As the summer stretches out and thoughts start to drift toward long lazy vacation days, here’s a game that will get you through those final weeks before the fun begins. From the bright colorful graphics and upbeat music to girls in bikinis racing jet skis and dolphins in exotic locations you’ll hope your vacation is this much fun!

 

Gameloft’s Turbo Jet Ski 3D for your mobile phone is a fun-filled splash on a hot summers day. After the opening happy times music and intro you can dive into one of three modes, quick play where your rider and jet ski are chosen for you, career, or World Cup where you compete in a series of 4 races in different locales. The locales are Miami with cruise ships docked in the harbor, fabulous Rio, the canals of Venice, Alaska, and Shanghai at night.   Winning races in one location unlocks any number of goodies like new locations, new and better jet skis, new types of races and new swinsuits! Among the many types of races you can unlock are rescue, crashing boats, racing dolphins and awesome ramp jumping.

 

Each of the different types of races are fun thanks to the sharp crisp graphics and the sweet feeling of control you have with the joystick as you carve out turns around buoys to build up your turbo. The modeling of movement in both your rider and jet ski are very nice and realistic. For added fun you can knock other racers into the water or take a dunk yourself! Its an arcade in your pocket without quarters.

There’s nice variety in all the racing locations and while Alaska might seem out of place, it does afford a change of pace to dodge icebergs instead of cruise ships. Each location comes with appropriate background music and while the sound is not overly abundant, it does seem enough. Unfortunately, there is no ability to control the volume. Its either loud or off. And load times are somewhat long for an optimum cell phone experience.

 

In keeping with the fun-filled atmosphere of this game the difficulty level is not exceedingly frustrating. You don’t have to get sore thumbs trying to beat a race, just go unlock a better jet ski! Of course, for those of you who need life to be a constant challenge, simply try to beat the game with an inferior jet ski.

 

Anyway you choose, this game will accommodate you. Turbo Jet is also filled with nice little details like the way your jet ski bobs in the water before a race or the fireworks and victory lap you are treated to after winning a race or the voice-overs and seaside sounds you hear when you choose your rider. Taken alone they don’t mean much but added up they round out and give life to a terrific title.

All in all this game spells F.U.N and gets 4 ½ *.   Install this game on your mobile phone and my guess is it will last well past summer and warm up many a long winters night.                                               

 

Reviewed on Nokia N73         

by Glenn Yamaguchi