Hydro Thunder - MAME machine

Arcade Video game published 25 years ago:

Hydro Thunder © 1999 Midway Games, Incorporated.

Prepare for the power, speed and thrills of super-boat racing in some of the most treacherous watercourses imaginable. Select from 13 unique-handling, turbo-charged thunder boats. Race through 12 exhilarating tracks from all over the world.

TECHNICAL
Midway Quicksilver II Hardware

Main CPU: Intel Celeron 333/366MHz
Motherboard: Intel SE44BX-2
RAM: 64MB
Graphics Chips: Quantum Obsidian 3DFX

TRIVIA
Hydro Thunder was released in March 1999.

TIPS AND TRICKS
CHEAT CODES

• Tournament Mode: At the boat select screen, before you choose your vehicle, hold the HIGH & LOW view buttons and bring the throttle to Reverse. You'll hear a chime to confirm. This code disables the game's 'catch-up' feature. The code will also work in two player mode, but only if both players enter it.
• Solo Racing: At the boat select sceen before you select your boat hold down the low view and pilot buttons and pull the stick in reverse then you will be the only one racing on the track.
• Super Start: Before the race begins, keep the throttle in the STOP position. As the '3' begins to fade, throttle to full. As the '2' begins to fade, throttle to stop, and when the '1' begins to fade, throttle to full again. You will get a turbo start as well as a +4 second boost of fuel.

HIDDEN BOATS

• Get Hard Crafts: Get to the screen where you pick your craft. Press ALL THREE views at the SAME TIME and the hard category will be activated. This makes it easier to get the cheat crafts with the pilot code, and to get the hard crafts without having to go through all the normal trouble to get them.
• Race as Armed Response: To race as Armed Response, highlight Thresher and quickly press the pilot view button 3 times.
• Race as the Blowfish: To race as blowfish highlight Hazard and quickly press the pilot view button 3 times.
• Race as the Chumdinger: To race as chumdinger highlight Razorback and quickly press the pilot view button 3 times.
• Race as Tinytanic: To race as Tinytanic, highlight Tidal Blade and quickly press the pilot view button 3 times.

HIDDEN TRACKS

• Hydro Speedway Track: To race on the Hydro Speedway Track, highlight 'Lake Powell' at the track selection screen, then quickly press the PILOT button three times.
• The Nile Adventure: Activate the code to race at Hydro Speedway. If you earn a free game at this track, a new track will be available to select on your new game, the Nile Adventure. Be careful though, this race is VERY difficult.

SECRETS/SHORTCUTS

• Lost Island Shortcut: The first shortcut is behind the first waterfall. Go through this waterfall for a nine and a 4 second boost. Immediately thereafter, you will see some huts off to the left. Drive (DO NOT JUMP!) between the last hut and the rock just beyond it to access the second shortcut and grab those 2 boost that are just too high to get. The hidden boost in this track is in the volcano flames--you must jump the ramp to get it.
• Arctic Circle Shortcut: Look for a hole in the ice on the right side of the track about one-third of the way through. Hydro jump into it and you will go careening down a long tube. This should gain you several places. You will exit FAST, so be careful--there are some turns just head and you should not miss the boost fuel in them. There is another boost further down on the left side you can hydro jump to get and cut the corner short.

Towards the end of the race, you will see a hole in the ice to your right and a large ship just beyond that on the left. Drive toward the middleof the ship, crossing the ice bank, and you will receive a secret boost. You will also enter the second shortcut. Try to exit the medium right turn on the outside because there is a long, flat ramp that will rocket you ahead a place or two right at the finish line.

• Lake Powell Secrets: On the Lake Powell track there are 3 secrets. First in the waterfall, go through it. Second is, when you round the corner where the teepee's are jump over the decking to find a secret tunnel. And 3rd when you get to the bridge with the two 4 sec. boosts, go up the incline that is in the middle. you can get the 9 sec boosts by doing so.
• Hydro Speedway: When the track splits in two, steer toward the grassy spot in between the waterways of the next split. Use your boosters to travel down this grassy spot. Jump the very last ramp of the track and hit (yes, HIT) the Start/Finish marquee on the right side about where the words 'to go' appear in 'laps to go'. You will flip through the air and receive a 9 second boost.

PORTS

• CONSOLES:

[US] Sega Dreamcast (sept.8, 1999) "Hydro Thunder [Model T-9702N]"
Sega Dreamcast [EU] (oct.15, 1999) "Hydro Thunder [Model T-9702D-61]"
Nintendo 64 [US] (feb.29, 2000) "Hydro Thunder [Model NUS-NHTE-USA]"
Nintendo 64 [EU] (may.14, 2000) "Hydro Thunder [Model NUS-NHTP-EUR]"
[EU] Sony PlayStation (2000) "Hydro Thunder [Model SLES-02337]"
[US] Sony PlayStation (feb.29, 2000) "Hydro Thunder [Model SLUS-00847]"

CONTRIBUTE
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