Midtown Madness
Description official description
Drive around the streets of Chicago in a series of races, or just try the various timed challenges! The entire city is recreated, with more landmarks and major streets drivable, complete with pedestrians and traffic cars! Drive your "common" cars like Cadillac Eldorado or Ford Mustang, or go superexotic like Panoz Roadster, or drive a super-though F-350 HD pickup... Or even the Detroit City Bus and/or a Freightliner truck... Lots of variety, lots of scenary to admire, lots of challenges to attempt... And when you get bored, try the multiplayer, including tag, football, cops and robbers, and many more modes.
Spellings
- 疯狂城市飙车 - Simplified Chinese spelling
Groups +
Screenshots
Promos
Credits (Windows version)
92 People (54 developers, 38 thanks) · View all
Project Director | |
Game Designer | |
Producer | |
Technical Lead | |
Graphics Lead | |
Business and Tequila | |
Vehicle & Pedestrian AI | |
Vehicle Simulation & Physics | |
Networking & Game Logic | |
Graphics Engine | |
City Construction | |
UI and Input Devices | |
Audio | |
Biped Art & Animation | |
2D/3D Art (Vehicles) | |
Chicago City Design | |
3D Art (City LOD) | |
3D Art (City) | |
3D Art (City and Vehicles) | |
2D/3D Art (All Areas) | |
Sound Designer/Composer | |
Composer for Tracks 14-16 | |
Lead Tester & Prod. Assist. | |
Tester & Production Assist. | |
[ full credits ] |
Reviews
Critics
Average score: 84% (based on 35 ratings)
Players
Average score: 3.6 out of 5 (based on 43 ratings with 9 reviews)
The Good
I like that this game is rather fun just driver around in Chicago, a well-detailed Chicago, in a matter of fact.
It is fun racing too, with it's 3 racing-modes.
The Bad
I don't like that it's impossible to do a burnout without the panoz GTR-1.
The Bottom Line
I would describe this game as a fun racing game, but it's rather boring that it's some kind of traction control and ABS in every car, except at the winter...
Windows · by Thomas Backman (20) · 1999
Nice city racing, but poorly executed
The Good
The idea about cruising and racing around town is very nice, as at the date of publishing there were not many games with city racing theme that allow freedom of movement. The challenges are quite difficult and you have to make a lot of tries before you can win all the races.
The graphics are nice and the game allows you to use higher resolutions, so it can look nice at the present time. The choice of cars cover different types from different periods. It is also possible to drive with a bus or a big truck, but these cars are unusable in races. You can just drive through city and nobody can stop you.
The Bad
The game is absolutely ruined by the cars physics. There are settings from arcade to realistic behavior of the cars, but the only thing changes is the grip of the tires. For example at most arcade settings, the car turns like hell but if you have a mustang, bus or truck and drive more than 20mph, your car will flip on its side in the first turn immediately. Most realistic settings means no turning at lower speeds - practically, when you skid and find your car not in the right race direction, the race is over, because you'll never get the car into the right direction. The turning ability is bounded somehow to speed (at faster speeds turning is better). I used a joystick, maybe it's better with a wheel.
And another thing I didn't like were the cops, when in pursuit - they fly around you like some turbo-fly and it looks very funny, but not realistic.
The Bottom Line
Midtown Madness is nice game ruined with poor execution. If you like a challenge - try it. If you want good racing game and fun - avoid it.
Windows · by Silmarillion (70) · 2008
The Good
I think that that the graphics are not bad, gameplay fair, looking at the Sears Tower a real hoot and when you have jumped over one of the swing bridges hearing the voice man sound funny! Perhaps driving along the highway and seeing the Observatory near the sea great, but thats about it!
The Bad
WELL PLENTY ACTUALLY! This game has got to be one of the most worst car racing car games I have ever played! For starters there is not enough races, the city of Chicago IS NOT one of the most exciting cities in the world as far as I am concerned, it is very boring actually except for the odd landmark here and there to look at. I also think that the sound is not very good and what is the point having a train when you cannot even smash into the bloody thing! Another thing is you cannot dive into the sea where the boats are (only the river - with no boats - BORING!) The blitz races all have 4 checkpoints on them - crap and also there is no crash course to add to the excitement. I mean come on guys what the hell are you playing at - the demo mode may not suck but the main game does!
The Bottom Line
Compared to MM2 this game is rubbish! I give this game maybe 3 out of 10 and MM2 9 out of 10, the latter being much much better!
Windows · by jay marsden (4) · 2001
Trivia
Inaccuracies
There is an error when referencing one of the vehicles on the North American (and some European) cover art. (See extra cover art for example.) It states the Classic Ford Mustang Fastback as a "67 Mustang Boss 302". However, the Boss 302 did not enter production until 1969. It is correctly stated what Mustang it is in the game.
Pricing
In the Netherlands Midtown Madness got sold for the half of the normal retail (like $20) price to see if this could reduce the illegal copying. Afterwards they didn't try this with any other game, so probably it didn't work.
Awards
- GameSpy
- 1999 – Racing Game of the Year
Information also contributed by DOS Boot
Analytics
Upgrade to MobyPro to view research rankings!
Related Sites +
-
Angel Studios
Developer's Web site -
IGCD Internet Game Cars Database
Game page on IGCD, a database that tries to archive vehicles found in video games.
Identifiers +
Contribute
Are you familiar with this game? Help document and preserve this entry in video game history! If your contribution is approved, you will earn points and be credited as a contributor.
Contributors to this Entry
Game added by Thomas Backman.
Additional contributors: Erwin Bergervoet, Brolin Empey, Unicorn Lynx, Patrick Bregger, Victor Vance.
Game added October 3, 1999. Last modified January 29, 2024.