Software:Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller

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Short description: 2002 video game

Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller
North American Xbox cover art
Developer(s)Hitmaker
Publisher(s)Sega
SeriesCrazy Taxi
Platform(s)Xbox
Arcade
Microsoft Windows
ReleaseXbox
  • NA: July 23, 2002[1]
  • JP: July 25, 2002
  • PAL: September 20, 2002
Arcade
2003
Microsoft Windows
  • JP: February 26, 2004
  • EU: 2004
Genre(s)Racing, action
Mode(s)Single player

Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller is a 2002 racing video game and the third in Sega's Crazy Taxi series. It was originally released for the Xbox, followed by an arcade release under the title Crazy Taxi: High Roller for the Sega Chihiro game board and then a Microsoft Windows release. It expands on the previous two games with additional locations, taxis and other features.

High Roller received a 69 out of 100 score at review aggregator Metacritic indicating mixed or average reviews. Critics appreciated the inclusion of the characters, vehicles and open worlds from the previous two games, but noted that the new locale, Glitter Oasis, suffered from framerate issues.

Gameplay

Crazy Taxi 3 features the environments from the previous two games and a new environment similar to Las Vegas.

Crazy Taxi 3 is a score attack game. The player controls one of several taxi drivers in a fictional city, looking for fares and then taking them to their destination in the fastest time possible. The player must perform this task while time still remains on an overall gameplay clock. Passengers looking for rides are indicated by an overhead marker that is colored to represent the distance to their intended destination. The color marker ranges from red indicating short trips, to yellow for intermediate distances, and to green indicating long ones. When a passenger is picked up, the player is awarded additional time on the countdown time. Furthermore, a second countdown timer is started, representing how quickly the passenger needs to be at their destination. While a passenger is in the taxi, a large green arrow is shown on the player's HUD that points in the general direction of the passenger's destination to help guide the player through the map.[2]

The player can use special "crazy stunt" moves, such as drifts, jumps, and near misses, and consecutive combos of these, to earn extra money from the passenger during the trip. If the destination is reached in time, the player is paid based on distance driven with a possible time bonus based on how quickly the destination was reached. If the passenger's countdown strikes zero, he or she will exit the taxi without paying and the player will be required to look for another fare. The game continues in this mode as long as time remains on the main clock. Once the clock reaches zero, the game is over and the player is ranked and rated based on the total earned.[2]

The player character is able to pick up a party of passengers, each having a different destination. The number of passengers in the car multiplies the tip bonuses earned from stunt driving, while the total fare can only be earned once the last passenger is dropped off in time. The game also features a set of mini-games. 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, such as steering and using the Crazy Dash and Crazy Drift.

By completing all of level 1, maps of the locations are available on the menu, which include all the destinations and shortcuts. Completing level 2 will provide the player with three more different types of vehicle to ride on: a stroller and a bike and carriage. Completing level 3 will allow the player to use any cabbie in any map. Prior to each game session, the player can pick one of several drivers and their associated cars; each car/driver has slightly different performance relating to factors, such as speed and turning, that impact the game.[3]

The game consists of three locations, West Coast from Crazy Taxi, Small Apple from Crazy Taxi 2, now set at night, and Glitter Oasis which is a new location for Crazy Taxi 3. Stages are improved graphically and are tightened and updated for full use of the gameplay elements.[4]

Development

Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller was announced in January 2002.[5] 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.

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. The soundtrack for Crazy Taxi 3 features four bands, The Offspring, Bad Religion, Pivit, and Silverbullit. Additional songs for menus and credits are provided by The Offspring, Bad Religion, Pivit, Methods of Mayhem and Brian Setzer. It was released for the Xbox and Microsoft Windows,[6] with also an arcade release under the name Crazy Taxi: High Roller for the Chihiro game board.

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic69/100[7]
Review scores
PublicationScore
AllGameStarStarStar[8]
Edge6/10[9]
EGM8.33/10[10]
Eurogamer4/10[11]
Famitsu32/40[12]
Game Informer8.5/10[13]
GameProStarStarStarStar[14]
GameRevolutionC[15]
GameSpot6.9/10[16]
GameSpyStarStarStarStar[17]
GameZone8.7/10[18]
IGN6.5/10[19]
OXM (US)8/10[20]
Entertainment WeeklyC+[21]
Maxim6/10[22]

The Xbox version received "average" reviews according to video game review aggregator Metacritic. Using Metacritics scoring system, reviews range from a 40% approval by Kirstan Reed of Eurogamer to an 87% approval from Luois Bedigan of GameZone.[7]

IGN's Hilary Goldstein praised the overall gameplay. He noted that newer additions such as the ability to boost and jump provided nuance. He felt that while there were also new gametypes they were not enough to provide necessary innovations to liven gameplay. He felt it either "hasn't aged well, or rather, hasn't been translated well into the latest version."[19] Game Informer's primary reviewer felt that this game was the one in the Crazy Taxi series that players should choose if they only selected one.[13] "Crazy Taxi 3 is a great place to start--it's fast, fun, and easy to learn" said Andrew Park of GameSpot. David Hodgson agreed. He stated the that Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller had "everything from past Taxis handed to me on a silver platter".[17]

One reviewer from Game Informer was disappointed with the graphical performance. They noted the Xbox visuals were "a hair sharper than on Dreamcast, but pop-up problems and chugging run rampant."[13] They conceded that they would prefer High Roller to have its strong gameplay over mediocre visuals. The reviewer who gave a second opinion also noted the game had framerate issues.[13] Andrew Park of GameSpot also found the framerate slowdowns frustrating, but implied this only seemed to happen on the new Glitter Oasis level.[16] Dan Elektro of GamePro shared the same sentiment regarding slowdowns specific to Glitter Oasis.[14] Glitter Oasis was a low point for many critics, including Hilary Goldstein of IGN, who felt the environment was generally flat and boring.[19]

References

  1. ↑ "Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller Releases for Xbox - Xbox News". December 18, 2005. http://xbox.gamezone.com/news/07_23_02_12_21PM.htm. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Torres, Ricardo (May 22, 2002). "E3 2002: Crazy Taxi 3 impressions". GameSpot. https://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2002-crazy-taxi-3-impressions/1100-2867088/. Retrieved January 1, 2022. 
  3. ↑ "Crazy Taxi". EA Games. Archived from the original on January 3, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100103092551/http://www.eamobile.com/mobile-games/crazy-taxi. Retrieved January 12, 2010. 
  4. ↑ Goldstein, Hilary (May 1, 2002). "The Cities of Crazy Taxi 3". IGN. https://www.ign.com/articles/2002/05/01/the-cities-of-crazy-taxi-3. Retrieved January 1, 2022. 
  5. ↑ Varanini, Giancarlo (January 31, 2002). "Xbox Crazy Taxi 3, PS2 Skies of Arcadia announced". GameSpot. https://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-crazy-taxi-3-ps2-skies-of-arcadia-announced/1100-2844342/. Retrieved January 1, 2022. 
  6. ↑ "Release Information for Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller". MobyGames. http://www.mobygames.com/game/crazy-taxi-3-high-roller/release-info. Retrieved January 20, 2010. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller for Xbox Reviews". Metacritic. https://www.metacritic.com/game/crazy-taxi-3-high-roller/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox. Retrieved October 13, 2014. 
  8. ↑ Marriott, Scott Alan. "Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller - Review". AllGame. Archived from the original on November 16, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141116032755/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=35000&tab=review. Retrieved November 16, 2014. 
  9. ↑ Edge staff (October 2002). "Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller". Edge (115). 
  10. ↑ EGM staff (August 2002). "Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller". Electronic Gaming Monthly (157): 132. 
  11. ↑ Reed, Kristan (December 31, 2002). "Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller". Eurogamer. http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/r_crazytaxi3_x. Retrieved October 13, 2014. 
  12. ↑ "Xbox - クレイジータクシー3 ハイローラー". Famitsu 915: 105. June 30, 2006. 
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 "Crazy Taxi 3 [High Roller]". Game Informer (112): 85. August 2002. http://www.gameinformer.com/Games/Review/200208/R03.0801.1658.07024.htm. Retrieved October 13, 2014. 
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 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. https://web.archive.org/web/20050214004329/http://www.gamepro.com/microsoft/xbox/games/reviews/25182.shtml. Retrieved October 13, 2014. 
  15. ↑ Liu, Johnny (July 2002). "Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller Review". Game Revolution. http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/crazy-taxi-3-high-roller. Retrieved October 13, 2014. 
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Park, Andrew (July 23, 2002). "Crazy Taxi 3 Review". GameSpot. http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/crazy-taxi-3/1900-2875363/. Retrieved October 13, 2014. 
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Hodgson, David SJ (July 22, 2002). "GameSpy: Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller (Xbox)". GameSpy. Archived from the original on December 26, 2005. https://web.archive.org/web/20051226051159/http://xbox.gamespy.com/xbox/crazy-taxi-3-high-roller/606603p1.html. Retrieved October 13, 2014. 
  18. ↑ Bedigian, Louis (August 14, 2002). "Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller Review - Xbox". GameZone. Archived from the original on January 1, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090101010914/http://xbox.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r19392.htm. Retrieved October 13, 2014. 
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 Goldstein, Hilary (July 22, 2002). "Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller Review". IGN. http://www.ign.com/articles/2002/07/22/crazy-taxi-3-high-roller-review. Retrieved October 13, 2014. 
  20. ↑ "Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller". Official Xbox Magazine: 91. September 2002. 
  21. ↑ Brooks, Mark (September 6, 2002). "CRAZY TAXI 3: HIGH ROLLER Review". Entertainment Weekly (670): 89. http://www.ew.com/article/2002/09/06/crazy-taxi-3-high-roller. Retrieved April 18, 2016. 
  22. ↑ Boyce, Ryan (July 26, 2002). "Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller". Maxim. Archived from the original on August 5, 2002. https://web.archive.org/web/20020805051757/http://www.maximonline.com/entertainment/reviews/review_games_3645.html. Retrieved October 24, 2014. 
  • MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

On February 13, 2025, Freyholtz stepped down as the site lead to move onto new projects, leaving operations to Tracy Poff, a veteran coder on the site, and Atari staff.[18]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/. 
  2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/. 
  3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 
  6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521. 
  8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media. 
  9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned. 
  10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner. 
  11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games. 
  13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/. 
  14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/. 
  15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/. 
  16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/. 
  17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames. 
  18. ↑ "An update on MobyGames leadership". 2025-02-13. https://www.mobygames.com/forum/3/thread/269628/an-update-on-mobygames-leadership/#post-269628. 
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