Aqua Moto Racing 2

If Lewis Hamilton raced on the choppy waters of Aqua Moto Racing 2, there's a fair chance his post-race interviews wouldn't be as cool, calm, and – let's be honest – boring as they are now.

Water here is a wild, untamed beast, feeling realistically fluid beneath your feet as you surf on jet skis for kicks.

It's almost as if developer Resolution Interactive has decided to let loose. While the first game's formula is reapplied here, with simple circuit races comprising the bulk of gameplay, the mechanics are noticeably more dynamic.

Turning the tide

Thankfully, the controls have been kept conservative with twin touch pads handling acceleration and steering. Tight turns define most of the track, which means maintaining control over your craft is essential.

The idea is to sail as close as possible to bobbing buoys as possible in order to fill up your 'boost' bar. With an unashamed rubber band effect keeping races close affairs, making use of any boost - the use of which is often enough to pass a couple of opponents in the home straight in true Mario Kart style - can be the difference between first and last place.

This is where the fun truly kicks off. Each and every rider has to brace for the onslaught of the waves and jockeying from the competition. Aqua Moto Racing 2 is especially arcadey in parts, with bumps and bashes often severe enough to send riders flying off their watercraft.

While trying to stand on track and take top spot is the main aim, each course is also littered with items designed to sidetrack. Jumps are the most notable of these diversions. Launch off one and you're able to pull off a range of tricks. Once you're airbourne, a series of virtual buttons pop up on the screen and holding a finger onto one executes your trick of choice.

Successful tricks add to your 'boost' bar, while attempting to pull off too lengthy a move on a low jump sends both your gauge and your craft crashing towards the surface. Thankfully, punishment is never too harsh in Aqua Moto Racing 2.

Passing buoys on the wrong side - yellow markers have to be passed on the left, red on the right - four times disqualifies you from a race, but the sheer competitiveness of the game's six championships means you can lose one contest and still come out on top overall.

Even venturing off-course comes with its own rewards. Little pockets of treasure are dotted around each track that enable you to upgrade your vehicle and personalise your kit in addition to your standard winnings.

If Aqua Moto Racing 2 has a weakness, it's that such upgrades make things way too easy.

Winning the first couple of championships is a cinch and the prize money can then be used to pick up super speedy jet skis, which then give you an unassailable lead in the proceeding championships.

Until, that is, things get hard again later on, when your opponents come equipped with quick craft of their own. Aqua Moto Racing 2 could do with a smoother difficulty curve.

Its harsher moments are never enough to spoil the party, but they stand out because the rest of the game is so accomplished and confident in its delivery.