Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller

Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller

Developer(s) Hitmaker
Publisher(s) Sega
Platform(s) Xbox
Windows
Release date(s) Xbox
  • NA July 24, 2002
  • JP July 25, 2002
  • EU September 20, 2002[1]
Microsoft Windows
  • JP February 26, 2004
  • EU 2004
Genre(s) Racing/Action
Mode(s) Single player

Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller is the third game in the Crazy Taxi series, and was released for the Xbox and Microsoft Windows,[2] with also an arcade release under the name Crazy Taxi: High Roller.

Development

Hitmaker had tried to develop an on-line version of Crazy Taxi, to be called Crazy Taxi Next exclusively for the Xbox, which, besides multiplayer game modes, would have included night and day cycles, each with a different set of passengers and destinations, while reusing and graphically updating the maps from Crazy Taxi and Crazy Taxi 2. Ultimately, both multiplayer and day/night cycles were dropped and work on Crazy Taxi Next was transferred to Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller, which included some of the nighttime driving concepts suggested by Next.

Features

The game consists of three locations:

Stages are improved graphically and are tightened and updated for full use of the gameplay elements.

Crazy X

Crazy Taxi 3 inherits the tradition of mini-games from the Crazy Taxi series. Crazy X consists of three levels, each testing a different criteria of skills e.g. Steering, use of Crazy Dash, Crazy Drift etc. Crazy X is possibly a sequel to the Crazy Box section in the Original Crazy Taxi.

By completing all of level 1, maps of the locations are available on the menu which includes all the destinations and short-cuts. Completing level 2 will provide you with three more different types of vehicle to ride on: Stroller, Bike and Carriage.

Background Information

In 2003, High Roller was ported to the arcade via the Xbox-based Chihiro system board. Some versions of this game allow the player to actually win money back from the machine. These versions also include a non-paying version of the game with different difficulty levels.

Soundtrack

The soundtrack for Crazy Taxi 3 features three bands, The Offspring, Bad Religion, and Silverbullit. Additional songs for menus and credits are provided by The Offspring, Bad Religion, Methods of Mayhem and Brian Setzer's '68 Comeback Special.

Main menus: The Offspring - Special Delivery (intro)

West Coast

Character select: Bad Religion - Hear It (intro)

Credits: Bad Religion - Inner Logic

Small Apple

Character select: Methods of Mayhem - Who The Hell Cares (intro)

Credits: Methods of Mayhem - Crash

Glitter Oasis

Character select: Brian Setzer's '68 Comeback Special - Ignition (intro)

Credits: Brian Setzer's '68 Comeback Special - Hot Rod Girl

The following list is for the Microsoft Windows version:

Reception

Reception
Aggregate scores
AggregatorScore
GameRankings70.29%[3]
Metacritic69/100[4]
Review scores
PublicationScore
AllGame[5]
Edge6/10[6]
Electronic Gaming Monthly8.33/10[7]
Eurogamer4/10[8]
Famitsu32/40[9]
Game Informer8.5/10[10]
GamePro[11]
Game RevolutionC[12]
GameSpot6.9/10[13]
GameSpy[14]
GameZone8.7/10[15]
IGN6.5/10[16]
Official Xbox Magazine8/10[17]
Entertainment WeeklyC+[18]
Maxim6/10[19]

The game was met with average reception upon release. GameRankings gave the Xbox version a score of 70.29%,[3] while Metacritic gave it 69 out of 100.[4]

Famitsu gave the Xbox version a score of 32 out of 40.[9]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.gamefaqs.com/xbox/558595-crazy-taxi-3-high-roller/data
  2. ↑ "Release Information for Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller". MobyGames. Retrieved 2010-01-20.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller for Xbox". GameRankings. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller for Xbox Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
  5. ↑ Marriott, Scott Alan. "Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller - Review". AllGame. Archived from the original on November 16, 2014. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  6. ↑ Edge staff (October 2002). "Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller". Edge (115).
  7. ↑ EGM staff (August 2002). "Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller". Electronic Gaming Monthly (158): 132.
  8. ↑ Reed, Kristan (December 31, 2002). "Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller". Eurogamer. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Xbox - クレイジータクシー3 ハイローラー". Famitsu 915: 105. June 30, 2006.
  10. ↑ "Crazy Taxi 3 [High Roller]". Game Informer (112): 85. August 2002. Archived from the original on October 25, 2003. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
  11. ↑ Dan Elektro (July 22, 2002). "Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller Review for Xbox on GamePro.com". GamePro. Archived from the original on February 14, 2005. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
  12. ↑ Liu, Johnny (July 2002). "Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller Review". Game Revolution. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
  13. ↑ Park, Andrew (July 23, 2002). "Crazy Taxi 3 Review". GameSpot. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
  14. ↑ Hodgson, David SJ (July 22, 2002). "GameSpy: Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller (Xbox)". GameSpy. Archived from the original on December 26, 2005. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
  15. ↑ Bedigian, Louis (August 14, 2002). "Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller Review - Xbox". GameZone. Archived from the original on January 1, 2009. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
  16. ↑ Goldstein, Hilary (July 22, 2002). "Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller Review". IGN. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
  17. ↑ "Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller". Official Xbox Magazine: 91. September 2002.
  18. ↑ Brooks, Mark (September 6, 2002). "CRAZY TAXI 3: HIGH ROLLER Review". Entertainment Weekly (670): 89. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
  19. ↑ Boyce, Ryan (July 26, 2002). "Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller". Maxim. Archived from the original on August 5, 2002. Retrieved October 24, 2014.

External links