So I bought a Playdate, a small handheld console with only two buttons, a D-pad, a monochrome screen, and an analog crank. Yes that's right, a crank. As part of the purchase, the developers give two free games per week as part of the first "season" of content, with Whitewater Wipeout being one of the first two games. You play as a surfer with three attempts to get the best high score on each run. There's no other content than that; it's an arcade-esque experience with only one mode, making the game very short but sweet. To angle your surfer into the waves you use the aforementioned crank. I will admit the controls are a bit unintuitive at first, as its the angle of the crank that directly corresponds to your player angle, not the relative angle. Once you get the hang of it though, the game is quite fun. The graphics are really nice and I think it is a good choice to include as part of the first week's batch, as it showcases a unique idea that only this system can do. The A and B buttons aren't even used at all. However, it's a very short game, and if you aren't terribly interested in beating your high score then it won't hold your attention for very long.

Reviewed on Feb 25, 2024


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