Fire up your hydro jet and carve through waves, soar off ramps and waterfalls, and land extreme tricks on the wild waters of Riptide GP2. Crushing bots in career mode? Challenge friends and fellow Riptide fans in an online match, or grab a few controllers for some old-school split-screen competition. There are plenty of ways to race!

What we love: The mind-blowing visuals. As you surge across beautifully rendered water—pulling off backflips and jockeying for the lead—you’ll pass futuristic cities and twisting Arctic caverns. It looks so real, you can practically feel the spray on your face.

Quick tip: Mix up tricks! Repeating stunts leads to lower scores in freestyle challenges. Advanced tricks are harder to successfully land, but they generate more boost; use skill points to unlock sweet new feats like the corkscrew and the back scratcher.

Meet the creator: California’s Vector Unit began as a two-person studio, with founders Ralf Knoesel and Matt Small producing the console game Hydro Thunder Hurricane. As the driving force behind the Riptide GP and Beach Buggy Racing series, they’re all about racing on (or near) water.