Crazy Taxi
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European PSN releases for November 17
Are you ready to spend some crazy money? It doesn't look like you have much of a choice this week, with the simultaneous releases of Crazy Taxi and Prince of Persia: Sands of Time HD. Of course, considering the Bee Gees track pack hits Rock Band 3 this week, we're not sure why we're even bothering talking about anything else. We all know that's what you've been waiting for all these years. Choose your platform to view the corresponding release list: (Note: Continue past the break to view both release lists.)
PSN Tuesday: Prince of Persia: Sands of Time HD, Crazy Taxi
This week's PSN update delivers the first installment in the Prince of Persia trilogy HD-ified for North America. Available in Europe as a Blu-ray compilation later this week, The Sands of Time is available now for $15 in North America, with the other two installments launching in December. The Crazy Taxi remake is ready to take you for a ride if you got $10 and there's also some refined high-quality Peggle to be found on PSP. For PlayStation Plus subscribers, check out Oddworld: Abe's Exoddus ... it's free. The rest of this week's update can be found after the break. Choose your platform to view the corresponding release list: (Note: Continue past the break to view both release lists.)
Crazy Taxi drivers get an early start, available on PSN today
It's so rare that games come out sooner than expected rather than ... well, the other way around. That seems to be the case with Crazy Taxi. Though the game was initially slated for a November 23 release, it will actually be made available later today on the PlayStation Store for $9.99. Sorry, Xbox Live Arcaders, but your release date didn't get the red carpet treatment -- it's still coming November 24. In fact, Sega has made the pot even sweeter for PS3 owners. If you're a subscriber to PlayStation Plus, you can go ahead and knock $1.99 off the price of the game if you purchase it before November 30. Wow, two dollars? That's cuh-raaaaaazy money. Actually, no, wait. That's perrrfectly saaaaane money.
November Xbox Live Marketplace schedule: Noble Map Pack for $10, Crazy Taxi and Hasbro Family Game Night deals
Major Nelson has posted a schedule of content coming to Xbox Live Marketplace this month. Some stuff we knew about -- Crazy Taxi on the 24th and the Halo: Reach Noble Map Pack, to name a few -- but others, including the Deal of the Week beginning on the 22nd and a special promotion for non-Gold members of Xbox Live, are news. You can find all of the pertinent details past the break. %Gallery-105054%
Crazy Taxi picking up fares Nov. 23 on PSN, Nov. 24 on XBLA
It'll be time to make some crazy money when the PSN and XBLA versions of Crazy Taxi pick you up in November. Hitting PSN first on the 23rd and then XBLA on the 24th, Crazy Taxi will cost $10 and offer widescreen support with 720p HD graphics. Pick up passengers across the San Francisco-ish landscape in either Arcade Mode or Original Mode, or try out the 16 minigames that "hone taxi-driving skills." For the purists, be aware that the licensed music and products will not be present in this version. That means no Pizza Hut, and a complete lack of The Offspring and Bad Religion. That may actually be a blessing, depending on how many times you played Crazy Taxi back in the day. %Gallery-94872%
Sonic Adventure on PSN and XBLA won't venture outside of 4:3 aspect ratio
The Xbox Live Arcade versions of both Crazy Taxi and Sonic Adventure were playable at Sega's booth, and both still look great, even ten-plus years after their release. However, each game has one issue that keeps the XBLA (and PSN) version from absolute perfection. In Crazy Taxi's case, it's the lack of licensed music and locations, meaning that destinations like Pizza Hut have been replaced by generic stores, and the Offspring and Bad Religion soundtrack has been swapped out for sorta/kinda soundalikes. Actually, given how many times we've heard the Crazy Taxi soundtrack in our lives (too many!), that might be a plus. For Sonic Adventure, the limitation of the XBLA version is immediately apparent even to those who haven't played it before: it displays only in 4:3, with vertical bars (featuring a blue patterned background) on the sides of a widescreen display. A Sega rep told Joystiq that the code for Sonic Adventure couldn't be altered to support widescreen as easily as Crazy Taxi's.%Gallery-94873%%Gallery-94872%
Dreamcast resurrection: classic Sega titles coming to XBLA and PSN later this year
The Dreamcast lives on! Crazy Taxi and Sonic Adventure are reviving Sega's final console, only this time on Microsoft and Sony's hardware. They are the two inaugural titles that will hit the Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network later this year, to be followed by other classics from Sega's better days. As the now software-only company tells it, you'll basically be getting the original games, replete with (slightly) higher-res visuals, surround sound, online leaderboards, and Trophy and Achievement integration. We don't know what pricing will be like just yet, but Sonic Adventure will be coming at us in time for the 11th anniversary of the Dreamcast's original launch in the US (September 9, 1999).
Dreamcast Returns on PSN and XBLA this year
"I want to go to the baseball stadium, and then the image gallery"As hinted by the ESRB -- and predicted on our Xbox E3 Bingo card, Sonic Adventure and Crazy Taxi, two of Sega's standout games for its dearly departed Dreamcast, will be released on PS3 and Xbox 360. But they're just the first Dreamcast titles. Sega announced that those two games will be available this fall in North America and Europe, calling them the "first two classics" to be released as part of Sega's plan to republish Dreamcast games on PSN and XBLA. The games will include improved resolution, surround sound, and modern amenities like online leaderboards, Achievements, and Trophies. We're going to spend the rest of the day fantasizing about the release of our favorite Dreamcast games. For example, all of them. %Gallery-94873%%Gallery-94872%
Sonic Adventure, Crazy Taxi submitted to Korean ratings board by Microsoft
Microsoft Korea has submitted Sega's Crazy Taxi and Sonic Adventure to the Korean ratings board, leading to speculation that the Dreamcast titles are racing to XBLA. Sega was unable to officially comment on the ratings. Sonic Adventure popped up like a blue blur on radar back in January, while Siliconera points out that Crazy Taxi has been banging around as a rumored XBLA release for a little while. With E3 only a couple weeks away, it wouldn't be surprising to hear more about the titles then -- you know, unless another ratings board accidentally posts a classification. [Via Siliconera]
Ulala and BD Joe get behind the wheel in Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing
It seems like the cast of Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing will never cease to expand. Not only has Sega tapped almost all of its memorable characters (including Shenmue's Ryo), but its roster is also starting to encompass games outside of the Sega realm, including Banjo-Kazooie, Avatars and Miis. Today, the Sega blog reveals Space Channel 5's Ulala and Crazy Taxi's BD Joe. Check 'em both out in the new trailer above.
Crazy Taxi: Double Punch is crazy, out August in Japan
Does Crazy Taxi: Double Punch look familiar? It sure does. In fact, it looks just like Crazy Taxi: Fare Wars. Oh wait, it is Crazy Taxi: Fare Wars -- just with a different name for Japan. You know, to make the title feel like it's brand new and not some year-behind shelf-warmer. In any case, here's a zany Japanese trailer to keep you occupied. Crazy Taxi: Double Punch will be out in Japan this August 12.
'Catch' criminals, 'rescue' patients by running them over
We weren't expecting much from Emergency Mayhem, a Crazy Taxi-styled emergency services title peppered with minigames, but these video previews for the police car and ambulance modes look really fun! For a game with such a distressing past -- having been announced and canceled for the Xbox and PlayStation 2 in 2004, exchanging publishers and developers several times since -- we wouldn't have been surprised if this turned out to be a wreck.Though reviews haven't been kind to Emergency Mayhem (the game hits stores this week), we think the minigames look like a good break from all the high-speed chases and siren-whining. You can defuse bombs, administer CPR, and even help someone cough out a fly. According to these two clips, you can also get some sort of bonus by running over criminals and patients. When that gets old, you can add spice to your emergency duties by crashing into crowds of pedestrians without consequence.%Gallery-18818%
Zombie Massacre would be rad if it was made
You already know that we heart zombies, tithing a portion of our annual income to fund the experiments of mad scientists in the hopes that one of their deranged plots will eventually bring about the rise of the undead. Until that day comes, we'll have to settle for monster-themed video games. Of all the zombie games that've been announced for the Wii, which admittedly are very few, Zombie Massacre definitely has the best concept. Up to four players will be able to hop into a 1950s convertible, driving and shooting their way to the heart of a city to deliver a ticking nuclear bomb. Along the way, you'll pick up various people who can provide health, serve as "human shields," or give you access to special weapons. Here's the catch, as well as the reason why we don't have any screenshots or videos to help hype the title -- 1988 Games, the developer that dreamed up Zombie Massacre, hasn't actually started development on the game and doesn't yet have a publisher on-board. We normally steer clear of these budding projects until there's more to present, but our posting about it will hopefully show potential publishers that there is some interest for the game. Also, after seeing 1988 Games' website and hearing "Take on Me" embedded on the studio's "About Us" page, we can't help but support the developer.
One more look at Crazy Taxi
Unlike Crush, Sega's other PSP title, Crazy Taxi, is still a ways off. This Dreamcast port combines the thrills from the first two Crazy Taxi games for the go. Although we've made fun of the game's graphics, we have to admit that this new trailer from Sega shows off some good times. It might not be technically impressive, but we're hoping it'll be entertaining nonetheless. Check out new images in our updated gallery:%Gallery-3231%
SGD '07: Crazy Taxi Fare Wars
When in the shadow of gaming titans such as Silent Hill and God of War, this PSP Crazy Taxi port doesn't seem too hot. Although it may not be pushing the eight billion polygons that Chains of Olympus may be pushing*, the game still has a lot of potential to be fun. Check out Sony Gamers Day pics in our gallery.%Gallery-3231%*Untrue
The bounciest Crazy Taxi trailer yet
They say white guys can't jump ... but what about yellow cabs? Crazy Taxi's revival on PSP might not be the prettiest game on the block, but it certainly looks like a lot of fun. The newest trailer released by Sega shows the game's bouncy personality. Do you dig it?
Crazy Taxi: Fare Wars minigame drives us mad
We commend the effort, Sega. But this is NOT how you should be promoting your upcoming PSP game, Crazy Taxi: Fare Wars. Just like Crazy Taxi, this frustrating Flash game has you driving around town, picking up passengers and dropping them off. However, the controls and level design are so nonsensical that the game becomes more of a frustrating exercise of self-ridicule. Maybe the intent behind this game was to make the player say: "Gee golly, that game sure was un-swell. I know Crazy Taxi will do a better job than this! Let me buy it now!"Unlikely. Honestly, Crazy Taxi looks to be a lot of fun on PSP. It's too bad this Flash game does such a poor job of selling the title.[Via PlayStation Boards]
Battle of the ports: PaRappa versus Crazy Taxi
Battle of the ports: which do you want more? PaRappa the Rapper Crazy Taxi: Fare Wars Neither: PSP doesn't need any more ports! Free polls from Pollhost.com If you haven't noticed, the PSP Fanboy team is totally "t3h b145!!!1" We've been bashing Crazy Taxi: Fare Wars for its sloppy Dreamcast-era graphics. However, we've been going totally gaga for the barely enhanced PaRappa the Rapper. Isn't that unfair? We're going to let you, the PSP Fanboy reader, tell us which of these hotly anticipated PSP ports we should be more excited for. Just check out the videos after the cut, and tell us which one you want more. If you're digging both of them, feel free to vote for both. Of course, if you're feeling particularly jaded today, you can also admit that maybe we shouldn't get so excited over ports--don't we have too many already?
Crazy Taxi still looks crazy bad
Sega's upcoming PSP version of Crazy Taxi has come a long way. The very first video of the game ran at a sluggish rate, featured nearly deserted streets, and had textures worse than the original Dreamcast version. It appears that some significant progress has been made, but is it enough? We say no. A new gameplay montage on IGN reveals greatly improved visuals, but the textures and polygon count still fall short of what we expect from our handheld. While the gameplay looks fun, we can't help but remember playing the taxi cab mode of Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories and being far more impressed.At least we won't be charged an arm and a leg for this technically shallow Dreamcast port: releasing at a budget price makes sense to us. But still, wouldn't we love to see a game that truly takes advantage of PSP's capabilities?
Craaazy Crazy Taxi interview
1UP interviewed Kenji Kanno, the Chief Game Design Manager of the upcoming Crazy Taxi: Fare Wars. Amazingly, the interview doesn't really ask many questions about the PSP game. Instead, it focuses on general industry and Crazy Taxi series questions. When asked about the most important part about the evolution of the series, Kanno answered, "I wouldn't use the word 'evolution' for this series because basically the whole point of the game is to have a lot of fun in a short period of time." Sounds like the perfect kind of game for a portable! [Thanks Jonah]
