Crazy Taxi

UPC: 021481232681

Platform: PlayStation 2

Publisher: Acclaim Entertainment, Inc.

Developer: Acclaim Studios Cheltenham

Category: Racing

Style(s): Mission-Based Racing

Synopsis: Crazy Taxi was an arcade hit in 1999 and the 2000 Dreamcast port became one of the most universally popular titles on the system. The outrageous driving action now comes to the PlayStation 2 with this 2001 release, complete with all the quirky drivers, caricatured customers, twisting city streets, challenging traffic patterns, cartoon-styled physics, and shameless product placement that brought success to earlier versions of the title. Players take the role of one of four San Francisco cabbies, each with different skills and abilities. Potential customers are distinguished on the crowded city sidewalks by colored dollar signs that appear above their heads. The player has complete freedom in choosing which fares to pick up and the quickest route to the destinations they desire. By confronting the player with realistic traffic patterns, the game presents a challenge that is familiar to nearly anyone who has driven a car down an actual city street, yet the comic environment and exaggerated physics allow a sense freedom and excitement that is only possible in the virtual reality of a next-generation video game. Players are continually challenged to gain higher and higher scores as they learn shortcuts to popular destinations and develop driving tricks to push their vehicles to the limit. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

Package Contents: 30-page Instruction Manual

Controls: Joystick/Gamepad

Tells how to do the special moves, fares, money system, and explains the gameplay nicely. ~ J.C. Barnes, All Game Guide

A little bit of pop in and slight slowdown in some areas. ~ J.C. Barnes, All Game Guide

Taking place in hilly San Francisco, take the role of one of four taxi drivers, each with a unique driving style and taxi cab. The object of the game seems simple enough; race around town, picking up fares and delivering them to their destinations. While the game lacks almost any plot whatsoever, the core idea of delivering people to their destinations is an example of something Sega has mastered in the arcades -- taking a single idea with a set goal and transforming it into a game that looks simple at first, but is full of depth, secrets, and fun to gamers busy for hours on end. The PS2 version of Crazy Taxi offers players many modes of play. Arcade mode contains a replica of the San Francisco seen in the arcade version, plus an additional map. You also get to play by the arcade rules. To earn money and additional time you'll need to pick up fares, which are designated by people on the street with colored dollar signs over their head and a ring surrounding the ground around them of the same color. Simply stop within the colored ring and the rider will jump in and tell you your destination. The colors of dollar signs and ground borders signify the distance of the fare: red is easy, then the progressively longer fares are colored orange, yellow, yellow green, and green, respectively. A red fare is usually a stop that's a few blocks down the street, but a green fare can have you racing from one side of the town to the other. Your passengers aren't too patient either. In addition to the continually decreasing game clock, each fare has its own personal clock that begins to count down once the customer jumps in your cab. If you get to the destination in a quick, timely manner, you'll get a bonus in the form of extra seconds tacked onto the game clock. However, if you take too long, your fare will start to yell and curse at you. Eventually, customers will jump out of the speeding car without paying any money, which serves as the Crazy Taxi's point system. Players can also get monetary bonuses by performing huge jumps on ramps and cutting in and out of oncoming traffic. This creates many nail-biting moments and wide grins as you successfully navigate through oncoming traffic in the congested streets of San Francisco. The fast-paced arcade-like formula works like a charm. Crazy Taxi is, without a doubt, one of the best games Sega has yet produced. The frantic pace of the game, coupled with the "crazy" physics, jumps, music, and environments fit together almost perfectly. Shortcuts and learning the city are the real challenges in this game; with patience and a keen eye, players will be able to discover shortcuts by jumping roofs of buildings, flying over raised bridges, and even driving on top of train tracks and through subway terminals. What's even greater is that this kind of behavior is actually encouraged throughout the game. Point bonuses are given for high-flying jumps and for whizzing by cars as close as possible without hitting them. It will take hours for gamers to learn every in and out of the city, and the fact that there are two maps available extends the life of this game considerably. The graphics on this game are top notch. While cars and people tend to suffer from pop-up, it never interferes with the gameplay. The soundtrack is of catchy, fast-paced alternative music that is a perfect fit for the style of Crazy Taxi's intense gameplay. Sound effects are also well done, with people yelling and screaming at you as you duck in and out of traffic, crash into phone booths, and even cause a few rollover accidents. In all, Crazy Taxi is another great game from the arcade geniuses at Sega. The game is no doubt one of Sega's classics, and now PlayStation 2 owners have the privilege of playing it on their Sony systems. ~ J.C. Barnes, All Game Guide

It will take even the most dedicated gamer hours to explore every corner of both San Francisco-based game worlds. ~ J.C. Barnes, All Game Guide

The soundtrack suits the game perfect, but isn't varied enough. Sound effects, however, are funny and complement the game nicely. ~ J.C. Barnes, All Game Guide

This game is pure adrenaline, pure arcade, and pure fun. It does what it sets out to do and succeeds on all the enjoyment marks. ~ J.C. Barnes, All Game Guide

the game requires Joystick/Gamepad.