Beat the Heat: Summer Video Games - "The visual representation of water has continued to evolve and impress for years"

the best summer time video games

Video Game Water

Water in video games has gone from a simple shade of blue into an aquatic ambience in games like Donkey Kong Country and fully dynamic waves in racing games like Wave Race 64. Thanks to the advancement of graphics and processing power, water in video games has continued to take shape in many different forms across ideas and genres. An element that was once notorious for featuring some of video game’s most frustrating levels has now been utilized as a gameplay mechanic like the fludd in Super Mario Sunshine to clean up the tropical isle Delfino or as a setting for a dystopian city in the underwater world of Rapture in BioShock. While not too many games focus on water due to its difficult nature in animation, it hasn’t stopped developers from taking advantage of it and often use it as a selling point. Developers like Nintendo included water in a few of their first-party GameCube games to showcase what the console had to offer. Other developers have carried on with creating video games centered around water to this day which has given players plenty of games to explore new depths and a way to beat the heat

Hydro Thunder Hurricane

Hydro Thunder is a series of boat racing games that were originally released in arcades in 1999. Similar to other great arcade games like The House of The Dead with its gun controllers, Hydro Thunder is a game that was best played at the arcade thanks to the immersive experience which featured a chair, steering wheel, and a throttle for turbo. Although the game did see a home release on the Dreamcast, the at-home experience wasn’t as fun without the additional accessories but it was still one of the best games on the console. Besides an inclusion in the Midway Arcade Treasures compilation released in 2005, there weren’t any more Hydro Thunder games released for a while. It wasn’t until 2010 that a sequel arrived exclusively on the Xbox 360 as a part of Microsoft’s yearly Summer of Arcade Promotion. Developed by Vector Unit, the game initially started as an original arcade water racing game meant as a throwback to games like Hydro Thunder. Fortunately, they caught the attention of Microsoft Game Studios when pitching the game, who then acquired the Hydro Thunder name for better recognition.

Song of the Deep

Song of the Deep is an aquatic action adventure that went under the radar for a lot of people. The game was released in 2016 and was developed by Insomniac, known for the Spyro the Dragon series, Sunset Overdrive, and Marvel’s Spider-Man. That same year saw notable titles like Overwatch, Pokemon Go, and Insomniac’s own Ratchet and Clank reboot. Made as a passion project by a team of about 15 people, the game is based on Irish mythology and was also partly inspired by one of the developer’s daughters. He wanted to make a heroine that wasn’t “sexy or badass” for his daughter to look up to. Instead, he chose to create a character with qualities that he wanted his daughter to admire like, “intelligence, creativity, kindness, and resilience,” which resulted in Merryn, the heroine of Song of the Deep. Merryn, who loves the ocean, lives by the seaside with her fisherman father. One day he goes out to sea but he doesn’t return at night. After waiting many nights, Merryn has a dream of her father who is trapped at the bottom of the ocean. Using materials that her father gathered during fishing, she builds a small submarine and sets out to find her father.

Senran Kagura: Beach Peach Splash

Senran Kagura is a series of games that feature ninja girls which started as action brawlers but have expanded into other genres like rhythm and pinball games. The gimmick that the series is primarily known for is the in-your-face fan service which is full of jiggle physics and characters’ clothes that explode off their body. The games take inspiration from erotic comedy often featured in some anime and manga in Japan. Because the series started small, the fan service was a way of selling the game. However, after receiving recognition overseas, the development team has thought of taking the series in a different direction in some countries where the content may be problematic. But given the celebration of the series’ 10th anniversary in 2021, it's shown to have continued popularity across the world. Developed by Tamsoft, the series started on the 3DS as a side-scrolling beat 'em up in 2011. Over the years, the series made its way onto other consoles which allowed the developers to do more with the games like taking it into a fully 3D environment. This led to new games like Peach Beach Splash in 2017 as the next main entry in the series.

Maneater

Maneater is an open-world game that puts players in the role of the apex of the sea, where they “eat, grow, and evolve,” as they make their way through the waters of Port Clovis. Developed by Tripwire Interactive and released in 2020, it came to be known as the “Shark RPG.” Inspired by games like Jaws Unleashed and Dishonored, the game director claimed that it’s the, “first action RPG where you play as the shark.” The idea initially started as an expansion to one of the developer’s previous games, Depth, an asymmetrical multiplayer title that featured treasure hunting divers against sharks. Eventually, the expansion became its own game which built on the core systems like combat and evolutions found in Depth as a new single player experience. Presented as a reality documentary narrated by Chris Parnell, players follow a young bull shark throughout a tale of revenge that pits hunter versus predator.

Spongebob Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated

When it comes to licensed video games, the majority of them have been mediocre due to rushed games hitting store shelves to release alongside a blockbuster movie, but it’s not just movies. While games based on movies aren’t always the best, they've done better than games based on children’s cartoons. These games are infamous for being cheap cash grabs that take advantage of unaware parents buying a game for their children. However, one title managed to stand out from the rest and became one of the best cartoon video games ever. Originally released in 2003, SpongeBob Squarepants Battle for Bikini Bottom is a 3D platformer that became a cult classic among fans of the show. It gained popularity online thanks to the speed running community which kept pushing for a re-release or a remake. Released nearly two decades after the original, fans finally saw an update to one of their favorite games in 2020 with SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated. Developed by Purple Lamp Studios and published by THQ Nordic, the rehydrated edition aimed to faithfully recreate the game that fans remembered and avoid any frustrations from the era to ease the experience for modern consoles.