Recently I was invited to participate in the Crazy Taxi: World Tour Closed Network Test, which was available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. After spending about an hour with it, I walked away conflicted. I grew up playing Crazy Taxi in arcades and on the Dreamcast, but these multiplayer-focused modes weren’t exactly what I expected from the series.
The test only provided two maps, so there wasn’t much variety to experience between matches. I understand that this was a limited test designed around the game’s online multiplayer, but considering the game is called Crazy Taxi: World Tour, I hoped to get a broader taste of what Sega is building for the full game.
Sadly, I don’t have any images of the game modes, as my footage was corrupted and the time I figured that out, my access to the Crazy Taxi: World Tour Closed Network Test was over.
AdvertisementChecking Out the Game Modes
Gameplay centered entirely on the franchise’s new online multiplayer component, with Pickup Race and Cops ’n’ Cabbies available to play. While both modes put their own spin on the familiar Crazy Taxi formula, one felt much closer to the original experience than the other.
Pickup Race challenged players to complete a required number of fares before time expired. It wasn’t simply a race toward a finish line, as your performance was determined by how quickly you picked up customers and delivered them to their destinations. This was the mode I spent most of my time playing because it felt the closest to the original Crazy Taxi experience. That and it was best suited to learning the controls, especially the drifting around turns.
AdvertisementOddly enough, for a closed network test, I was only matched against computer-controlled rivals. I tried repeatedly to find other players without any success, making it difficult to judge how competitive Pickup Race actually feels against real people.
Cops ’n’ Cabbies divided the drivers between two police patrol cars and four taxi drivers. The cabbies had to collect fares while avoiding capture, while the cops attempted to stop them and send them to jail. Captured cabbies could also be rescued by their teammates, giving the mode a fun spin on the classic game of cops and robbers.
The cabbies won if all four taxi drivers were out of jail when the timer expired, while the cops had to capture and imprison every cabbie at the same time. If you’re wondering, that was a task I simply couldn’t accomplish while playing as the police. Meanwhile, when the CPU was tasked with hunting us down, the cabbies were able to remain free without much trouble. Honestly, I had grown frustrated at that point.
AdvertisementThe two-versus-four setup felt unbalanced because the cabbies had a clear numerical advantage without sacrificing much in terms of speed or maneuverability. I don’t know whether the team sizes will be adjustable in the full game, but Sega should consider making it three-versus-three or something, as it just didn’t feel fair. Then again, I suppose that’s the entire purpose.
Both modes provided a choice of six car models, each with different attributes, while players could also customize and upgrade their vehicles by improving their boosts, adding some progression outside of the matches. There wasn’t enough included to explore this system in much depth, but it provided an early look at how players may be able to tune their vehicles in the full game.
AdvertisementBecause this test focused entirely on two online modes, it would be unfair to treat it as a complete representation of Crazy Taxi: World Tour. We still need to see more of its story, arcade-style gameplay, cities, missions, and other planned content. That said, neither Pickup Race nor Cops ’n’ Cabbies did much to sell me on the game’s multiplayer. I likely would have had a different opinion if I was playing against actual humans. Not sure why I got lumped in with the CPU controller opponents the entire time.
Still Excited For the Game
As for the game itself, it’s Crazy Taxi. Sure, I didn’t get to play the singleplayer mode, but you can see the bones for the game, and it’s starting to take shape. The controls felt good, the vibe of the original game was there, and hearing Offspring’s All I want again immediately brought back memories of playing the series in arcades and on the Dreamcast.
I have wanted another Crazy Taxi for years, and I hope a future beta or demo gives us a much better idea of what Sega is building. There is still plenty left to show, and I sincerely hope Sega can get this revival across the finish line.
AdvertisementCrazy Taxi: World Tour does not have an exact release date. It is scheduled to launch sometime in 2027 for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2.
Crazy Taxi: World Tour sega
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