Crazy Taxi
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| Crazy Taxi | |
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| Developer(s) | Hitmaker |
| Publisher(s) | Sega |
| Release date(s) | February 1, 2000 (DC) See series |
| Genre | Racing/Action |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Teen (T) ELSPA: 3+ |
| Platform(s) | Dreamcast, PS2, GameCube, Xbox, PC |
Crazy Taxi was first released to arcade in 1998 as was ported to the Dreamcast in 1999. Subsequently, it has been brought to PC, Playstation 2, and Gamecube. It is part of the Crazy Taxi series.
Stunts
The game features fast arcade-style gameplay, along with a variety of cab 'stunts'. The first stunt is the Crazy Dash, a forward burst of speed that can be pulled off in succession. To trigger the burst, the player must shift into 'drive' and directly follow it with the 'accelerate' button. For multiple dashes, hit 'reverse' and then again 'drive' immediately followed by 'accelerate'. The strongest level dash is level four. Another stunt is the Crazy Drift. This is accomplished by quickly hitting 'reverse' and then 'drive' while making a sharp turn. A final, position-specific stunt is the Crazy Jump, which goes off automatically if the player goes of ramps or other sudden inclines.
Gameplay
The game takes place in the arcade level, West Coast, and an additional original level for the console versions. Both are based on California locales, with West Coast similar to Los Angeles. For both levels, the player has a choice of four cabbies/cabs with slightly different attributes: Axel (well-balanced car), BD Joe (fastest, more uncontrollable), Gena (best acceleration and braking), and Gus (most controllable). The idea of the game is to take as many customers as possible to a chosen destination as fast as possible. Speedy, Normal or Slow ratings are given depending on how long the player took to complete the delivery. If the player is too slow, a Bad rating is given before even reaching the destination, and the customer jumps from the cab. There is no penalty for a Bad rating, but time will have been wasted attempting to deliver this customer as it is only possible to take one passenger at a time, except in certain Crazy Box levels (see below).
For each level, one can play under different conditions: three-minute free play, five-minute free play, ten-minute free play, or arcade. In arcade mode, the player starts with a designated time limit which can be changed in the options. Time bonuses are given for Speedy deliveries, or deducted for Slow or Bad deliveries. Play continuesuntil this time runs out.
The game also contains a set of minigames with its "Crazy Box". This offers a great amount of learning experience and replay value. It features challenges such as stopping by hitting a pole, bowling using the cab as a ball and popping giant balloons in a field.
External links
- The KLOV entry on Crazy Taxi (http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?letter=C&game_id=7433)
- Category at ODP (http://dmoz.org/Games/Video_Games/Driving_and_Racing/Racing/Crazy_Taxi_Series/)fr:Crazy Taxi