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Crazy Taxi
Game History
The Crazy Taxi arcade machine is a legendary title that revolutionized the arcade racing genre with its high-octane, chaotic gameplay and became one of Sega's most successful and recognizable franchises.
Developed by Sega's AM2 division and led by producer Kenji Kanno and director Takeshi Miyazaki, Crazy Taxi was first released to arcades in 1999. It ran on Sega's powerful NAOMI arcade system board, which allowed for impressive 3D graphics, large open environments, and smooth gameplay that pushed the boundaries of what was possible in arcade hardware at the time.
The game's premise was simple but brilliantly executed: players take on the role of a taxi driver in a fictionalized version of San Francisco, picking up customers and delivering them to their destinations as quickly and recklessly as possible to earn money before time runs out. What set Crazy Taxi apart from other racing games was its open-world design, lack of defined tracks, and emphasis on performing outrageous stunts like jumps, drifts, and near-misses with traffic to earn tips from passengers.
The game's cultural impact extended beyond gaming, with references appearing in movies, television shows, and even inspiring real-world driving competitions and merchandise. Its influence can be seen in countless open-world racing games that followed, with many adopting similar mechanics for earning money through reckless driving and passenger delivery.
How to Play
Objective
The main goal of Crazy Taxi is to earn as much money as possible by picking up passengers and delivering them to their destinations as quickly as possible. You play as a taxi driver in a busy city, racing against time to complete fares and maximize your earnings. The game ends when the timer runs out, and your final score is based on the total money you've collected from successful deliveries and tips.
Controls
- Steering Wheel: Turn the wheel left or right to steer your taxi
- Gas Pedal: Press to accelerate and increase speed
- Brake Pedal: Press to slow down, stop, or reverse
- Gear Shifter: Shift between Drive and Reverse to change direction
Gameplay
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Starting the Game: Press the Start Button to begin your shift as a taxi driver.
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Picking Up Passengers: Drive around the city looking for potential passengers, who are indicated by colored circles and dollar signs above their heads.
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Delivering Passengers: Once a passenger enters your taxi, follow the green arrow on screen to navigate to their destination as quickly as possible.
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Earning Money: You earn money based on how quickly you deliver passengers to their destinations. Faster deliveries result in higher fares.
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Performing Stunts: Earn additional tips from passengers by performing exciting maneuvers like jumps, drifts, and near-misses with other vehicles.
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Time Extension: Each completed fare adds additional time to your timer, allowing you to continue driving and earning money.
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Game Over: The game ends when the timer runs out. Your final score is displayed based on the total money you've earned during your shift.