Cruis'n World

Last updated
Cruis'n World
Cruis'n World Box Art.jpg
North American arcade flyer
Developer(s) Midway (arcade)
Eurocom (Nintendo 64)
Publisher(s) Midway/Nintendo (arcade)
Nintendo (Nintendo 64)
Designer(s) Eugene Jarvis
Programmer(s) Eric Pribyl
Scott Posch
Artist(s) Xion Cooper
Ted Barber
Composer(s) Vince Pontarelli [1]
Series Cruis'n
Platform(s) Arcade
Nintendo 64
ReleaseArcade
  • WW: November 1996
Nintendo 64
  • EU: June 25, 1998
  • NA: September 28, 1998 [2]
Genre(s) Racing
Mode(s)Up to 4 players simultaneously
Arcade system Midway V Unit

Cruis'n World is the 1996 sequel to the 1994 arcade racer Cruis'n USA . Cruis'n World allows players to race on various tracks around the world. The game also features more cars than Cruis'n USA. This game introduced stunts to the Cruis'n series. They served to dodge obstacles, take close curves, and gain extra seconds of time.

Contents

The game was later released on the Nintendo 64 in 1998, and was the best received of the Cruis'n ports.

Gameplay

Arcade version screenshot, depicting the Australia stage. ARC Cruis'n World.png
Arcade version screenshot, depicting the Australia stage.

Cruis'n World features the same core gameplay as its predecessor, in that the player races on different tracks under a time limit to reach the goal, passing checkpoints along the way to help extend this time limit. The races take place in different destinations around the world, such as Hawaii, Japan, Australia, China, Africa, Egypt, Moscow, Germany, Italy, France, England, Mexico, New York City and Florida. The cars now have the ability to perform stunts during races such as wheelies, which give short speed bursts, and aerial flips, which deduct seconds from the final race time, allowing for the player to achieve a better position in the records' table. [3] Should the player go through all stages including Florida, the car would be taken by a Space Shuttle for a trip to the moon.

The Nintendo 64 version adds an extra track on the Moon, which is unlocked once the player reaches the end of the "Cruise the World" mode, and also features an exclusive Championship mode, in which players race on circuit tracks set in the game's different stages rather than the arcade's road tracks, competing for points which allow the player to unlock upgrades for the cars.[ citation needed ] The game supports up to four players using a split screen. [4]

Development

The developers of this game sent artists on a round-the-world trip to digitally capture sights and major tourist attractions. [5]

The development of the Nintendo 64 version started in 1996 after the development of the Nintendo 64 version of Cruis'n USA . Eugene Jarvis had admitted that the Cruis'n USA port was not good, so they promised the game to be an arcade perfect port. Eurocom took the Cruis'n license and decided to spend more time on the game than in Cruis'n USA. In early 1997, Nintendo announced that Cruis'n World would be coming to the Nintendo 64 in the fall, but the game was silently delayed until 1998.

Reception

The game was displayed at the 1996 AMOA show, where it won the award for Most Innovative New Title. [20] Electronic Gaming Monthly named it a runner-up for Arcade Game of the Year. [21] A Next Generation critic commented that, like Cruis'n USA, Cruis'n World has an unsurpassed sense of arcade-style driving, saying that the players can drive fast, knock the cars off the road and get into chaotic multi-car collisions. At the same time, he found this a shortcoming, since the game is very quickly mastered. He praised the track design as being more elaborate and requiring more skill than its predecessor, but said the pop-in remains as bad as before. [16]

The Nintendo 64 port was met with mixed reception. On review aggregation site GameRankings it held a score of 63% based on 14 reviews. [6]

Next Generation reviewed the Nintendo 64 version of the game, rating it two stars out of five, criticising the game having minimal technique and difficulty. [17]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nintendo 64</span> Home video game console

The Nintendo 64 (N64) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo. It was released on June 23, 1996, in Japan; on September 29, 1996, in North America; and on March 1, 1997, in Europe and Australia. The successor to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, it was the last major home console to use cartridges as its primary storage format until the Nintendo Switch in 2017. As a fifth-generation console, the Nintendo 64 primarily competed with the Sony PlayStation and the Sega Saturn.

<i>Mario Kart 64</i> 1996 video game

Mario Kart 64 is a kart racing video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64 (N64). It is the second main entry in the Mario Kart series and is the successor to Super Mario Kart (1992) for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It was released in Japan on December 14, 1996; in North America on February 10, 1997; in the United Kingdom on June 13, 1997; and in Europe on June 24, 1997. It was released for the iQue Player in China on December 25, 2003. It was released on the Wii and Wii U Virtual Console in 2007 and 2016, and on the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack on October 25, 2021.

<i>Cruisn USA</i> 1994 video game

Cruis'n USA is an arcade racing game originally released in 1994. It was developed by Eugene Jarvis' company TV Games Inc., and manufactured by Midway Games. It is the first game in the Cruis'n series and features races set in locations across the continental United States.

<i>Cruisn Exotica</i> 1999 video game

Cruis'n Exotica is a 1999 racing game developed for arcades by Midway Games. The game is a sequel to Cruis'n World and is the third entry in the Cruis'n series.

<i>San Francisco Rush 2049</i> 1999 video game

San Francisco Rush 2049 is a racing video game developed and manufactured by Atari Games for arcades. It was ported to the Nintendo 64, Game Boy Color, and Dreamcast by Midway Games West. The arcade machine was released in 1999; home versions followed in 2000 on September 7 for North America and November 17 for Europe. It is the third game in the Rush series and the sequel to San Francisco Rush: Extreme Racing and Rush 2: Extreme Racing USA. It is the last game in the Rush series to be set in the city of San Francisco and the last released on a Nintendo console. It also serves as the final game for the Atari Games label, which was retired shortly after the arcade release. The Dreamcast version was later re-released as part of Midway Arcade Treasures 3 for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube and later for Microsoft Windows as part of Midway Arcade Treasures Deluxe Edition.

<i>Ridge Racer 64</i> 2000 video game

Ridge Racer 64 is a racing video game developed by Nintendo Software Technology for the Nintendo 64 in 2000. It features a total of 20 race tracks, including some drawn from Ridge Racer and Ridge Racer Revolution.

<i>Vigilante 8</i> 1998 video game

Vigilante 8 is a vehicular combat video game developed by Luxoflux and published by Activision for PlayStation, Nintendo 64, and Game Boy Color. Although officially it has no connection to the Interstate '76 series, it features several of its themes.

<i>War Gods</i> (video game) 1997 video game

War Gods is a fighting video game originally released to arcades by Midway Games in 1996. Ports for the Nintendo 64, PlayStation and Windows were released in 1997. In the game, players control one of ten fighters who have been given great power by a mysterious ore that crashed-landed on Earth from outer space. The object of the game is to defeat all the other fighters to become the most powerful warrior on the planet.

<i>Top Gear Rally</i> 1997 video game

Top Gear Rally is a 1997 racing video game developed by Boss Game Studios and released for the Nintendo 64. A follow-up to Kemco's original Top Gear game, it features a championship mode where a single player must complete six seasons of two to four races, as well as a multiplayer mode where two players may compete against each other via a split-screen display. The game's tracks combine both road and off-road surfaces and can be played in different weather conditions, including night, fog, rain, and snow. Players may customize their car with different tire grips and adjust its suspension stiffness and steering sensitivity. An option that allows players to custom paint their cars is also included.

<i>Rampage World Tour</i> 1997 video game

Rampage World Tour is an arcade video game released by Midway in 1997 as the sequel to Rampage. It was developed at Game Refuge by Brian Colin and Jeff Nauman, who designed the 1986 original. Ports were released for the Sega Saturn, Nintendo 64, Game Boy Color, PlayStation, and Microsoft Windows. It was re-released on Midway Arcade Treasures 2 and included in Rampage: Total Destruction.

<i>NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC</i> 1999 video game

NBA Showtime is a basketball arcade game released by Midway in 1999, featuring teams and players from the National Basketball Association (NBA). The game is modeled after the NBA presentations on NBC and takes its name from NBC's NBA pregame show. It is the successor to Midway's previous basketball titles NBA Hangtime and NBA Jam and is the first in the series to have fully 3-D polygonal graphics, featuring real uniforms for all teams. Showtime was also featured in a dual game cabinet along with NFL Blitz 2000 that Midway dubbed the "SportStation." Midway followed up the game with the console exclusive NBA Hoopz.

<i>MRC: Multi-Racing Championship</i> 1997 video game

MRC: Multi-Racing Championship, also known as simply Multi Racing Championship, is a racing video game developed by Genki and released for the Nintendo 64 in 1997. It was published in North America and Europe by Ocean and in Japan by Imagineer. The game is compatible with the Controller Pak and the Rumble Pak.

<i>S.C.A.R.S.</i> (video game) 1998 video game

S.C.A.R.S. is a racing video game developed by Vivid Image and published by Ubi Soft for PlayStation, Nintendo 64, and Microsoft Windows in 1998.

<i>Hydro Thunder</i> 1999 video game

Hydro Thunder is an arcade inshore powerboat racing video game originally released by Midway Games in February 1999 and later released for the Sega Dreamcast as a launch title later that year. It was also released for the PlayStation and Nintendo 64 in early 2000. This game is part of Midway's Thunder series of racing games, which includes Offroad Thunder, 4 Wheel Thunder, and Arctic Thunder. Hydro Thunder Hurricane, a sequel to Hydro Thunder, was later released for the Xbox 360 on July 27, 2010 on Xbox Live Arcade.

<i>California Speed</i> (video game) 1998 video game

California Speed is a racing video game developed and published by Atari Games. The game was first released in arcades in 1998 and was ported to the Nintendo 64 in 1999 by Midway. The Nintendo 64 version of the game contains support for the Controller Pak and the Rumble Pak.

<i>GT 64: Championship Edition</i> 1998 video game

GT 64: Championship Edition, known as City Tour GrandPrix: Zen Nihon GT Senshuken in Japan, is a racing video game developed by Imagineer and released for the Nintendo 64 console in 1998. It is an official licensed game to All-Japan GT Championship, featuring cars and drivers of the 1997 All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship.

<i>Off Road Challenge</i> 1997 video game

Off Road Challenge is a video game developed and published by Midway. The game was originally released in 1997 for arcades using the Midway V Unit hardware. It is part of the Off Road series which began with Ivan 'Ironman' Stewart's Super Off Road.

<i>Cruisn</i> Video game series

Cruis'n is a series of racing video games originally developed by Eugene Jarvis for Midway Games and published by Midway and Nintendo. The series distinguishes itself from other racing games with its over-the-top presentation and fast-paced gameplay, featuring a wide variety of vehicles and tracks based on a variety of real world locations. The series debuted in North American and European arcades in 1994 with the release of Cruis'n USA, which, along with Killer Instinct, was advertised as running on Nintendo's Ultra 64 hardware. Two sequels followed, Cruis'n World and Cruis'n Exotica, which featured new vehicles and tracks. All three games were released for the Nintendo 64 as well, with Exotica also being released for the handheld Game Boy Color. The next game in the series, Cruis'n Velocity deviated from the traditional arcade gameplay of the series and was released for the Game Boy Advance.

<i>San Francisco Rush: Extreme Racing</i> 1996 video game

San Francisco Rush: Extreme Racing is a video game developed and published by Atari Games. This game was first released in arcades in 1996 and was ported to Nintendo 64 in 1997 and the PlayStation in 1998. San Francisco Rush: Extreme Racing is the first game in the Rush series.

<i>NFL Blitz</i> (1997 video game) 1997 video game

NFL Blitz is an American football video game developed and published by Midway for the arcade in 1997, the first game in the NFL Blitz series. The development team was headed by Mark Turmell and Sal Divita, who were known for being behind NBA Jam, and NFL Blitz was a deliberate attempt to translate the exaggerated arcade-style approach of NBA Jam to the football realm. The game was ported to the PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Windows, and Game Boy Color in 1998. The cover athlete for the game was then Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kordell Stewart.

References

  1. Vince Pontarelli. "Vince Pontarelli Sound Designer & Composer". Vince Pontarelli. Archived from the original on 2014-04-26. Retrieved 2012-02-16.
  2. "New Tricks, Trucks and Touring Featured in Sequel to Megahit Cruis'n USA". Nintendo . September 30, 1998. Archived from the original on May 1, 1999. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  3. "Cruis'n World". GamePro . No. 99. IDG. December 1996. p. 54.
  4. "Cruis'n World". Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 105. Ziff Davis. April 1998. p. 35.
  5. IGN staff (April 17, 1997). "Eugene Jarvis Interview: Part II". IGN . Retrieved November 15, 2014.
  6. 1 2 "Cruis'n World for Nintendo 64". GameRankings . Archived from the original on December 9, 2019. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
  7. Cook, Brad. "Cruis'n World (Arcade) - Review". AllGame. Archived from the original on November 15, 2014. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
  8. Marriott, Scott Alan. "Cruis'n World (N64) - Overview". AllGame. Archived from the original on November 15, 2014. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
  9. Alex C. (1998). "Nintendo 64 Review: Cruis'n World". Computer and Video Games . Archived from the original on June 24, 2007. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
  10. "Cruis'n World". Electronic Gaming Monthly . 1998.
  11. Air Hendrix (1998). "Cruis'n World Review for N64 on GamePro.com". GamePro . Archived from the original on December 13, 2004. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
  12. Hsu, Tim (November 1998). "Cruis'n World Review". Game Revolution . Retrieved November 15, 2014.
  13. Gerstmann, Jeff (October 6, 1998). "Cruis'n World Review (N64)". GameSpot . Retrieved November 15, 2014.
  14. Casamassina, Matt (October 8, 1998). "Cruis'n World (N64)". IGN. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
  15. Weaver, Tim (October 1998). "Cruis'n World". N64 Magazine. No. 20. Future Publishing. p. 70.
  16. 1 2 "Low Rider". Next Generation . No. 29. Imagine Media. May 1997. p. 158.
  17. 1 2 "Finals". Next Generation . No. 48. Imagine Media. December 1998. p. 124.
  18. "Cruis'n World". Nintendo Power . No. 112. September 1998. p. 103.
  19. Bottorff, James (1999). "'Cruis'n World' takes players beyond 'USA'". The Cincinnati Enquirer . Archived from the original on October 9, 1999. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
  20. "Cruis'n the World". Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 89. Ziff Davis. December 1996. p. 143.
  21. "The Best of '96". Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 92. Ziff Davis. March 1997. p. 86.