Some secret short cuts are easy to find such as under waterfalls. Some have been hidden away quite well, and will require some of your time to find them. The short cuts generally save you a few seconds, and give you a power-up or two. Screen captures of Hydro Thunder Click on images to enlarge Since we are racing on water, you will have to deal with changing water conditions, so the physics are different than racing on land. The strength of the waves vary from calm to choppy, and changes in the strength of the waves will affect how your boat performs.
Water is presented very effectively from a visual standpoint.
At certain parts of the game when you are racing through shallow water, you can see objects at the bottom of the track including fish, sharks, and sunken ships. The boats are just as cool as the tracks. Each boat has unique physics for speed, cornering, turbo, etc. Sound comes in to play here, as the engine on each boat has a distinct roar. I have always thought that gameplay is more important than flashy graphics.