Splashdown is a water racing game released in late 2001 for the PlayStation 2. It was developed by Rainbow Studios and published by Infogrames (later Atari). In the summer of 2002, it was ported to the Xbox. The PlayStation 2 game was also released in the summer of 2002 for Japanese players.
The game, released under the Atari brand, features the song “Right Now” by SR-71 in its commercial and soundtrack.
Splashdown - PS2 - A la mer
Gameplay
In Splashdown, players control a personal watercraft and race against each other on various courses. Players must pass through the correct sides of buoys in each racetrack; otherwise, the personal watercraft may stall as a penalty. The game also features product placement, such as Sea-Doo on the game’s watercraft and licensed songs.
MobyGames describes the game as follows:
Splashdown puts the player in the role of one of nine “over the top” jetskiiers and challenges the player to race on a plethora of courses. Most courses take place in lakes and rivers, all modified to include jumps. Certain courses are man-made and built in a stadium, where the player can race one-on-one around a square or oval-shaped track. Tracks take place in different areas of the world, from Florida to Italy.
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Each character has a different Sea-Doo with unique characteristics such as handling, speed, and acceleration. Each Sea-Doo has been licensed by the SEA-DOO company, so each machine is accurate in its looks and ability. Each rider can perform a number of different stunts, such as the Superman, the Can-Can, and the Lazyboy.
Characters
The game features a diverse cast of characters, each with their own unique backgrounds and skills:
- Andy Green (v.b. Dave Lowmiller): A local hero on the Mission Bay scene with the charm and all-around skills to compete with the best.
- Holly Hollister (v.b. Jessica Page): An Aussie who has racked up a lot of time on her Sea-Doo RX watercraft.
- Kyoko Takashi (v.b. Angelica Frost): She has a showy style and outrageous stunts, she’s a great crowd-pleaser.
- Jeremy Wallace (v.b. Eric Matheisen): Reckless and talented, he pulls out all the stops with his wild stunts.
- Rafael Martin (v.b. John Bevens): He handles his Sea-Doo XP watercraft with grace and precision.
- Amman Ra (v.b. Jose Fontanez): An Egyptian pop star unwinding with his favorite hobby.
- Juana Lopez (v.b. Gina Tleel): A one-time bodybuilder who now prefers the thrill of the open water.
- Sebastian Kleinemann (v.b. Eric Matheisen): Once a powerhouse rowing champion, Sebastian has found a new sport.
Soundtrack
The game features a high-energy soundtrack with songs from various artists:
- Sum 41: “Rhythms” and “All She’s Got”
- Blink 182: “The Rock Show”
- KMFDM: “Son of a Gun”
- SR-71: “Right Now”
- Otis: “Hold Your Breath”
- Smash Mouth: “All Star”
- The Dude: “Rock da Juice”
- The Donnas: “You’ve Got a Crush on Me”
- Groovie Ghoulies: “Chupa Cabra” and “Graceland”
- Man or Astro-Man?: “A Mouthful of Exhaust”
Reception
In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of 28 out of 40 for the PlayStation 2 version. It was nominated for GameSpot’s 2001 “Best In-Game Water” prize among console games, which went to Wave Race: Blue Storm.
The game can be found on eBay (specifically the PlayStation 2 version) at reasonable prices since the game does not have a rerelease on PlayStations 4 and 5. There is a possibility that Rainbow Studios still owns the Splashdown IP and trademarks.
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Game Score
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Famitsu (Japan) | 28/40 |
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