After an 11 year hiatus, the worldwide leader in water racing is back. Jet Moto, you ask? Afraid not. Wave Race, perhaps? Not quite, but this title is remembered just as fondly as those previous titles – at least by the people who remember those series actually existed. Rather, Hydro Thunder, the arcade game that seems to be at every bowling alley in the United States, is coming to the Xbox Live Arcade this summer.

Hydro Thunder Hurricane is louder, prettier and even more over the top than its arcade predecessor (which also made waves on the Dreamcast – get it, made waves?), but not much else has changed. Judging from the two levels that I played, it seems like there’s no reason to mess with the tried and true formula.

One of the courses starts in a quiet Nordic fishing village. Soon after the race begins, the boats are dodging glaciers while cruising at a breakneck pace. Then, Thor – the god with the hammer and beard – looms over the racers as the weather turns for the worse. An ancient Viking hall presents another obstacle when falling axes try to slow down the speeding boats. It’s an insane level design that keeps getting crazier, and that seems to be the formula for eight courses.

“We tried to have each level tell a story,” said Ralf Knoesel, technical director and co-founder of the development studio Vector Unit.

Even after an 11 year hiatus from the arcade release (not counting the ports, which included an appearance in Midway Arcade Treasures 3) anybody who’s remotely familiar with the original will quickly remember the ins and outs of the game. Anybody who hasn’t played the game will find the learning curve to be quite gentle. Scattered throughout the stages are floating tanks that can be used to boost the speed for a short amount of time or jump in the air, which is particularly helpful for accessing the numerous short cuts throughout the stages. As in the past games, there are different boats ranging from steady beginner boats to more unwieldy yet rewarding rides.

One feature that has been ramped up is the water effects. Waves from one boat can affect the movement of another, and the water levels ebb and flow, which brings the courses to life. While only the racing mode was available, there promises to be 4-player split screen and eight-player Xbox Live races.

The other stage I tried, Lake Powell, was actually featured in the previous game, but the new version was unrecognizable. Some of the same boats have returned, but Knoesel said that this game is indeed a sequel, with all the courses being brand new. I’m glad he clarified, because Hydro Thunder Hurricane precisely captured the feel of the old game while amping up all the things that made it great. I’d wager it’s not a sequel many people were asking for, but it’s definitely a sequel a lot of people could really enjoy. Personally, I’m still holding out hope for a Jet Moto reboot.