Dreamcast Game #06: Crazy Taxi
クレイジータクシー
Crazy Taxi is a racing/score attack video game developed by the now-defunct Hitmaker and published by Sega. It is the first game in the Crazy Taxi series. The game was first released in arcades in 1999 and then was ported to the Dreamcast in 2000. Gameplay is based on picking up taxi customers and driving to their destination as quickly as possible. Reception to Crazy Taxi has been mostly positive. It was ported to other platforms numerous times, including the PlayStation 2 and GameCube by Acclaim in 2001, and then Windows in 2002.
Gameplay
The main objective of the game is to pick up customers and take them to their chosen destination as quickly as possible. Along the way, money can be earned by performing stunts, such as near misses with other vehicles. The player is directed to a destination by a large green arrow at the top of the screen. The arrow does not adjust based on obstacles but rather points in the general direction of the destination. Once the player arrives near the destination, they must stop within a specified zone. When the destination is reached, the customer’s fare is added to the player’s total money earned. Ratings are then awarded depending on how long the player took to complete the journey. If the customer’s timer runs out before the player reaches the destination, the customer will jump from the taxi without paying the driver.
Players can select three-, five-, or ten-minute settings or the Arcade Rules used in the original coin-op version of the game. In the three time-limited settings, play continues for the designated period of time, after which the cab automatically stops and no more points can be scored. Under Arcade Rules, the player starts with an initial time limit of one minute, which can be extended through time bonuses earned for quick deliveries. Console versions of the game also feature a mode known as Crazy Box, a set of minigames that feature challenges, such as picking up and dropping off a number of customers within a time limit, bowling using the taxi as a ball, and popping giant balloons in a field.
The arcade version of the game includes one stage, and an additional “Original” stage was added for the console versions. Both stages are based in sunny coastal California locales, with steep hills and other strong similarities to San Francisco. The player has a choice of four drivers (Axel, B.D. Joe, Gena, and Gus) and their cabs, each of which has slightly different attributes.
The Characters (Cabbies)
- Axel (v.b. Bryan Burton-Lewis): A carefree and crazy 21-year-old guy with a hot and quick temper, Axel became a cabbie after going on a crazy taxi ride when he was ten years old and considers it the coolest profession. He enjoys entertaining his customers while getting big tips in the process. After hours, Axel enjoys board sports, plays bass and vocals in a punk band, and tries picking up women. But due to his explosive nature, bands usually kick him out and girls dump him. He has many friends and is usually a cheerful guy, but tends to pick fights for no reason. His license plate reads “1NOM155” = “I no miss” = “I don’t make mistakes”.
- B.D. Joe (v.b. Kent Frick in the original game, Darrell Harris in the other ports and sequels): A funky and cheerful 25-year-old cabbie, B.D. Joe likes entertaining people his own way with his driving and conversational skills. He’s also an accomplished street performer and can put musicians to shame using some trash lids and oil drums. Although many people recognize his skills and ask him to go pro, he finds being a cabbie too much fun, and making people smile is enough for him. He’s been learning card tricks as another means of making people’s day. His license plate reads “2HOP260” = “To hop to go” = “Always ready to get crazy”.
- Gena (v.b. Lisle Wilkerson in the original game, Marie Cochrane in the other ports and sequels): A 23-year-old car lover best described as “cool” and “sexy”, Gena becomes a cabbie so she can race around in her cab all day, and isn’t as concerned whether her customers enjoy her driving or not. She’s talented enough to become a professional racer but loves the unexpected, something she only finds in driving fast in traffic-laden streets. When she’s not driving her car, she’s often working on it and spends most of her time and earnings performing extensive tune-ups. Men are drawn to Gena’s beauty and have tried to woo her, but either because she feels she has no time for them, or because the object of her affection is her one and only cab, she leaves them in the dust. Her license plate reads “5EXY515” = “Sexy Sis” = “You know what it means!”.
- Gus (v.b. Thomas King in the original game, Chris Peppler in the other ports and sequels): The 42-year-old original crazy cabbie. In his youth, Gus was a wild and uncontrollable hooligan and selfish to a fault. He hated to lose and had to be #1 at any cost. Fascinated by new things, he was drawn to unique trends, got a flash of inspiration and brought an old junked-out 1955 jalopy, and began the Crazy Taxi trend. Outside of work, Gus meets with his poker buddies and gambles and learned he didn’t always have to win. His license plate reads “0NLY777” = “Only 777 (three sevens)” = “Only aim for the big jackpot”.
Product Placement
In addition to generic destinations, such as the city’s police station, rail terminal, and lookout point, passengers may also request to be taken to Pizza Hut, Tower Records, the FILA sportswear store, the Levi’s store, or KFC (KFC and Pizza Hut are both owned by Yum! Brands). Crazy Taxi also featured vans on the roads with the WOW! logo on the side. Each of these chains are modeled as a location in the game. This is considered one of the most prominent examples of product placement in video gaming history. These establishments have been replaced with generic businesses in later versions, due to licensing difficulties.
Crazy Taxi is also notable for its soundtrack featuring the bands Bad Religion and The Offspring (YouTube links below, they may be blocked in your country when clicking on them), who provided all of the tracks for the arcade, Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, and GameCube ports. The PC featured an entirely new soundtrack, omitting the original bands in favor of music from Pivit, Too Rude, and Total Chaos. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of Crazy Taxi also exclude the original bands, providing an original soundtrack for the ports. Custom soundtracks can also be used on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 via their system firmware. The iOS and Android versions feature the original soundtrack.
The Offspring
- All I Want
- Way Down the Line
- Change the World
- No Brakes (Crazy Taxi 2)
- Walla Walla (Crazy Taxi 2)
- Come Out Swinging (Crazy Taxi 2)
- Americana (Crazy Taxi 2)
- One Fine Day (Crazy Taxi 2)
Bad Religion
Legacy
A Crazy Taxi segment is featured in the “Sega Carnival” track in Sonic Riders, including a hidden shortcut allowing racers to receive a ride from taxi driver Axel; a Crazy Taxi extreme gear can be unlocked as well. There is also a minigame based on Crazy Taxi in the EyeToy game, Sega Superstars, in which players move around and shout to call one of the taxi drivers. B.D. Joe, who has appeared in most games in the series, appears as a playable character in the cross-series racing game, Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing. Sumo Digital’s Steve “S0L” Lycett had to get approval from SEGA AM3 in order to use B.D. Joe in the game. He also appeared in the sequel, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed.
That’s the review for Crazy Taxi. Please remember to drive responsibly when on the actual road, and please don’t text (or drink) and drive. See you later, and also… CRAZY!!! That’s it; that’s all I have to say. Crazy Taxi.
