Vector Unit bringing Hydro Thunder Hurricane to XBLA

Microsoft Game Studios and Vector Unit announced during PAX that Hydro Thunder Hurricane, a sequel to the speedboat racing game from Midway, is heading to Xbox Live Arcade as an exclusive.

It's full of "over-the-top themed environments, rocket-powered speedboats, gorgeous visuals, and amazing dynamic water physics", according to the PR.

Once released it will include new theme park environments set in a different location around the globe. Each world has nimated surprises, destructible objects, and special events that players trigger in-game. New game modes include Ring Master, a series of slalom-style challenges with progressive difficulties; a Gauntlet, time trial; and a series of multi-event Championships.

Speedboats from the original Hydro Thunder also make a return like Razorback, Cutthroat, and the flying saucer shaped Rad Hazard. Boast will have multiple unlockable skins, and boost animations with rockets folding out from hidden compartments. Each boat features its own handling characteristics as well.

"We're huge fans of the original Hydro Thunder," says Matt Small, creative director at Vector Unit. "There's so much there that already works -- the exhilarating boost speeds, the crazy shortcuts, the gigantic jumps and drop-offs. We knew we wanted to keep all of that -- even add more of it. At the same time, we had to bring something new to the table, something more than just recreating the original game with high-res graphics."

The game will support 8-player online racing via Xbox Live, and local split-screen multiplayer with up to 4-players and players can also team up in a new mode called Rubber Ducky.

It's out this summer, and there's a trailer for it over on Planet Xbox's YouTube channel that should give you a better idea of what to expect.