Players Are Amazed by the Water Graphics in This 2002 Surfing Game

Kelly Slater’s Pro Surfer is making waves online more than 20 years after its debut, with many players marveling at the game’s impressive water technology. It serves as a prime example of how stunning visuals aren’t always about 4K ray tracing; sometimes, all you need is a beautifully rendered wave running at 60FPS.

On July 8, a Twitter account dedicated to nostalgic Xbox content shared a 60-second clip of someone playing Kelly Slater’s Pro Surfer, a 2002 action-sports title reminiscent of Tony Hawk’s games, developed by Treyarch. The video quickly gained traction, racking up nearly 5 million views, over 1,500 shares, and around 15,000 likes.

Many viewers are particularly taken with the game’s water effects. The developer behind Artic Eggs, The Water Museum, noted that the wave’s appearance isn’t the result of complex technology but rather an artistic choice, explaining that the teal color shifts based on the wave’s height. Others chimed in with insights on how the wave was crafted, emphasizing that the focus was on aesthetics rather than hyper-realism. Actor Jon Cartwright, who shared the clip, remarked, “Why is this the best-looking water ever?”

While I might not go that far, I agree with the sentiment that the water in Kelly Slater’s Pro Surfer, a game from over two decades ago, still looks fantastic in 2026. The game’s smooth 60 FPS frame rate enhances the animation and movement of the waves, contributing to its lasting appeal. This is why many retro games continue to impress, especially before the Xbox 360 era, when developers began prioritizing hyper-cinematic experiences, often resulting in titles that struggled to maintain 30 FPS and ended up looking blurry.

Sometimes, opting for a less realistic but more efficient design is the way to go. Just look at the excitement surrounding a relatively simple surfing game from 2002, all because its waves and ocean technology are visually striking and perform well.

This situation brings to mind that infamous surfing game Rockstar released over 20 years ago. In any case, here’s more gameplay from Pro Surfer.