Crazy Taxi: Catch a Ride

"Can a game like this work on a handheld?"

Well, in a word, no. When I first saw previews of this game in gaming magazines a few months ago, I was hoping the choppy looking physics and graphics were just a result of the conversion of the screenshots onto paper. Well, I was wrong. The gameplay is extremely choppy looking, with points of interest coming into focus literally as you drive by them. Some people have said why they made this game in a 3D type effect. I must say that if they had made this game in an ''overhead'' type way like the original Grand Theft Auto, it may have looked better.

Gameplay: 6/10

As far as the gameplay goes, it's the same old Crazy Taxi, with you driving around two uniquely different cities, picking up customers and dropping them off to their destinations within a given time limit. Although this is fun, it may get repetitive after awhile, so just make sure not to pick up the same customers over and over again.
The problem I have with the gameplay is the poor amount of control you have over the cab. If you so much as tap in one direction on the D-Pad, your cab will shoot rapidly in the direction you pushed, instead of a slow, smooth turn. As you continue to play, you may get sick of driving to the same places over and over again, but, if you are a fan of the crazy taxi series, you probably won't mind.

Graphics: 3/10

As I said before, the game looks poor. As you first start a round of Crazy Taxi, a screenshot of your cab appears smoothly, but as soon as you start playing, you realize that everything is one big blob right up until you reach whatever you were looking at. Also, take a look at the customers running into your cab from wherever you stopped. They look like Pitfall Harry back in the 1980's running to jump on a vine. The only graphically pleasing thing in the game is the cab itself, which is presented clearly and smoothly.

Sound: 8/10

What can I say. The sounds are basically a direct port of the next-gen systems, toned down of course. The music is fairly decent also, about what you would expect for a GBA game.

All in all, I would have to say, if you must buy, make sure to rent this game first, so you can see for yourself whether or not you like the style presented by THQ.

Reviewer's Score: 6/10, Originally Posted: 04/17/03, Updated 04/17/03