Splashdown

About

Splashdown is a 2001 water racing game developed by Rainbow Studios and published by Atari Interactive. It runs on Xbox and PlayStation 2 and supports one or two players. You steer a personal watercraft through courses marked by buoys that must be passed on the correct side. Miss and your engine stalls or a whale’s tail smacks you backward. The game focuses on tight turns and maintaining speed without penalties. The game’s straightforward approach and two-player split-screen mode stand out. While not a commercial success, it has a small cult following who praise its responsive controls and simple design. Released over two decades ago, Splashdown remains a relic of early 2000s racing games. Some players still track their best times online, proving even niche titles can hold a place in the hearts of those who found them.