Press release: 2000-02-02: CRAZY TAXI RACES TO SEGA DREAMCAST WITH IRREVERENT, OFF-THE-WALL DRIVING FUN

This is an unaltered copy of a press release, for use as a primary source on Sega Retro. Please do not edit the contents below. Language: English Original source: Sega.com (archived)

Driving on Rooftops and Sidewalks is Totally Legal in "Crazy Taxi," Where the Only Moving Violation is Not Moving Out of the Way

SAN FRANCISCO (February 2, 2000) - Don't even bother buckling up! Sega® of America, Inc. today announced the release of "Crazy Taxi(tm)" for the 128-bit, Internet-ready Sega Dreamcast(tm) videogame console. Based on the smash arcade hit, "Crazy Taxi" challenges gamers to race their taxi against the clock and drive customers to their destinations - but it's not as easy as it sounds. This game is jam-packed with insane obstacles and fast action, challenging gamers to dodge and dash quickly throughout the city to earn the best tip. "Crazy Taxi" features amazingly detailed 3D graphics and is loaded with cool new exclusive features, including an all-new interactive course and more than a dozen challenging mini-games. The title will be available at retailers nationwide starting February 2 for $49.95.

In "Crazy Taxi," players assume the role of one of four off-beat taxi cab drivers (Axel, Gus, Gena and B.D. Joe) who must pick up passengers waiting anyplace from rooftops to sidewalks to underwater wearing scuba masks. The highly interactive 3D environments are loaded with real-life imagery, including franchises such as Pizza Hut, KFC and Levi Strauss, in addition to detailed backgrounds that look incredibly realistic. Although players earn fares by getting passengers to their destination without too many mishaps, earning tips requires creative wheelwork, so players need to take shortcuts.

In this game, "crazy" is the key word. Time is money, so gamers can launch their taxi off a second story parking lot or fly down a set of stairs at ridiculous speeds to save time. Since there isn't a "pre-set" route to follow, gamers are encouraged to take their driving skills to the limit by driving on sidewalks, rooftops, cafés, lawns and department stores.

It's all fair game in this game --the more destruction and chaos caused, the higher the score. Other cars on the street may smash gamers' taxis into a side rail, causing them to spin out of control, so gamers need to be aggressive.

Drive the wrong way down a one-way street, plow through restaurants or swerve in and out of traffic. The only bad thing players can do is not go fast enough!

"Thanks to Sega's deep arcade roots, gamers can play some of the best titles from the arcades, with new exclusive additions, on Sega Dreamcast," said Charles Bellfield, director of marketing communications, Sega of America. "'Crazy Taxi' is so graphically advanced that it's hard to believe Sega Dreamcast's second generation software coming this year will look even better."

Several "crazy" moves need to be perfected in order to garner the maximum tip from passengers, and gamers will in turn be rewarded for making their ride thrilling. Crazy Jump uses ramps or other insane obstacles to get the taxi airborne, while Crazy Drift is used to sustain a sliding drift of the cab while turning. A Crazy Through move cuts in close to other vehicles that gamers can pass on the roads without crashing. Crazy Dash and Crazy Back Dash cause the cab to quickly move forward or in reverse. The Crazy Back Drift move allows the cab to move in reverse after spinning 180� -- talk about crazy!

Three main modes are built into the game: Arcade, Original and Crazy Box modes. Arcade mode brings all the best from the original hit, while utilizing the powerful Sega Dreamcast engine to enhance and expand the 3D graphics. Original mode adds an entirely new, larger course to weave through, in which players might even get lost and find different ways of getting to the same destination, thus increasing the replay value. Crazy Box mode gives players the opportunity to master the previously mentioned crazy maneuvers that are essential to generating high scores.

Taking passengers on these wild missions becomes even more entertaining with the amazing punk rock soundtrack. Players can screech, jump and plow through crowded city streets while rocking out to the tunes of Offspring and Bad Religion.

The Visual Memory Unit and Jump Pack are two Sega Dreamcast accessories that can be used to enhance the gaming experience. Game data and player files for up to 4 players can be stored on the VMU, while the Jump Pack provides force feedback in the controller. "Crazy Taxi" will be available at retailers nationwide and on sega.com for $49.95.

About Sega Dreamcast
Sega Dreamcast is available in the US with a built in 56K modem, allowing for full Internet functionality through the Sega Dreamcast Network, including chat, e-mail, web browsing and online gaming. Content for the Sega Dreamcast Network is provided by Sega, Excite@Home and IGN. The system's preferred Internet service provider is AT&T; WorldNet® Services, the quickest and easiest way to take the system online. Sega Dreamcast currently has more than 40 titles available. Third-party titles currently in the works will bring the total Sega Dreamcast game library count to more than 200 in the year 2000.

Sega Dreamcast's advanced 128-bit architecture makes it the first console with evolutionary capabilities, allowing it to grow and change to match advances in technology and the needs and desires of the consumer. Sega Dreamcast is also the most powerful video game console ever created. It is 15 times more powerful than a Sony PlayStation™, ten times more powerful than a Nintendo® 64 and has four times the graphics processing power of the fastest Pentium II processor.

In the first 24 hours of availability, Sega Dreamcast netted over $97 million at retail, more than tripling the past entertainment industry record set by Star Wars: The Phantom Menace at $28 million on its first day. In its initial four days, Sega sold a total of 372,000 Sega Dreamcast systems, easily surpassing the previous industry record holder, Nintendo 64, which took six days to hit 350,000 when it launched in 1996. In the first 13 days at retail, Sega Dreamcast sold more than 514,000 units. Since it launched, Sega Dreamcast has sold more than 1.5 million units, beating sales milestones set by other high-profile consumer and electronics products such as Tickle Me Elmo™ and Apple's iMac. Sega estimates that the company will sell 2 million units by the end of March 2000.

About Sega
Sega of America is the arm of Tokyo, Japan-based Sega Enterprises, Ltd. responsible for the development, marketing and distribution of Sega videogame systems and videogames in the Americas. Sega Enterprises, Ltd. is a nearly $2.5 billion company recognized as the industry leader in interactive digital entertainment media, offering interactive entertainment experiences both inside and outside the home. Sega of America's World Wide Web site is located at www.sega.com.