, when you're ten years old maybe. "Uuuuuuuleeeeeeseeeees" Oh dear.

  • bystander #109 10 years ago

    'so there are now two Game's within 5 minutes walk of each other.'
    As I discovered this lunchtime!

    Its a bit pointless really isn't it? I was told by my manager to work @ Game (whilst wearing my EB name badge :-/ ) because of a staff shortage. Needless to say people found it odd, seeing a EB person working @ Game...

    "anyone remember StreetHawk, ThunderCats or Lost Cities of Gold"

    I try to forget the first two, but assuming you mean Mysterious Cities Of Gold .. ah, now that was classic TV. Had me glued to the set as a kid. Now why can't someone re-release it on DVD? :)

    Indeed, StreetHawk, is truly atrocious, but the special effects in it look stunning *cough*. ThunderCats wasn't that bad was it? Thunder, Thunder ThunderCats!!!! (or something like that) ;)

    Ah, yes that's the title. Someone I know has the entire series on VCD. Certainly brings back memories seeing the flying golden eagle (or whatever it was).

    "Ulysses"
    Oh, now you're making me all nostalgic. A sci-fi cartoon series fairly loosely based on Homer's Odyssey (the Greek dude, not Homer Simpson). They don't make make 'em like they used to... *sniffs*

    Indeed, I'd wish they bring it back to TV.

  • Kylun #110 10 years ago

    I have a prezzie for ya;

    Ulysses theme

    EDIT - just to make you jealous, me girlf has the first four episodes on tape..... cool.
    Edited by 1 at 02/05/02 @ 20:58

  • Kylun #111 10 years ago

    Thunder, Thunder ThunderCats!!!!

    HHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

    Not as cool as "Ancient spirits of EVIL! Turn this decaying form into MUM WAAAAAAAA!!! the ever wiving.
    Edited by 1 at 02/05/02 @ 21:00

  • bystander #112 10 years ago

    EDIT - just to make you jealous, me girlf has the first four episodes on tape..... cool.

    I demand you sent it to me right now! ;)

  • bystander #113 10 years ago

    You can't beat the Mysterious Cities of Gold song.

    *clears throat to start singing*

    Children of the sun,
    See your time has just begun,
    Searching for your ways,
    Through adventures every day.

    Every day and night,
    With the condor in flight,
    With all your friends in toe,
    You search for the Cities of Gold.

    A-A-A-A-A...
    Wishing for, The cities of Gold
    A-A-A-A-A...
    Some day we will find, The cities of Gold.

    Douboudou dou A-A-A
    Douboudou dou
    Cities of Gold

    Douboudou dou
    Cities of Gold

    A-A-A-A-A...
    Some day we will find, The cities of Gold

    Edited by 2 at 02/05/02 @ 21:29

  • Kylun #114 10 years ago

    You can't beat the Mysterious Cities of Gold song.

    All too true.

    Prezzie for you too;

    Cities of Gold

  • otto #115 10 years ago

    Well you chaps obviously missed the link I posted earlier so here's a more specific one: Thunder, Thunder ThunderCats!!!! HHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

    And another. And another. And yet another...
    Edited by 2 at 02/05/02 @ 21:47

  • bystander #116 10 years ago

    Thanks Kylun you're too kind :-)

    *takes prezzie*

  • otto #117 10 years ago

    Oh, and best theme? The Water Margin.

  • bystander #118 10 years ago

    What about CHiPs?

    Better yet what about BattleStar Galactica?
    Edited by 1 at 02/05/02 @ 21:43

  • Kylun #119 10 years ago

    Gotta go pick up GameCube (for a friend - honest)! =]

  • Whizzo #120 10 years ago

    Good grief all these theme tunes are causing too many flashbacks...

  • otto #121 10 years ago

    OK, just one more for you:

    Marine Boy

    Man I used to want that oxygum!

  • bionutz #122 10 years ago

    Mmmm why are the screenshots so small? If I wouldn't know I'd say that GC's definition is smaller than PS2's or Xboxen's.
    BTW I even have the vinyl disc with the soundtrack from Transformers, The Movie. Very nice indeed.

  • Whizzo #123 10 years ago

    Man I used to want that oxygum!
    You're not the only one, damn that would have been really useful stuff.

  • Whizzo #124 10 years ago

    What about this games makes it a japanese game, other than the prequel?
    You mis-read what the review says: " Some say Wave Race: Blue Storm was the best of the Japanese launch titles." that means it was a Gamecube launch title in Japan not that it's a Japanese game.
    Edited by 1 at 02/05/02 @ 22:41

  • daveo #125 10 years ago

    Anyone remember
    Automan
    or
    Manimal (with Simon MacCorkindale)

    some of my least favourite TV shows of the early 80's

  • barchetta #126 10 years ago

    What about Star Fleet - the jap stop motion space thing with the X-Bomber??

    "Send a message into outer space...." or summat like that..

    Brian May guitar shite......

  • quantumsheep #127 10 years ago

    I can't believe you lot (as far as I've read!) haven't mentioned Battle of the Planets!

    The last episode was incredible - turns out Zoltar (the bad guy) was a woman!

    Freep! birdie boo!

  • Kylun #128 10 years ago

    Send a message into outer space....

    Prezzie #1, Prezzie #2

    My bands name is "The X Bombers". *grin*

  • Kylun #129 10 years ago

    Burzz burzz burzz Cream Cheese!

  • Nemesis #130 10 years ago

    Chri$t, step out the room for a bit and look what happens...............ok, we're gonna add a vague one here.

    Boy From Space.

    llacer uoy fi sdrawkcab deklat ohW

    (just one damn typo and Otto's on yer like a rash)
    Edited by 2 at 03/05/02 @ 09:26

  • otto #131 10 years ago

    "llacer uoy fi" shurely? ;)

  • Whizzo #132 10 years ago

    Well there's been a lot of talk about old tv programmes and at this point it is a legal requirement to mention "The Adventure Game".

    Gronda gronda.

  • ssuellid #133 10 years ago

    Space 1999 first series theme: -

    http://www.space1999.net/~moonbase99/mp3/y1/1999.mp3

    Must be the funkiest theme ever.

  • Black Sheep #134 10 years ago

    151 - Is this a record amount of reply's to a review out of interest?

  • otto #135 10 years ago

    "Is this a record amount of reply's to a review"

    hardly replies to a review ;)

  • ssuellid #136 10 years ago

    The review of JSRF on the front pagehas more comments. The Halo review went over 200 comments.

  • otto #137 10 years ago

    Tiiti - truly you are one sad insecure tit - and what's "cussed"? Speak English damn you!

  • barchetta #138 10 years ago

    Re: Battle of the Planets....
    Anybody seen the original... "G-Force" I think..... very violent and without the
    R2D2-alike american front and back-end padding to the show.....

    Is the new DVD any good???? Gotta get it......

    GOING FIERY PHOENIX!!!!!!!

  • skalmanxl #139 10 years ago

    ->Tiiti

    Just for you.

  • DocX #140 10 years ago

    BOTPs: "The last episode was incredible - turns out Zoltar (the bad guy) was a woman!"

    In the original Japanese, Zoltar was some sort of scary hermaphrodite. Oh & the Yanks added 7-Zark-7 afterwards cos they so badly cut the original cartoon none of it made sense & they needed another character to narrate the plot they made out of what was left. What we saw in the west bears no resemblance to the original story line.

  • barchetta #141 10 years ago

    BotPs: Used to dig that crazy shot angle of the group running into camera - usually down yet another corridor in some enemy complex !!!

    Why does my brain keep this shit in it......

    Must have been mainlining too much Space Dust whilst watching as a kid...

  • Nemesis #142 10 years ago

    ..........and the fat one just used to eat hamburgers all day long....didn't he do part-time work in the Popeye cartoons????

  • Pirotic #143 10 years ago

    PAL version Waverace/Luigi seem pretty jerky compared to the NTSC addition :( thank god monkeyball has a 60hz options

  • st3ph3n #144 10 years ago

    Well, Played it last night after getting home from work. It looks LUSH. It plays great too, controls seem bit sharper than the orginal, takes a bit of getting used to though. I can see myself coming back to this on many an occasion for a quick bash round the stunt mode.

  • Nemesis #145 10 years ago

    The overall feel of the game is extremely tight.

    As one Welshman said to another.....

  • otto #146 10 years ago

    As one Welshman said to another.....

    No, that was "the overall feel of the sheep is extremely tight :p

  • Errol #147 10 years ago

    You guys sicken me.

  • Nemesis #148 10 years ago

    What's wrong with Game?

    Sheep fanboy.

  • parker #149 10 years ago

    If anyone is interested I have got: -

    every episode of Ulysses 31 on VCD (9 disks)
    every episode of The mysterious cities of gold DIVX (2 disks)
    every episode of Dungeons & Dragons DIVX (2 disks)

    I sure we could sort something out.

    And by the way they did never make it home in Dungeons & Dragons the series got axed before they could release the last episode.

  • #150 9 years ago

    That's cool, frank.

  • caligari #151 9 years ago

    Hey Parker. Good to know there are a few Dungeons and Dragon’s (cartoon...not the board game) fans on here. As for the final episode, if you search about on the net the creator of the show has posted up the script for the final episode THAT NEVER WAS. For those who are interested (all...one...of you), I believe that Vengor was defeated and became a GOOD GUY before being uncovered as Dungeon Master’s son. The kids had actually been brought across by Dungeon Master to change Vengor back to his original self...and so once their quest is complete, old Dungeon Master opens the portal and tells them they can go home. But then, as the little bald guy says, why would they want to go home when they can stay in this dimension having a whale of a time slaying dragons and being heroes? It ends with the guys standing by the portal undecided...so we will never know if they actually returned home. Awww, it chokes me up just thinking about it.

    The creator also said that the original idea for the final episode was that the group find out that they can never return home because they snuffed it on the roller coaster after it crashed (you know, the one that you see in the show’s opening sequence), and that the world they are stuck in is a type of limbo between heaven and hell. Apparently this was looked upon as being a little too dark for a kid's show.

    That is the end of my history lesson ladies and gentlemen.

    Thankyou and Goodnight.

  • ChrisOTR #152 4 years ago

    I'm still playing this! And it's great. Hurrah!