Crazy Taxi
- March 4, 2011
- SEGA
- 14h median play time
Get on SteamCrazy Taxi is an arcade-style driving game where players earn money by quickly picking up passengers and dropping them off at their destinations. The game features two modes, Arcade and Original, and includes 16 mini-games to improve driving skills. With large hills, tall cliffs, and slow buses, players must navigate through traffic and obstacles to complete their fares and earn the most money. Extra features such as ramps, exploration opportunities, and frustrating cable cars add to the chaotic and fun gameplay.
Reviews
- Crazy Taxi delivers a nostalgic arcade experience with fast-paced gameplay that remains fun and addictive.
- The driving mechanics are exhilarating, allowing players to perform stunts and navigate through traffic in a chaotic manner.
- The game is easy to pick up and play, making it a great choice for short gaming sessions.
- The port lacks the original soundtrack featuring The Offspring and Bad Religion, which significantly detracts from the experience.
- Controls are overly sensitive and lack proper analog support, making precise driving difficult.
- The removal of branded locations like KFC and Pizza Hut for generic names reduces the game's charm and authenticity.
- music400 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 74 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The music aspect of the game has received significant criticism due to the absence of the original soundtrack, which featured iconic tracks from bands like The Offspring and Bad Religion. Many players express disappointment over the replacement with generic rock music that fails to capture the energetic vibe of the original. However, there are options for modding the game to restore the classic soundtrack, which many reviewers recommend for an authentic experience.
“The music, including bands like The Offspring and Bad Religion, complements the game's high-energy atmosphere and contributes to the overall enjoyment.”
“Crazy Taxi is well-known for its energetic and memorable soundtrack featuring punk rock tracks.”
“The soundtrack is epic and gets me hyped to play it.”
“The altered soundtrack just ruins it.”
“It's a shame they couldn't include the old soundtrack themselves, but it's understandable, and we have ways to fix that.”
“The music has been replaced with generic rock music which won't matter too much to anyone who isn't a hardcore Crazy Taxi fan but is still isn't as great as the original soundtrack.”
- gameplay125 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Crazy Taxi is characterized by its fast-paced, arcade-style mechanics that are both fun and addictive, encouraging players to master driving techniques for higher scores. While the core gameplay remains engaging, some players note that it can become repetitive over time, especially with the absence of the original soundtrack and certain brand elements. Overall, the game offers a straightforward yet exhilarating experience, making it a solid choice for quick gaming sessions, despite some criticisms regarding control issues in the PC port.
“The gameplay is instantly fun and insanely satisfying to (try to) master.”
“Crazy Taxi possesses perhaps the absolute best gameplay loop of any game I've ever played, regardless of its format as either a console or arcade game, which this game hits on the mark expertly.”
“The gameplay is fun and frantic, and it's cool to find that balance between being reckless and cautious so you can rack up the points.”
“The gameplay is repetitive because there is nothing new to unlock, but I admit that the game has an addictive element and you pick it up again from time to time.”
“The game is fine and all, but this port is really half-assed. There is no reason to port this dated game when they could have ported the third game, which comes with CT 1 & 2 maps and characters, along with its own brand new map and characters with tightened controls, mechanics, and updated visuals.”
“No Offspring soundtrack, controls are digital meaning no precise turning or acceleration/braking, which is really detrimental to gameplay. Buy the Dreamcast, PS2, or GameCube version instead.”
- graphics59 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely regarded as outdated, reflecting its origins as a late '90s arcade title, yet they still possess a certain charm that resonates with nostalgia for many players. While some appreciate the simple aesthetics and vibrant art style, others criticize the lack of modern enhancements and performance issues in the port. Overall, the visuals may not impress by contemporary standards, but the engaging gameplay compensates for their shortcomings.
“The graphics are simple, but not bad and easily bring you back to a great old gamer's day; it fits right in with the arcade atmosphere, maybe because the original was also an arcade game first.”
“Some of the aesthetic choices certainly mark the game as a bit of a period piece, but the city and cars still look really vibrant, and it's as fun to look at as it is to play.”
“Is really fun to play and the graphics have aged well.”
“Yeah, it’s quite obvious that the game’s graphics are extremely outdated.”
“The graphics are not the best and have not been remastered, but the gameplay more than makes up for that.”
“This port of Crazy Taxi seems anything but a port, since it seems to be using Crytek middleware that, while keeping graphics intact, makes performance go from 60fps to 10fps, where it seems to stay most of the time, going up only in scenes with not a lot to render.”
- story29 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate that the game lacks a substantial storyline, being primarily an arcade experience focused on score-based missions rather than narrative depth. Players express a desire for a more developed story mode, suggesting that the addition of a basic storyline could enhance the game's value and engagement. Overall, the absence of a discernible plot is a common criticism, with many feeling that it detracts from the overall experience.
“Wouldn’t a story mode for this be awesome?”
“Apart from the arcade game modes that are available, a career mode with at least a really basic storyline would’ve made the game pretty cool & also gave it more value due to the addition of more content.”
“If this was more like Jet Set Radio and had a bit of a backstory, that would enhance the experience.”
“Unfortunately, this game is an 'arcade' type game with no storyline.”
“Beware that this is an 'arcade' game, so there's no story mode or anything, you play just for the score.”
“You need to complete missions in order to figure them out, and even then they're hardly described.”
- humor23 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its absurdity and nostalgic charm, featuring hilarious one-liners, quirky characters, and chaotic sound effects that create a lively atmosphere. While some elements of the humor lean towards violence and rudeness, players appreciate the comedic moments, such as funny character interactions and amusing game-over announcements. Overall, the game is remembered fondly for its lighthearted and entertaining approach, making it a delightful experience for both new and returning players.
“The one-liners are hilarious, and there are so many sounds at the same time that you will feel like you sit on a central square and everything is screaming at you for no particular reason.”
“The passengers laughing as I narrowly avoid oncoming traffic and crash into silos is a mood.”
“People happily fist bump if you deliver them in time or hilariously announce that you suck if you run out of time.”
- optimization20 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with many users reporting poor performance, including low frame rates and stuttering, particularly on certain hardware setups. While some players have found ways to improve performance through patches and configurations, the overall consensus is that the port is poorly optimized, with outdated controls and graphical issues that detract from the experience.
“The performance is top notch, though.”
“After configuring the controls and settings, the game runs smoothly and plays like I would expect it.”
“The game is well optimized; we've got extras like the crazy box mode which consists of completing different challenges with our drivers, we can play both the maps from the arcade and Dreamcast versions and even determine how long we want to play, not necessarily following the arcade rules, which is nice.”
“What isn't easy to fix is the absolutely horrid performance (fps lock?) that this port uses.”
“Only downside is that it's quite an unoptimized port and has really outdated controls.”
“This port of Crazy Taxi seems anything but a port, since it seems to be using Crytek middleware that, while keeping graphics intact, makes performance go from 60fps to 10fps, where it seems to stay most of the time, going up only in scenes with not a lot to render.”
- replayability11 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
Overall, "Crazy Taxi" is praised for its high replayability, with many players enjoying its fun, fast-paced gameplay and unique art style. While some users noted a lack of variety in missions and optimization issues on PC, the game's run-based modes and engaging mechanics contribute to its lasting appeal. Many reviews highlight that the game offers a significant amount of replay value, making it a worthwhile experience for players.
“Crazy Taxi received positive reviews for its fun and accessible gameplay, unique concept, and replayability.”
“Lots of fun and tons of replay value.”
“The first two modes are run-based modes meaning that they have a high replayability rate.”
“Badly optimized for PC (windowed in the corner of the screen!), 0 replayability after even a single mission as they're all the same, no discernible story mode or point to it.”
“Replay value out the vazoo.”
“Whilst it is still not as much fun as the arcade and original, it is far better and much more playable than it was before.”
- stability8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The stability of the game is mixed; while some users report it runs smoothly with no glitches on modern platforms like the Steam Deck, others experience significant issues such as screen freezes and bugs that require hard reboots. Overall, the game is generally well-optimized for its age, but occasional momentary freezes can detract from the experience.
“This is a classic Sega Dreamcast game and runs great on the Steam Deck.”
“Great port from the Dreamcast and other consoles, works and runs great.”
“I was expecting an unspeakable mess because of this game's age, but it all runs incredibly well, no glitches of any kind, no need to patch or fix anything, feels like the good old one I remember, and there's even full Xbox 360 controller support.”
“Doing so freezes the screen and you have to hard reboot the computer.”
“Very buggy, you can't even alt-F4 out of the game.”
“The game will have momentary freezes throughout.”
- atmosphere7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by high-energy punk and rock music, which enhances the overall experience and evokes nostalgia for classic arcade gaming. While the graphics are simple, they effectively contribute to the lively ambiance, though some players feel the newer soundtrack lacks the iconic quality of the original. Overall, the atmosphere is described as vibrant and engaging, despite some mixed feelings about the music changes.
“The music, including bands like The Offspring and Bad Religion, complements the game's high-energy atmosphere and contributes to the overall enjoyment.”
“Good punk/rock music and a very 'living' sound atmosphere.”
“Not sure, but I think this version has a darker atmosphere than the others.”
“Not sure, but I think this version has a darker atmosphere than the other ones.”
“You'll not regret, but you'll lose the atmosphere, which was concluded in the soundtrack, real brand names, and normal voices of pedestrians.”
“Everything is the same except for the music; some people say that it doesn't fit into the game's atmosphere, which to me is nonsense, but it's all a matter of personal preference.”
- grinding5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 80 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspects of the game to be a mixed experience; while some challenges, like the bowling challenge, are seen as tedious, others appreciate the opportunity for experimentation and familiarization with maps in modes like 10-minute. Overall, despite the grindy elements, many still enjoy the core gameplay in arcade and original modes.
“Some, like the bowling challenge, are painfully tedious to complete.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“But hey, I got used to them pretty fast and while it was really tedious in the crazy box mode, the arcade and original modes still are a damn blast to play through.”
- emotional3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is primarily seen as fun rather than emotionally engaging, with users noting a lack of a compelling story or impressive graphics. The gameplay mechanics, particularly the control scheme, detract from any potential emotional connection by making navigation through traffic frustrating rather than immersive.
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the Steam version is criticized for lacking the original soundtrack and advertisements/locations, but users have found a workaround to restore these features through a simple four-step process.
