Crazy Taxi Walkthrough for PlayStation 2 Game Name: Crazy Taxi Format: PlayStation 2 Submitted By: El Viking This walkthrough is copyright Matt Brand (Der Nazi) 2004. This walkthrough should detail all that you need to know about Crazy Taxi. If you have any queries/threats/insults/praises please email them to me at limb_breaking_looney@hotmail.com. Crazy Taxi is a relatively game to master. You have to pick up passengers in a massive 60s American car, earn money and kudos, do stunts and drive like a lunatic. But there are a few basics that I think should be outlined. Firstly, this game was originally an arcade game, so the physics are the same. However, this is not always a good thing. This means that you have to change gear from drive to reverse, and have to be careful about not running over potential customers. The car has tow gears: drive and reverse. To reverse you have to change gear and hold down forward, and change gear to go back to ‘Drive’ again. If you want to pick up a customer, you have to be careful not to run them over with your car. If you run them over, you can’t give them a lift and earn your money, because they are now dead. It’s best to approach them relatively slowly, because if you spook them they will dive out of your way, losing you large amounts of time that can be spent making cash. There are four types of customers: Those with green, yellow, orange and red markers. The green customers pay the most, yet their destinations are further away, whereas the customers with red markers will have nearby destinations and lower fares. It’s best not to attempt helping customers who have green markers until you get used to the physics of the cars. Fares can also be increased by doing stunts, such as weaving through traffic, jumps and driving in front of people. Aside from having fun driving a massive American taxi around like a lunatic, the main part of this game is earning money. You pick up customers, and take them to their destinations in a time limit. But if the fare isn’t enough, there are several ways to gain cash. First and foremost, stupid stunts to gain tips: jumps, throughs and drifts. Drifts can be performed by switching into reverse gear at highs speed, but they don’t earn you as much cash as jumps and throughs. Jumps can normally be achieved by driving up and off ramps left in the road, but the best way to do this is right at the beginning of the game in the arcade map. The hill on which the cable cars go up is perfect: Constant climbs and dips provide the perfect ground for performing massive jumps. To perform a through, drive between two moving vehicles at speed, in the middle of the road. You can also perform combos, providing constant tips. However, the safest way to get extra cash on top of the fare is to arrive at the destination quickly. In contrast, arriving in good time will get you the standard fare, and arriving late will leave you with a depleted one. In the game, there are three modes of play: ‘Arcade’, ‘Original’ and ‘Crazy Box’. The arcade section gives you the chance to play the game in the way that it appears in arcades, in downtown San Francisco, extending you time through taking on passengers, and earning money. You also get a ranking, the same as you would in the arcade, trying to beat the high score, and trying to improve your ranking. In the ‘Original’ option you have an alternative map, which scans along beaches and around hills, giving you an extra challenge. In both of these, you can play with the ‘Arcade Rules’, or play for 3, 5 or 10 minutes, trying to get as much money as possible. The ‘Crazy Box’ is a completely different kettle of fish, however. It’s a set of mini-games testing all your skills, stunt ability, and general driving. I’ve listed them, so you can easily distinguish them, and I can list tips on each one. Every time you complete a set of three (For example 1-1, 2-1 and 3-1), a bonus one appears, which will test your driving skills further. 1-1: Crazy Jump Rule- Reverse to the back of the ramp to get a longer run up, put the car into drive and go as fast as possible. As you go over the edge, shift into reverse gear; this will help you go further due to wheel spin. 2-1: Crazy Drift Rule- This level is relatively easy, because all you have to do is drift. To drift, drive very fast, and then shift the car into reverse gear. 3-1:Crazy Rush Rule- here, you have to pick up several passengers and deliver them to their destinations within a time limit. Here, it’s usually a good idea to use drifts so that your car faces the next customer, and to start braking before you reach drop off zones. 1-2: Crazy Flag Rule- Probably the easiest of the lot. Turn around 180 degrees, and drive into a flag a few yards down the beach. 2-2: Crazy Turn Rule- Here, you have to drive around several 180-degree corners and deliver a customer to their drop off point as quickly as possible. Its best to try and bring as much speed out of each corner as possible, because in this level time ticks away incredibly quickly. Also, stay away from fences; the resulting friction from driving exactly next to one seriously slows you down. 3-2: Crazy Jam Rule- Her, you have to deliver passengers to their drop off points whilst avoiding heavy traffic. The next passenger will be in the drop off zone of the previous one, so try and stop near to the next passenger, but be careful: get too close and they’ll jump out of the way, losing you precious time. In this level, time is incredibly important, but you have to be able to drive like a professional as well; you’ll have to dodge around rush hour traffic at tremendous speed. A good tip is to go as fast as you can, driving on the pavement when it isn’t blocked by parked cars. 1-3: Crazy Balloon Rule- A Sega classic- the balloon mini game. Here you have to drive around a grass area, bursting balloons by driving into them. It’s best to drive around in a circle, because that’s the way the balloons are arranged. If you come up against two balloons touching each other, it gets a bit harder, because the second on will bounce away. This is easily combated, however. All you need to do is drive into them at an angle, so both will be burst. The time limit in this level is more than ample, so it’s a relatively easy level. 2-3: Crazy Bound Rule- Here, you have to take a passenger to a drop off point on a plinth is the sea. It’s made hard, however, by the fact that to get there you have to jump over several ramps. The best way to complete this level is to drive in the direction of the ramp as you are going over it, as to carry a lot of speed into jumps, and to brake whenever the handling gets a bit hairy. 3-3: Crazy Pole Rule- Here, you have to drive around an area full of poles to get passengers to their destinations. To complete this level with ease, try to stop exactly between the current passenger’s drop off zone and the next passenger’s pickup zone, so that no time is wasted, and that both tasks are performed in quick succession. Well, this is the end. Hope you found this useful. Remember: Never think and drive!