Crazy Taxi

The underlying game has aged brilliantly. [Issue#67, p.103]

In conclusion, Crazy Taxi may not hold the attention of most gamers but for those wishing to walk down memory lane, it's definitely a great investment to play this classic game.

Crazy Taxi could last you a while, but most of the game's longevity will come from maximizing your scores, trying to climb the leaderboards, and trying to collect all of the achievements for each of the three game modes.

It's Crazy Taxi as you already know it: if you've already played it, there's no reason at all to spend more money for the same deal.

Gameplay is pure repetition; fun in short bursts but little lasting attraction.

This just can't compete. [Feb 2011, p.91]

Reviving Dreamcast games for the HD generation should involve a little more effort than putting out a slapdash port of the original.

This game is still a lot of fun, even after 10 years. If you have played Crazy Taxi before, then you know it's worth the $10. If not, just imagine doing some GTA-type "drive to the checkpoint" missions in a cartoon-ish city, and old-school arcade driving physics. (You basically can't turn without drifting). I can't say that I've even found a handful of driving games on XBLA worth buying. Crazy Taxi may not be perfect, and obviously isn't as deep as most disc-based driving games, BUT if it weren't for Hydro Thunder, this would be the best driving game under $20 available on XBLA in my opinion. Also, some people may prefer this game over Hydro Thunder, whether you prefer closed-in racetracks (on water) or an open city. If you ask me, a second place finish isn't too bad in this case.

I guess the game’s fun, but when you play Crazy Taxi City Rush, I guess you don’t care for this anymore. I like them both, but I’m just saying.

this game is basically the same as the original, which is okay because I enjoyed the original brings the insane ideas and gameplay of the original to the consoles, also adds new challenge missions

When I first encountered Crazy Taxi, I thought it was really funny seeing all the pedestrians scream and the traffic making a mess around the town. Now, it has been many years since it was made, and unfortunately, there isn't much content to be shown here. The worst thing is, it's too shallow, and there's no multiplayer either. All there is in Crazy Taxi is four characters, each with their own different shaped taxi, and two worlds: Original and Arcade (Well, I prefer the Arcade version). You get to play for 3, 5 or 10 minutes, or you can play for your arcade rules (Which you can customise in the settings panel) Another thing is the score you get, which comes with a leaderboard and a licence too. Other than that, that's really about it. The Trial version gives you three minutes to play and one world. Combine it with the full game, and it isn't too much of a real offer despite the fact it's only 800 points.

Crazy Taxi on the XBLA delivers the same frantic gameplay that fans have experienced through the game's various incarnations, and for 800 points, it isn't a bad deal. The controls and physics are certainly dated, but they still work with the overall feel of the game, capturing that arcade experience. The gameplay really is everything some one who has played the original or any of the ports would expect, and in that respect, is rock solid The one aspect of this incarnation game that might turn away fans is the lack of the original soundtrack (as heard in the arcade, Dreamcast, PlayStation 2 and GameCube versions). The original soundtrack, featuring Bad Religion and The Offspring, was a significant contributor to the tone and overall game experience to many, and the generic punk imitation bands that now fill the soundtrack not only fail to live up to the originals, but detract greatly from the game because of their low quality. I hate to sound like a music snob, but the music is nigh unbearable. The Verdict: If you've got a hankering for some of that classic Crazy Taxi gameplay and you don't have access to any of the other versions, you could do a lot worse than spending 800 MS Points, however, if you want to be singing along with Greg Graffin or Dexter Holland while pulling off those crazy throughs and crazy drifts, look elsewhere, because you will be sorely disappointed with this version.