Tokyo Xtreme Racer

From Sega Retro

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TokioHighwayChallenge-title.png

Tokyo Xtreme Racer
System(s): Sega Dreamcast
Publisher: Crave Entertainment (US, Europe), Genki (Japan)
Developer:
Peripherals supported: Jump Pack, Dreamcast Modem, Race Controller, Visual Memory Unit, Dreamcast VGA Box
Genre: Racing[1]

















Number of players: 1-2
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Dreamcast
JP
¥5,800 (6,090)5,800e[1] T-30801M
Sega Dreamcast
US
T-40202N
ESRB: Everyone
Sega Dreamcast
EU
T-40201D-50
ELSPA: 3+ OK
Sega Dreamcast
DE
T-40201D-50
USK: 0
Sega Dreamcast
ES
8,990Ptas8,990[5] T-40201D-50
ELSPA: 3+ OK
Sega Dreamcast
FR
T-40201D-50
SELL: Tous Publics
Sega Dreamcast
UK
£39.9939.99[4] T-40201D-50
ELSPA: 3+ OK
Sega Dreamcast
AU
$94.9594.95[6]

Tokyo Xtreme Racer, called Shutokou Battle (首都高バトル) in Japan and Tokyo Highway Challenge in Europe, is a 1999 racing game for the Sega Dreamcast in Genki's Shutokou Battle series.

While Shutokou Battle's roots date back to 1994 with the release of Drift King Shutokou Battle '94 on the Super Famicom, Western localisation has been sporadic and inconsistent. Tokyo Xtreme Racer was the second Shutokou Battle game to be released outside of Japan, following Tokyo Highway Battle on the PlayStation, released in 1996. Being a launch title for the Dreamcast, this is likely the most well known entry in the franchise.


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Gameplay

The Shuto Highway, the game is almost a perfect representation of the C2 line

The game is also one of the first mission based driving games. The player challenges other drivers on the Shuto Expressway in order to gain money to modify and enhance his or her car. The game features a wide variety of Japanese cars and tuning parts to purchase as the player progresses through rivals.

The game is based on illegal highway racing in Tokyo's Wangan highway with custom tuned cars. A such phenomenon is growing popular in Japan since the 90's with its dedicated manga (Shutokō Battle's biggest inspiration being Wangan Midnight), anime series and video games (C1 Circuit, Wangan Trial, Naniwa Wangan Battle).

The objective is to race every gang member on the Wangan Tokio Highway and become to top highway racer. To do this, the player starts with a Low-performance entry car and he has to challenge gang members while on a free run session on the highway. The player doesn't have an option to challenge rivals on the menu, instead, he has to be on the Highway and find a rival for itself. When a rival takes his challenge, 2 lifebars appear in the upper part of the screen, these lifebars decrease when a player is in the back (Second). If the lifebar is out, that player loses. No matter if the player won or lose, it wins money to buy parts and upgrade the car, also when winning, the gang member is recorded in a "encyclopedia" where every gang member is listed with personal info.

The unlock-upgrade system is also very basic, the player has some customization options divided in Visual and Performance. Visual upgrades let the player customize the look of his car, from bumpers to color or spoilers. The Performance part lets the player upgrade his engine, brakes, or suspension. To win these upgrades the player just has to win races in a day: A day is when you enter the Free Run mode, and then going back to the garage where all the options are, if the player decides to go back to the Free run, it will be the next day.

Car List

Entry cars
  • Toyota
    • (AE86T) Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT A'pex 3DOOR 1986
    • (AE86L) Toyota Corolla Levin GT A'pex 3DOOR 1986
    • (JZA80) Toyota Supra Type RZ TWIN TURBO 1997
    • (JZX100) Toyota Chaser Tourer-V TURBO 1998
    • (SW20) Toyota MR2 GT1997
    • (XE10) Toyota Altezza RS200 "Z EDITION" 1998
  • Nissan
    • (RPS13) Nissan Silvia 180SX type X 1994
    • (S13) Nissan SILVIA K's 2000cc 1988
    • (S14) Nissan Silvia K's AERO SE 1996
    • (Z32) Nissan Fairlady Z Version S Twin Turbo 2 seater 1998
    • (R32) Nissan Skyline GT-R V-spec II 1994
    • (R33) Nissan Skyline GT-R V-spec 1997
    • (Y33C/Y33G) Nissan CEDRIC BROUGHAM VIP/Nissan GLORIA Gran Turismo ULTIMA 1997
  • Mazda
    • (FC) Mazda SAVANNA RX-7 ∞-III 1989
    • (FD) Mazda RX-7 Type RS 1995
    • (MX5) Mazda Miata Eunos roadster 1985
    • (MX5) Mazda Miata MX5 2000
  • Mitsubishi
    • (CE9A) Mitsubishi Lancer GSR Evolution III 1995
    • (CP9A) Mitsubishi Lancer GSR Evolution VI 1999
  • Subaru
    • (GC8) Subaru Impreza 2DOOR WRX type R STi Version V 1997
  • Honda
    • (DC2) Honda Integra type R 3DOOR spec'98 1998
    • (EK9) Honda Civic type R spec'98 1998
    • (NA2) Honda NSX type S Zero 1997
Extra cars
  • Honda
    • (AP1) S2000 1999
  • Nissan
    • (S15) Silvia Spec-R 1999
    • (R34) Skyline GT-R V-spec 2000
    • (S30) Fairlady Z 1978 (Wangan Midnight tuned version)
  • Porsche
    • (964) 911 Turbo 1989 (Wangan Midnight tuned version)
Special cars
  • Four Devas
    • (FDD) Midnight Cinderella's RX-7 1999 (flame version)
    • (NA2D) Banshee's NSX 1999 (flame version)
      • Banshee's only available in the Japanese edition
  • Four Devils
    • (JZA80D) Exhaust Eve's Supra 1999 (racing stripes version)
    • (R34D) Raven Blood's Skyline 1999 (red tuned version)
  • Initial D
    • (AE86TD) Takumi Fujiwara's Trueno 2000 (Fujiwara Tofu Shop "Home Delivery" version)
      • only available in the Japanese edition
  • Mitsubishi
    • (GFLF) Eclipse GS-T 1999
    • (GFLS) Eclipse Spyder GT 1999
      • not available in the Japanese edition

History

Car Types & Licenses

Since it's introduction in the mid '90s, like similar games, the Shutokou Battle series never used licensed cars but the usual type designation such as "TYPE-86" and later "TYPE-AE86L3". Nicknames were used instead in the "Wangan Dead Heat" sidestory (e.g. "Rapid Fire" for the "Nissan Skyline GT-R R33"). These "types" are actually the real chassis code used by the Japanese makers to designate the various grades of a lineup. As the graphics quality was improving with each release, from 16-bit 2D to 3D/CG 128-bit, the featured cars were becoming more and more similar to the actual cars appearance. In a similar way, the chassis codes became longer and more precise, allowing the player to determine each grade and to use the "rename car" feature. Inevitably, the game becoming a solid best seller, the Japanese makers forced Genki to buy the license of their cars. The very first Genki licensed game was Wangan Midnight for PlayStation 2 (28.03.2002), while the first licensed "Shutokō Battle" was Shutokō Battle Online released on PC, the 9th of January 2003. Since then, every Genki racing game uses licensed makers, and ingame cars with Honda chassis codes don't appear anymore in the Shutokō Battle games (However, Honda is licensed in the Kaido Battle series).

In the western release of the Dreamcast game, Banshee's controversial forehead tattooed Hindu swastika was removed.

Release

Shutokou Battle became one of the top selling Dreamcast titles after its Japanese launch. As a reservation privilege of this game, Japanese die-cast modelscompany, Tomica, released a limited edition of Banshee's NSX in 1999.

Legacy

Tokyo Xtreme Racer spawned a number of sequels, most notably Tokyo Xtreme Racer 2, also for the Dreamcast, and further entries on the PlayStation 2 and Game Boy Advance. The Tokyo Xtreme Racer name did not stick, however - the Xbox 360's Shutokou Battle X became Import Tuner Challenge and another Shutokou Battle for the PlayStation Portable became Street Supremacy.

Versions

Localised names

Also known as
Language Localised Name English Translation
English Tokyo Highway Challenge Tokyo Highway Challenge
English (US) Tokyo Xtreme Racer Tokyo Xtreme Racer
Japanese 首都高バトル Shutokou Battle

Production credits

Japanese version

  • Producer: Tomo Kimura
  • Director: Shigeo Koyama
Graphic Design Team
  • Car Design Lead: Noriyuki Sanada
  • Car Design: Ai Azuma, Jun Suzuki
  • Assistant Car Design: Rainosuke Hirao, Tatsuo Asai
  • Car Design Advisor: Tsunemi Akiyama
  • Course Design Lead: Choushuu Minami
  • Course Design: Nobuyuki Suzuki
  • Assistant Course Design: Kentarou Noguchi, Mika Urushiyama
  • Building Design: Yukiko Iwasaki
  • 2D Design: Hiroshi Fujimoto, Kinji Sato
  • Visual Direction: Manabu Tamura
Programming Team
  • Lead Programmer: Shigeo Koyama
  • Vehicle Motion: Kenji Shimizu
  • Car Collisions: Toshiyuki Kobori
  • Course & Visual Effects: Wataru Minegishi
  • 2D & Effects: Yuji Kitajima
  • 2D & Sound: Haggy
  • Car Control & Peripherals: Yasuhiro Nomura
  • Fine-Tuning: Yoshinari Sunazuka, Satoshi Ishii
Game Design
  • Lead Design: Kiyotaka Naoi
  • Game System: Daizo Harada
  • Design Advisor: Takashi Hoshino
Sound Design
  • Music & Sound Effect: Tomoyuki Kawamura, K-UNIT, Mika Matsuzaki
  • Composition: Rock'n'Banana
  • Composition: T's Music
  • Music By Ziggy: "Without...", "Konosora no shita no dokokani"
Sales Promotion
  • Promotions Manager: Manami Kuroda
  • Promotions Assistant: Mitsuyoshi Kubota
  • Manual Design: Terumi Shibata
  • Sales Manager: Tsuyoshi Nagano
  • Sales Assistant: Keiichi Kadomasu
  • Special Thanks: Masaaki Bandoh, Auto Freak, SMEJ Associated Records, Noboru Ube, Masaki Honma, Yoshiyuki Awano, Atsuo Takayasu, Powered by DODA
  • General Coordination: Tsutomu Hagiwara
  • Executive Producer: Hiroshi Hamagaki
Shutokō Battle
Genki
©1999 Genki Co.,Ltd.
Source:
In-game credits

Other version

  • Executive Producer: Mike Arkin
  • Associate Producer: Chris Scaglione


Magazine articles

Main article: Tokyo Xtreme Racer/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

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Print advert in Dreamcast Magazine (JP) #1999-22: "1999-22 (1999-07-09,16)" (1999-06-25)
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Print advert in Official Dreamcast Magazine (US) #1: "September 1999" (1999-08-24)
also published in:
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Print advert in Dreamcast: Das Offizielle Magazin (DE) #1: "Oktober 1999" (1999-10-14)
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Print advert in Dreamcast: Le Magazine Officiel (FR) #1: "Octobre/Novembre 1999" (1999-xx-xx)
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Print advert in Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) #125: "December 1999" (1999-11-09)
also published in:
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Print advert in Next Level (AR) #11: "Diciembre 1999" (1999-xx-xx)
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Physical scans

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
40 [10]
60 [4]
77 [11]
83 [12]
73 [13]
30 [14]
80 №550, p31
69 [15]
70
43 [16]
60 [5]
Sega Dreamcast
62
Based on
11 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Arcade (UK) NTSC-J
25
[10]
Consoles + (FR) NTSC-J
87
[17]
Dreamcast Monthly (UK) PAL
60
[4]
Dreamcast: Le Magazine Officiel (FR) PAL
40
[18]
Dreamcast: Das Offizielle Magazin (DE) PAL
25
[19]
Dreamcast Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
77
[11]
Dreamcast Magazine (UK) PAL
73
[20]
Dorimaga (JP) NTSC-J
83
[12]
Edge (UK) NTSC-J
30
[14]
Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U
70
[21]
Entsiklopediya igr dlya Dreamcast (RU)
81
[22]
Famitsu (JP) NTSC-J
80
[23]
Fun Generation (DE) PAL
60
[24]
GamePro (US) NTSC-U
55
[25]
GamesMaster (UK)
58
[26]
Gen 4 Consoles (FR)
20
[27]
Gamers' Republic (US) NTSC-U
75
[28]
MAN!AC (DE) PAL
69
[29]
Neo Plus (PL) PAL
60
[30]
Next Generation (US) NTSC-J
50
[31]
neXt Level (DE) NTSC-J
70
[32]
neXt Level (DE) PAL
70
[33]
Official Dreamcast Magazine (UK)
50
[34]
Official Dreamcast Magazine (US) NTSC-U
60
[35]
Player One (FR)
43
[16]
Play (PL)
80
[36]
Revista Oficial Dreamcast (ES) PAL
60
[5]
Sega Magazin (DE) NTSC-J
74
[37]
Video Games (DE) PAL
64
[38]
Sega Dreamcast
60
Based on
29 reviews

Tokyo Xtreme Racer

Dreamcast, JP
TXR DC JP Box Back.jpgTXR DC JP Box Front.jpg
Cover
Dreamcast, US
TXRBCover.jpgTXRFCover.jpg
Cover
TokyoXtremeRacer DC US Disc.jpg
Disc
TokyoXtremeRacerDCUSInlay.jpg
Inlay
Dreamcast, EU
Tokyohc dc pal backcover.jpgTokyohc dc pal frontcover.jpg
Cover
Tokyohc dc pal disc.jpg
Disc

Technical information

ROM dump status

System Hash Size Build Date Source Comments

External links

  • Sega of Japan catalogue pages (Japanese): Dreamcast

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 http://sega.jp/dc/990303/ (Wayback Machine: 2014-08-06 10:13)
  2. Press release: 1999-09-02: Sega Dreamcast Launch Titles and Peripherals
  3. Dreamcast Magazine, "No. 3" (UK; 1999-11-25), page 7
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Dreamcast Monthly, "November 1999" (UK; 1999-11-18), page 71
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 Revista Oficial Dreamcast, "Enero 2000" (ES; 1999-12-20), page 39
  6. Hyper, "February 2000" (AU; 2000-xx-xx), page 68
  7. Electronic Gaming Monthly, "November 1999" (US; 1999-10-05), page 91
  8. Official Dreamcast Magazine, "November 1999" (US; 1999-10-05), page 41
  9. Electronic Gaming Monthly, "February 2000" (US; 2000-01-11), page 67
  10. 10.0 10.1 Arcade, "October 1999" (UK; 1999-08-23), page 94
  11. 11.0 11.1 Dreamcast Magazine, "1999-21 (1999-07-02)" (JP; 1999-06-18), page 17
  12. 12.0 12.1 Dorimaga, "2002-18 (2002-10-11)" (JP; 2002-09-27), page 34
  13. Dreamcast Magazine, "No. 3" (UK; 1999-11-25), page 64/65 (64)
  14. 14.0 14.1 Edge, "September 1999" (UK; 1999-08-09), page 87
  15. MAN!AC, "11/99" (DE; 1999-10-06), page 92 (76)
  16. 16.0 16.1 Player One, "Novembre 1999" (FR; 1999-xx-xx), page 124
  17. Consoles +, "Août 1999" (FR; 1999-0x-xx), page 96
  18. Dreamcast: Le Magazine Officiel, "Octobre/Novembre 1999" (FR; 1999-xx-xx), page 101
  19. Dreamcast: Das Offizielle Magazin, "November 1999" (DE; 1999-11-11), page 52
  20. Dreamcast Magazine, "No. 3" (UK; 1999-11-25), page 64
  21. Electronic Gaming Monthly, "October 1999" (US; 1999-09-07), page 220
  22. Entsiklopediya igr dlya Dreamcast, "Izdaniye chetvertoye, dopolnennoye" (RU; 2002-xx-xx), page 271
  23. Famitsu, "1999-07-02" (JP; 1999-06-18), page 31
  24. Fun Generation, "11/99" (DE; 1999-10-13), page 86
  25. GamePro, "October 1999" (US; 1999-xx-xx), page 149
  26. GamesMaster, "Christmas 1999" (UK; 1999-11-29), page 68
  27. Gen 4 Consoles, "Novembre 99" (FR; 1999-xx-xx), page 132
  28. Gamers' Republic, "September 1999" (US; 1999-08-10), page 28
  29. MAN!AC, "11/99" (DE; 1999-10-06), page 92
  30. Neo Plus, "Grudzień 1999" (PL; 1999-xx-xx), page 34
  31. Next Generation, "September 1999" (US; 1999-08-17), page 86
  32. neXt Level, "September 1999" (DE; 1999-08-06), page 25
  33. neXt Level, "November 1999" (DE; 1999-10-08), page 42
  34. Official Dreamcast Magazine, "November 1999" (UK; 1999-09-30), page 95
  35. Official Dreamcast Magazine, "November 1999" (US; 1999-10-05), page 113
  36. Play, "Listopad 2001" (PL; 2001-xx-xx), page 44
  37. Sega Magazin, "September 1999" (DE; 1999-08-04), page 14
  38. Video Games, "10/99 It's Dreamcast Time supplement" (DE; 1999-09-22), page 11