We've been hard at working porting the game over to PC over the last few months.  In particular we've been optimizing the game to run on tablet PCs, so Hydro Thunder fans can pick up their slates and enjoy rocket-powered speedboat racing out in the real world.  You know, at work, at school, at your in-law's place....wherever portable entertainment is necessary.

HTH will be available for Windows 8 in the Store when the OS launches later this year.  The game will feature all the levels and tracks from the XBLA version, as well as the bonus tracks and levels from the Tempest Pack DLC.

No word on pricing yet.  Stay tuned!

Link:  Vector Unit games on Nook

Seriously, the new Nook tablet is a pretty impressive piece of hardware.  It packs a lot of punch for $199.  At least, it runs both of our games well, and that's no easy feat seeing as how they're packed so full of 3D physicsy goodness.  

The old Nook Color ain't so bad, either, and the price is seriously right at $169.  I mean, dang-- that's like the price of a large popcorn at the movies these days.  Well, almost.  But you can't race jet skis in a bucket of popcorn. 

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20120305-why-do-phones-all-look-the-same

Definitely recommend checking it out -- not only because we're in it, but because the articles and production values are really top-notch.  And despite what you might think, it's not just a big ad for Nvidia products, and you don't need an Nvidia tablet to run it.  There's really a lot of good stuff in there.  Plus it has a really sweet 3D interface.

Download it here from the Android Market -- excuse me, "Google Play".

We searched the Market for games that had been optimised for Tegra 3 devices – the Quad-Core processor that the Prime uses. There are several out there, but one that we came to land on was Shine Runner. It’s a high quality and extremely addictive game that requires you to race a hovercraft through swamplands as a hillbilly character, collecting money and delivering loot.

Thanks for the props, GH!  We're glad you've enjoyed runnin' shine with us!  We'll have to look into that other game at some point too.

Link: Top Apps for the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime

We said, "Sure!" and signed some release forms and didn't hear much else about it.

Until now.

Behold.... THE AWESOME!

(Seriously...thanks to Verizon, NVIDIA, and Telemundo for making this happen. We love it.)

Gaming Uberblog Kotaku today singled out Shine Runner as their Gaming App of the Day!

This makes us happy.  Partly because we like Kotaku and getting mentioned by them gives us a little bubbly feeling in our happy parts.  Also because they say things like this:

 The racing portion of the game is simply gorgeous, running blazingly fast on my Samsung Galaxy S II and featuring a graphics slider to tone down the visuals for lesser models. Like Riptide GP before it, this is one of those games that highlights how powerful mobile gaming has become, at least from a technical standpoint.

That kind of talk makes the bubbles bubble faster.   Thanks Kotaku!

Full article:  If Real Life Moonshine Running Had Tech This Impressive We’d All Be Drunk Right Now

San Rafael, CA – December 1, 2011 — Indie game developer Vector Unit announced today that its latest mobile game, the water racing/action/strategy hybrid Shine Runner, will be released for iOS and Android devices on December 2.

In Shine Runner, players smuggle contraband goods in souped-up flat-bottomed fan boats, powersliding around twisting backwater bayous in a frenetic race to stay one step ahead of the clock – and the law.

Smuggling runs play out in lushly detailed – and fully destructible – 3D river environments. Players crash their way through levels packed with shacks, docks, chicken coops and outhouses, catch huge air off ramps and levies, and dodge (or smash) other river boats, including belligerent police. Between runs, players sell off their smuggled cargo and look for bargains so they can load up on grey market items like Gator Tails, Snake Oil, Tobacky…and of course, bootleg moonshine. The goal of the game is to maximize profits over a 10 day period.

“Our theme for this game is simple,” says Ralf Knoesel, Vector Unit’s Technical Director. “Two words: ’Redneck Chaos.’ Yes, there’s strategy to the trading meta-game, but personally I just love smashing alligators into chicken coops, punting cops off the tops of levies… I’ve been working on Shine Runner for months now and I still laugh when I’m playing.”

Shine Runner will be available Friday, December 2, 2011 for iPhone, iPad, and Android phones and tablets.

Game Features:

• Amazing Water Physics. Slip and slide through twisting bayous with the most realistic boat physics ever seen on mobile.
• Completely Destructible Game Environments. Crash through docks stacked high with barrels. Demolish shacks and outhouses. Punt gators and chickens. If you can see it, you can smash it!
• Smuggle Your Way to Riches! Buy and sell contraband goods like Moonshine and Tobacky, smuggling them from one colorful locale to the next in a race for maximum profit.
• Gorgeous HD Visuals. Explore a colorful southern world filled with high-detail boats, animated characters, beautiful bayou, marsh, and mountain environments, all running at a silky smooth framerate on your smartphone or tablet – or (on Android) on your HDTV with HDMI out!
• OpenFeint and Game Center Support. Make your name in the Shine Runner Hall of Fame leaderboards or show off your skills with some of the wackiest, most inventive Achievements around.

GameFanatics has designated Riptide GP one of their "Top Honeycomb Apps for Android Gamers".

This game is incredible, down to the most minute water droplet, and with great gameplay and easy controls Riptide GP earns nothing but praise from me. You’d expect a game with such great graphics and intricate physics to have a few hiccups but I had nothing but a buttery smooth experience. If you own an Android tablet, you’d be doing yourself a disservice by not downloading Riptide GP.

Thanks, GameFanatics!

You can check out the full article with all their recommendations by clicking on this magical hyperlink.