Android Application Review: Riptide GP

 If you’re a user of the XBOX Live Arcade, you’ve probably heard of Vector Unit. They are the developers of the critically acclaimed game “Hydro Thunder Hurricane”, an HD remake of an old classic.

Now, if you own an Android device, you’ve probably heard of NVIDIA’s Tegra Zone. It’s an exclusive game marketplace for owners of devices running on the Tegra SoC. Games featured here are renowned for visuals superior to their iOS/Android Market counterparts, like Fruit Ninja THD, Samurai II: Vengeance, Backbreaker THD, and Galaxy on Fire 2: THD. Read on for the Rest of the review:


Gameplay

Like most racing games, the controls are rather simple. You tap on the right side of the screen to accelerate and the left side to brake. By default, steering is handled by the accelerometer, and there is a control for boost on the upper, right-hand side. The Options menu provides toggles for auto-accelerate, horzion-based tilt, and sensitivity.

One feature that makes Riptide GP stand out is the gamepad integration. You can use your XBOX 360 controller or an assortment of other Bluetooth/USB gamepads supported by the game. Just about any setup will work, since there are many IME apps that you can use to configure your controls. Upon opening the application, any initialized controllers should be detected. I haven’t had the chance to try out external controls first-hand, but many tablet users have praised its convenience and effectiveness.

(Note: A USB Gamepad requires Android 3.1 or above. Bluetooth will work with any device.)

  Graphics

The menus in Riptide GP are clean and intuitive. They feature large options that you must scroll though for navigation. In the background there is a gorgeous ocean with realistic wave and lighting effects rendering in real-time. One should have no trouble figuring out how to access each section of the game.