Hydro Thunder is a port of Midway's arcade boat-racer, where you simply rev up the engines and go on 13 water courses set in various locations around the world. The story is minimal, with no real narrative to speak of. Instead, you focus on racing across different types of futuristic boats.
Gameplay revolves around racing through 3D environments with realistic graphics and effects, including reflective water and bouncing boats. You'll find power-ups and upgrades scattered throughout the courses, such as nitro boosters, to help you gain an edge over your opponents. The game supports multiplayer competitions for up to two players on the PlayStation console.