Relive Crazy Taxi with PSP rehash

Forget PSone, Sony should have worked out a deal with Sega to emulate Dreamcast on PSP. Instead, we're starting to see some attempts by publishers to revisit some of their Dreamcast titles using the UMD format. First, Capcom did Power Stone Collection, and now, Sega has announced Crazy Taxi: Fare Wars, built from Crazy Taxi 1 & 2.

While Fare Wares offers a new *Ad Hoc* multiplayer mode, we'd gladly trade the additional content for straight-up ports; if it meant we'd be downloading the games and playing them via emulation. Is this just wishful thinking?

[Via press release]

Press release:

SEGA of America, Inc. and SEGA Europe Ltd. today announced Crazy Taxi: Fare Wars coming exclusively to the PSP system. All-new twists have been included in the classic Crazy Taxi experience including for the first time, multiplayer modes that allow two people to play cooperatively or competitively. Now gamers can relive the addictive, action packed gameplay of the original Dreamcast games, Crazy Taxi and Crazy Taxi 2, on the go. Hang up those fuzzy dice and register for a cabbie license this Summer 2007 with Crazy Taxi: Fare Wars developed by Sniper Studios.

Only skilled cabbies need apply in Crazy Taxi: Fare Wars, where drivers are more aggressive than ever to earn the big dollars by speeding fares to their destination, no matter what the obstacles. Brand new multiplayer gameplay features provide endless entertainment where players can steal passengers from other cabbies by bumping their opponent's car and create chaotic competition on the road. Navigating through traffic, hills, and obstacles isn't easy, so it takes a skilled cabbie with no fear to earn the big bucks. Players can drive through the two original maps of Crazy Taxi, including the arcade map and the original Dreamcast map, both inspired by the steep hills, trademark cable cars, and breezy waterfront of San Francisco. Then they'll head for the Small Apple maps in Crazy Taxi 2, which is inspired by New York's large building fronts, hectic downtown streets, and the city's famous Central Park and subway system.

"With over 2.7 million games sold to date in the Crazy Taxi franchise, SEGA is excited to bring back such a popular series from our vault of classics," said Scott A. Steinberg, Vice President of Marketing, SEGA of America, Inc. "Crazy Taxi: Fare Wars is fun, frantic, and highly addictive, and perfect for gamers on the go." The simple concept of competing for fares, is successfully built upon gameplay containing a variety of timed missions and mini-games, making it fun and challenging for short stints or hours on end.

Crazy Taxi: Fare Wars offers cabbies several single player modes including the mission-based Arcade mode, where skilled drivers earn time bonuses, and Time Trial mode where drivers collect the highest fares possible in the time allowed. In addition, for cabbies to practice their crazy driving skills, two mini-game training modes are available. They include Crazy Box, a collection of 16 original Crazy Taxi mini-games and Crazy Pyramid, mini-games arranged in a pyramid that drivers must complete to unlock more mini-games from Crazy Taxi 2.

Crazy Taxi: Fare Wars introduces new multiplayer modes for two cabbies to collaborate or compete wirelessly via Ad Hoc. Drivers can also record and save gameplay replays of their driving performance in Crazy Taxi 2 on the PSP system's memory stick to replay and show off.

Get ready for the return of a classic favorite next Summer 2007 with Crazy Taxi: Fare Wars for the PSP system.