Jet Ski Games: Top 10 Games You Should Have to Try! [Video]
For others in the frigid north, the cold weather means a much longer off-season.
So what can we do while our winterized jet ski is hibernating under her cover? We can scope out next year’s model, look at pictures and watch videos, etc. For those of you into video games, here is a great way to get in some riding – even if only in virtual reality.
We’ve compiled a list of the games where you can ride jet skis. Many of them are Jet Ski racing games, while in others include jet skiing as a part of the mission.
As we can see these games have changed a lot over the years, and become more and more realistic. What more, many of them are available on consoles as well. You can find the best jet ski game for PS2, PS4, or for even Xbox on our compilation!
So let’s take a look at them one by one to choose your favorite jet ski video game!
Discover the top 10 jet ski games
Riptide GP: Renegade (2016) PS4, Xbox One, PC, Android, Switch, IOS
Riptide GP: Renegade is one of the best jet ski racing game. It is a hydro jet racing game where you race other players around a futuristic water world.
The effects are very realistic, including a spray of water that hits the camera like a face shield when accelerating. It is full of thrills and high-speed adventure.
The game also incorporates some snazzy tricks like the “table top” move, where you skid along the edge sliding to the middle and turning a complete 360 before exiting. There are much more air tricks in Riptide Renegade compared to any other game in the series. Riptide Renegade even includes grind tricks performed on paved rails, which are fun to pull off for some extra boost. This game has a story line and some pretty good graphics, as well as full-speed hydro-electric Jet Ski racing. Like other games, the player is able to customize their jet skis as well as their riding gear.
For gamers, a jet ski racer game is something new and exciting. For PWC enthusiasts, it’s an awesome way to simulate your favorite water sport. Overall Riptide GP: Renegade is one of the better jet ski games available so far.
Aqua Moto Racing Utopia (2016) PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Aqua Moto Racing is a game produced by a Swedish company in March of 2009. This action-based jet ski game was published by Resolution Interactive and was followed by Aqua Moto Racing 2 (2010), Aqua Moto Racing 3D (2013), Aqua Moto Racing Utopia (2016) and Snow Moto Racing Freedom (2018).
The latest sequel in the series, Aqua Moto Racing Utopia, is better than some of the earlier versions because it has a new announcer, and a larger more complex series of tracks to offer. The gameplay is somewhat reminiscent of Wave Race where you race in and out of strategically placed buoys.
The graphics in this game aren’t as good as those of Riptide Renegade.
The water quality is inconsistent and without much depth, unlike some other jet ski game competitors. It may have something to do with the frame rate.
Overall, it is a fun game to play solo or as a split-screen 2 player game. If you are expecting to win every race, think again, the computer AI in this game make it very challenging.
Jet Ski riding in Far Cry 5 (2018)
While it is not exactly a jet ski racing game, there are missions involving jet skis where you get to ride them.
You also get to fly in airplanes, ride around in trucks, and etc. This game involves a lot of action and there is a lot to do.
Far Cry is a first-person shooter game, set in the landscape of a post-apocalyptic world. This game is the creation of the engineers at Ubisoft.The games are first-person shooters (FPS) with action-adventure elements added in for variety. The game elements evolved with a story, side missions, and the occasional quest or two to complete.
Very little has happened in the storylines between the two game versions. All of the Far Cry games so far share a similar theme. The basics of gameplay include having to build and craft things to help you survive in the harshest of conditions.
To feed yourself you will have to hunt and catch fish. It is true to life in many ways and a game that is loved by many.
Jet Skis in GTA – Grand Theft Auto V (2013)
Here is another game that incorporates watersports in the activities of this reality-based game. Although it is not a typical jet ski racing game again, GTA 5 has some pretty impressive graphics and just like other games, there are places to drive, swim, race, and do whatever else you want to do. You can ride jet skis around the river with some realistic wave action.It’s not perfect, it a little clunky in tight areas due to rocks and boulders, but once pass the launch area and the boulders it’s open water for miles.
Grand Theft Auto (GTA) is an action-adventure video game series created and published by Rockstar Games. The name was taken from the term used for motor vehicle theft in the US because it is the central theme of the game.
As the name implies, there are 5 versions of this game, and in each one, you can steal cars, rob people, have shoot-outs with the police, and do anything else that you would do in the real world. You choose to be a criminal, a good guy, or a combination of the two. It is a role-playing game with elements of adventure, stealth, and carjacking vehicles as you complete missions to get to the next level.
The city setting in the game in modeled after places like Vice City, San Andreas, and New York City. There is a criminal underworld just like in real life, with gangsters and bosses. You move up in the organization by doing jobs like stealing cars and bringing them to the chop shop.
Riptide GP2 (2013) PS4, Xbox One, PC, Android, IOS
Riptide GP2 offers 12 tracks to race through with lots of tricks to perform for extra points. The tracks are varied, with bigger jumps and higher drop-offs for a bigger thrill ride.
Riptide GP2 was originally created for Mobile platforms. Playing on PS4 is a big improvement though. The performance is better and so are the graphics. Riptide GP2, although it was designed to be a low budget cheap priced mobile game, still has a lot of fast and fun racing gameplay.
The characters are rather plain, but your jet skis are designed pretty well. Overall it is a pretty decent jet ski game for racing and doing tricks.
Rat on a Jet Ski (2012) Mobile
Rat on a Jet Ski is a free jet ski game for mobile phones. Originally created for iPhone, it also works on other platforms like Android and IOS.
You play as a rat on a jet ski performing stunts and collecting items. Gameplay is pretty simple and the game is designed for widescreen and for use with a joystick.
Overall, it’s a pretty decent game with an endless runner theme.
Splashdown: Rides Gone Wild – (PS2 jet ski game)
Splashdown: Rides Gone Wild is a jet ski racing game from 2003 with crazy characters and varied themed tracks. Each character has individual fun personalities, and unique skill attributes.The themed tracks are fun and entertaining, compared to some of the other Jet Ski games. A personal favorite mode is the World Races mode, with tracks running through a flooded city, haunted house, or the Bermuda Triangle.
The other modes, stunt mode and time-trial mode are also fun to play. Do tricks off of ramps to earn boost power.
Boost power is helpful to win races, save it up and use it when you need it. It also has some pretty good music tracks as well.
As a jet ski racer, Splashdown: Rides Gone Wild is one of the simplest and probably the best jet ski game in existence.
Splashdown (2001 -PS2, Xbox jet ski game)
Splashdown is a watercraft racing video game by Rainbow Studios. You race in and around floating bouys and do jumps and tricks to earn levels.You can do single races or make a career profile for more challenging tracks. It was originally released for the PlayStation 2 and was later adapted for the Xbox. The sequel, Splashdown: Rides Gone Wild was published by Rainbow Studios’ new owner THQ.
Splashdown is similar to Nintendo’s Wave Race. Players race against each other on various courses. If you miss a buoy or a jump track your jet ski slows down and you lose momentum.
Likewise, you also lose momentum if you pass on the wrong side of the buoy. You are also likely to run into other players or get beached on the sandbars.
Splashdown is a fun jet ski racer game to play. Everything about it is great.
The graphics are great for the time it was made, and the soundtrack has some pretty awesome music. Overall, it’s a pretty good game and very entertaining for anyone, whether you’re a jet skier or not.
Jet X2O (2002 – PS2 jet ski game)
Jet X20 is an extreme sports type of jet ski game racing game. You ride stand-up jet skis through a determined course making jumps and doing tricks to earn bonus points.The graphics aren’t quite as good as some other games, but it’s pretty good for the time it was produced. It offers a larger course area, with a more open-water feel to it. It was good for the type of graphics you could pull out of the PS2 system at the time.
Jet X2O has eight courses with some really awesome scene variety and numerous routes to choose from. It is reminiscent of a similar game for SSX snowboarding in the way the courses run and the gameplay.
There are tons of tricks you can do with options for combo moves.
If you’re a thrill seeker looking for an extreme jet ski racer with insane tricks, multiple courses and secret paths, then you should definitely check this one out. You can customize your character for personality, skills, and abilities that they can do once their trick meter is filled up.
Overall, it is still an entertaining game, despite the limited graphics of the Playstation 2 formatting.
Jet Moto (1996- PS1 jet ski game)
Here is another “oldie-but-a-goodie” game. Jet Moto is a jet ski racer game that was originally released for the PS1 console. This game made its way into the video game scene back in 1997, two months before Wave Race 64 was released in Europe.
This is a bit type of racing game in that you don’t just race on water.
The watercraft is a type of “hover board” that travels over water, sand, and anything else that gets in the way. The graphics and visuals are outdated, of course, because it is a PS1 game but still entertaining as a racing game.
It’s a good game but nowhere near as flashy as Wave Race 64. It has some challenging tracks and a lot of extreme-sport style racing, making it a game worth checking out if you like racing and don’t mind the old graphics.
Wave Race 64 (1996) Nintendo 64Wave Race 64 is probably the most-remembered jet ski game of all time. It was created in the N64 version of Wave Race. This one is a classic, but if you like older –style Nintendo games, you’ll like this one. It’s a little bit of nostalgia coming back.
It was one of the first racing games to get people interested in the style of racing games. The stand-up jet skis seem to dance on the water as they glide in and around targets. As to be expected, the graphics are old but, again, if you have a love of older games, this one is worth giving a look.
This game was the original jet ski racing game that inspired all the others ones that would follow. A classic in its own right, this game is similar in gameplay to a lot of the others with more emphasis on scenery and style.
Wave Race: Blue Storm (2001) GameCube
Yes, you guessed it, this is another version of Wave Race 64, but it has much better graphics. This is a jet ski game created and released for the GameCube in 2001. It was a sequel to Wave Race 64, and the 1992 Game Boy game Wave Race.
Wave Race: Blue Storm doesn’t make as much of an impact as Wave Race 64 did, it’s still a good game for its time. It offers a variety of tracks and playable characters like the 64 version. It does tend to be more challenging, though. Some of the courses are almost impossible to place in. You may get extremely frustrated trying to win races at times.
Ever tried a jet ski game? Wave Race: Blue Storm was promised to be fun and entertaining when played with 2 players.
Fire up your old GameCube console and give it a try. Blue Storm is worth checking out, especially if you like games with a challenge.