Catch A Wave

Ported from iOS devices*, Riptide GP: Renegade is an accessible, arcadey racer that does an admirable job at creating easy-going entertainment with a budget value. It isn’t deep by any means but shoots straightforward as a gaming pleasure when enjoyed in ten-minute bursts.

Watch my Twitch steam of Riptide GP: Renegade below to see this game in action for yourself:

With nine courses to choose from, players will be replaying stages more often than desired.  Attempting to break up the monotony of the lower quantity of tracks, objectives gets switched up with each heat. Instead of just racing to the finish, the player is often tasked with other objective types such as elimination and even boss races.  It is nothing super creative or out of the ordinary but does help spice up the gameplay and makes the player wonder what will be coming next.  Luckily, the gameplay keeps moving forward as the player receives currency even for matches that are lost to allow for eventual upgrades to make each cyber jetski handle better or move faster. The RPG-like leveling system, just like the gameplay, isn’t great but contains enough addictive quality to keep the player coming back from time to time.

Besides the campaign, which allows the player to move forward with a 3-star ranking system, the player has other options to explore through local and online multiplayer modes and a time-trial recorded keeper mode.  Uniquely, each track also contains a literal Easter Egg that will unlock an Achievement if all are collected.  Obtaining these floating secrets usually involves backtracking or finding a secret path.

There is always something exploding in the background.

Other than racing on upgradable futuristic water bikes, the main gimmick behind Riptide GP: Renegade is the ability to perform stunts when in the air.  By combining flicks of both analog sticks, the player performs a trick when airborne and when executed properly, yields boost power.  Once boost power has been stored, the player is free to unleash this burst of speed at will.  Do you want to store a boost until the meter is completely full?  Or should the player use that little bit around that next turn to take a tighter corner?  These small decisions often mean the difference between 1^st and 2^nd place as each racer usually finishes each track within a second or two between each other.  For the most, the player can usually earn a one-star 3^rd place position, which is enough to progress to the next heat, but getting 2^nd or 1^st usually requires skill in combination with an upgraded vehicle.  Renegade also tries to separate itself from the other Riptide releases by adding police racers but ultimately they just get in the way and do not add to the overall fun factor.

Riptide GP: Renegade is a solid budget racer worth its asking price.  There is quality in this small package but there just isn’t enough quantity to call it the next Wave Race. Fans of the Hydro Thunder series will feel right at home with this console port as the arcade action is easy-going and accessible enough for anyone to pick up, play, and enjoy. Also, if you buy the Xbox One version, the Windows 10 version comes free – the first 3rd party game to support this feature.

Makes Me Remember: San Francisco Rush
Wait For It: a new Wave Race on Switch
Also Try: Arctic Thunder

By: Zachary Gasiorowski, Editor in Chief myGamer.com
Twitter: @ZackGaz

*After clarifying with the developer, Riptide GP: Renegade was actually first created on console then ported to iOS. The iOS version was released in November of 2016 whereas the console version was released in February 2017 due to the time took for the Microsoft certification for the Xbox One/Window10 cross-buy feature.