Crazy Taxi: Catch a Ride

The Good
The controls are good, the sound is good, the play is easy, and the game has all of the speech and remarks from the Dreamcast version! Both cities are here and has many bonus features to boot!

If you do listen carefully, yes, all of The Offspring's Americana album songs used in the Dreamcast version is here, plus some of the others by other bands. Strangely, the PC version doesn't contain a single song from the console versions . . .

This game can be played on all forms of GBA/DS in almost any lighting conditions. The graphics can be seen no matter what, from what I've played and where. Playing in a Game Boy Player is fun, too, but you'll have to ask yourself, "Why did I just do this when regular Crazy Taxi is out for GameCube already?" LOL, maybe you just wanted to up your score or something. I played in once in the GBP, and it was unique.

The Bad
The graphics needed a once over, the object collision is terrible, but can get used to, the music lacks singing, and, of course, my favorite objection of all time: ACCESS TIME ON A FRIGGIN' CART! Geez! Stop doing this to good games! Also, the "places" are renamed. For instance, the KFC is now Joe's Chicken Hut or something, and such. And I'm not aware of any linkplay. Which is a shame. I've heard on the arcade version of the original Crazy Taxi that the game has linkplay, so you have a chance to compete with another cabby in the same city. None here, which could've easily been done on a GBA, nor on any other version. Of all the versions which needs the option, the GBA version is it, for two commuters on the go.

I should get into the graphics a wee bit.

Now, they graphics aren't bad. I stated that it needed a once-over. However, the graphics aren't good, like by DS or PSP standards. While I applaude THQ for pulling off what they did, couldn't a cart contain a small, lil' chip for graphic enhancement? Like, oh, I don't know, a Super FX or SVP chip? I'm sure with technology, Sega or Nintendo or whomever could make one of their polygon processors get crammed and more powerful into the GBA carts. That could've also fixed the timing and collison issues within this game. Consider that this game is pure Super NES Mode 7. Sure, it's using the GBA's 32-bit CPU, but overall, it's pretty much what Crazy Taxi on the SNES would've been. I do believe that this game absolutely pushes the GBA to the limit, more still could've been done. After awhile, though, you stop noticing the bad.

The Bottom Line
Dynamite game! Get it if you got a GBA or DS. It's awesome that is was even pulled off to this on inferior hardware.

Which makes me wonder about something . . . do we really need these game systems coming out if the SAME EXACT GAME can be done on inferior hardware? Just wondering . . . I'm feeling cheated since PlayStation 2 came out.

Besides that strange point, I do enjoy this game whenever I go to work. Well, at work and on my way to, if I've chosen to park at my mom's house and take the bus in from there. If I go on a flight, I make sure this game, along with stuff like Brain Age and Street Fighter Alpha 3 are packed. I do pack other games, so it's not exclusive to what I've named. The game is easy to play, and enjoyable. Can you get a better value than that?