Cruis'n

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Cruis'n
Box art for the Nintendo 64 version of Cruis'n USA, the first game in the series
Genre(s)	Racing Game
Developer(s)	Midway Games
Publisher(s)	Nintendo/Midway Games

Cruis'n is a series of racing video games developed by Eugene Jarvis for American based company Midway Games, and published by Nintendo and Midway Games. The series debuted in North America, and Europe in 1994. Initially, the series was exclusive to the fifth generation consoles and was brought back later in the seventh generation video game consoles by 2008. The games consist mainly of racing with various cars on various tracks, and to some extent, including stunts in races.

Cruis'n Installments

Cruis'n USA

Cruis'n USA' was released for the Arcade in 1994, then later for the Nintendo 64 on December 3, 1996. This game was developed by Midway Games and published by Nintendo. The race starts in San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge and ends at the White House in Washington, D.C. The objective in this game is to outrun nine different cars in fourteen different levels. In the Nintendo 64 version, the first time you play all the levels are locked except for the U.S. Route 101. Along the way you can race in different difficulties to unlock new paint jobs and upgrades. The Nintendo 64 version can save different accounts by using the Game Pak. Both the Arcade and Nintendo 64 versions allow two players to race on each course or cruise the U.S.A.

The development for the Nintendo 64 version of Cruis'n USA was announced in 1995. Nintendo promised the game would look and act the same as the arcade version by using Ultra 64 technology. Williams got the Cruis'n USA license to port the game over to the Nintendo 64, but the game was too advanced for the Nintendo 64 hardware due to the reality engine that Midway Games used. Therefore, due to hardware they had to downgrade most of the graphics in order to get the game over to the Nintendo 64. In 1996, Cruis'n USA was announced to be a launched title for the Nintendo 64. However, the game got delayed before the Nintendo 64 was released due to the censorship problems that game had.^[1] During the last couple of months of development, people sent letters or emails about the censorship.^[2] This game was re-released in 1998 as the part of Nintendo's Player's Choice series. In 2008 the game was re-released on Wii's Virtual Console.

Cruis'n World

Cruis'n World was released for the Arcade in 1996, then later for the Nintendo 64 in 1998; the sequel to Cruis'n USA. This game was developed by Midway Games for the arcade version and Eurocom for the Nintendo 64 version. This game is published by Nintendo and Midway Games. The race starts in Hawaii and ends in Florida. The object in this game is to outrun nine different cars in fourteen different tracks; this time the new stunt system was introduced to gain time to finish the race. In the Nintendo 64 version when you first play the game most of the levels and tracks are unlocked. Along the way you will unlock new cars and stages and allow new paint jobs. New courses and cars are only in the Nintendo 64 version. The Nintendo 64 version can save up to one account. The Nintendo 64 version can allow the Rumble Pak to be used during the game. Both the Arcade and Nintendo 64 can allow up to four players on the track.

The implementation on the game started in 1996 after the development of the Nintendo 64 version of Cruis'n USA. Eugene Jarvis admitted that the Cruis'n USA port wasn't the greatest quality. So they promised that the game would be arcade perfect. Eurocom took the Cruis'n license and decided to spend more time on the game than had been with Cruis'n USA. In early 1997, Nintendo had announced that Cruis'n World would be coming to the Nintendo 64 sometime during the fall, but the game was silently delayed until 1998. Months later, the game was released to stores.

Cruis'n Exotica

Cruis'n Exotica was released for the Arcade in 1999, then later for the Nintendo 64 and Game Boy Color in 2000. This game is developed by Midway Games for the arcade version, Gratuitous Games for the Nintendo 64 version, and Crawlfish Interactive for the Game Boy Color version. This game is published by Midway Games The race starts in Hong Kong and ends on Mars. The objective in this game is to outrun nine different cars in twelve different courses while listening to various kinds of music, and doing different kinds of stunts to gain time. Unlike the first two games you can make your own account by typing a PIN.

Exclusive to the Arcade version are real cars (ex. Ford Mustang), where the console versions used created cars like the previous games in the series. In the Nintendo 64 and Game Boy Color version when playing the game for the first time most of the tracks are locked. Along the way you unlock new cars and stages by gaining miles. The Nintendo 64 version can save different accounts while the Game Boy Color version uses the password system. The Nintendo 64 version can allow players to use the rumble pak during the gameplay. Both the Arcade and Nintendo 64 version can allow up to four players on the track.

Cruis'n Velocity

Cruis'n Velocity was released for the Game Boy Advance in 2001. This game was developed by Graphic State Games and published by Midway Games. The race takes place in exotic places like Las Vegas, Holland, Alaska, and Mars. The objective of this game is to outrun seven other cars in fourteen different courses by the new boost system. The players can unlock new kinds of stages and cars. This game uses the password system to save your progress. This game can allow up to four players by using the Game Boy Advance Link Cable.

Cruis'n

Cruis'n was released for the Wii in 2007. This game is developed by Just Games Interactive, and published by Midway Games. The race starts in New York's Time Square, and ends in Los Angeles's Muholland Drive. The objective of this game is to outrun seven different cars by cruising through twelve different courses, doing different kind of stunts, and using the new nitrous system. This game introduces the money system which you gain money to unlock new cars. When you start the game only four tracks and four cars where unlocked. Along the way you unlock different stages and cars by gaining money or racing in the Circuit Challenge. This game allows up to two players on the track.

Back in 2001, another Cruis'n game was planned to be in for works for the Nintendo Gamecube as a console conversion of Cruis'n Velocity, but the idea was scrapped. But in 2006, Midway was planning to bring The Fast and the Furious to home consoles, but lost the license during the game's production cycle. Midway then changed the name of the game to Cruis'n and hired game developers Just Games Interactive to develop the game for the Nintendo Gamecube, but then the project was moved to the Wii shortly after the development has started. The game was announced in the summer of 2007 and was planned for release on the Wii exclusive.

During the summer of 2007, Midway released three screenshots demonstrating somewhat dated graphics. Later, Midway released additional screenshots and announced a two-player mode as well as a car customization feature for the game like its original arcade counterpart The Fast and the Furious. A few months later, Midway released the game, despite experiencing some manufacturing difficulties.

Cruis'n fared poorly in reviews by both gamers and critics. Many thought it was a slapped-together version of The Fast and the Furious arcade game with few new features. The main areas of criticism were its outdated gameplay, poor sound, lack of extra features (the title is a straight port), and lack of depth; the game can be beaten in less than an hour. Its loading times were considered problematic as it takes up to a minute to load and start a race. The game's graphics were also heavily criticized for resembling a game from the Nintendo 64 era. The game was often praised for its responsive controls, but the overall experience of the game was hampered by its other flaws. Some reviews expressed the belief that Cruis'n was a quick cash-out for Midway.

References

External links

• Cruis'n at the Killer List of Videogames
• Cruis'n USA at Arcade History
• Cruis'n USA at MobyGames
• Cruis'n USA fan site
• Cruis'n World at Eurocom
• Cruis'n at the Killer List of Videogames
• Cruis'n at the Killer List of Videogames
• Cruis'n at MobyGames
• Cruis'n official Midway page
• Cruis'n series at NinDB