Cruis'n USASYSTEM: Nintendo 64
DEVELOPER: Nintendo- (Created by Eugene Jarvis)
PRODUCER: Nintendo
PRICE: $69.99
RATED: Kids to Adults
Let me start by saying that Cruis'n USA does not use all the Nintendo 64's capabilities. Does this make it a bad game? The answer is, no it doesn't! I'm sick and tired people reviewing this game and giving it a sub-par rating simply because it doesn't live up to today's high standards. The N64 Cruis'n USA was not meant to be a vast improvement over it's arcade cousin. No, it was designed to be an exact port of the widely popular original version, and I intend to review this game for what it was meant to be.
It's true, the Nintendo 64 is capable of much more then this game displays. Just look at Mario 64 if you don't believe me. If they used all the system abilities, the game would be an update, and not a port. If you want an update look to Cruis'n World (coming soon), and not Cruis'n USA.
Now that that's settled, on with the review:
For those who haven't heard of the game (yea right), it's a driving game in which you race across the USA. To be able to proceed to the next location, you must place first.
The arcade version was generally a sit down racer, and can be found in most arcades even to this day. Not bad considering that the game is several years old. Many times, I've seen lines to play this game which is rare considering it costs about $1 a shot. It's not surprising though, the game was created by none other than Eugene Jarvis (The creator of Defender, Robotron 2084, and many others). His lifetime work is something most gamers should greatly admire.
There are 10 areas (tracks), and 4 cars to choose from (more if you count hidden vehicles). Once you have placed first in all area's you get to race them all again with an updated car. The areas are: LA Freeway, US 101, Arizona, Death Valley, Iowa, Beverly Hills, Appalacia, Chicago, Grand Canyon, and Redwood Forest. All are well thought out tracks, and apealing to race. The cars are: '63 Muscle car, La Bomba, Devastator VI, and Italia P69. All vehicles are as expected, with varing speeds, handling, ect.. If you access the hidden vehicles, you can also race as a school bus, police car, and a jeep. I suggest you try this, it can be a riot, and adds much more to an already decent playing game.
The replay value of this is amazing. Not only is this a driving game (that already has a high replay value), but it keeps giving you ways to race it differently. Beat it, and you get a update vehicle. Beat it with a hidden vehicle, and you get a update of that. Since there are a total of seven cars (including hidden), and 10 areas, you have to complete (and place first) 70 races just to get the update of each vehicle. After that, you need to to it again (I admit, I don't know what happens then. I never made it that far). This game shouldn't tire you soon. I suppose that's why it's been around so long in the arcades.
Graphics are, well quite frankly, dated. I mean it looks good and all, but it doesn't have any of the special effects that the N64 (or for that matter Playstation) is capable of. In it's prime it looked georgeous, but today it lacks. I can't really downgrade it to far though, because I am reviewing this as a port. Ports shouldn't be too radically different from their origins. That's why we have updates, sequels, ect.. So with that in mind, just remember it looks decent, but will not blow anyone away (nor was it supposed too).
This game looks just like the arcade, with a few minor variations. The graphics have been updated slightly (more color, cleaner, ect..), and the exploding deer are no longer present. The deer thing dissapoints my 5 year old son greatly, but I'm not too sure where I stand on this. I'm a hardcore gamer, yet a dad. Get my drift?
Handling of the cars is poor. It's been helped alot by the N64 controller, but it definetely won't win any awards in this area. It may have been OK in the arcade, but on the N64 it is sub-standard. It seems to me they could've updated this while still maintaining the "port" quality. I only hope Cruis'n World handles better (taking realtime damage). Still, like I said before, "It's a port".
Without a doubt the biggest disappointment of the N64 is the sound. I mean, it doesn't sound horrid or anything, but it lacks that extra punch that it's CD sisters have. With the N64 you get a few great sounds, that are looped continuously. This seems to be the general rule, and Cruis'n is no exception.
All in all, Cruis'n is still a decent game. I'm sure Nintendo knew the following this game had, and that's why they released it. The critics were soon to bash it because it was dated, but I on the otherhand like it. I feel classic arcade games should be released on home systems, so we can all relive that arcade feel. I wonder how the naysayers feel the game got so popular, if it was so bad.
RATINGS
GRAPHICS 70%
SOUND 65%
GAMEPLAY 80%
ORIGINALITY 70%
REPLAY VALUE 95%
OVERALL 76%
HINT: To use the hidden vehicles, you need to press UP, DOWN and LEFT simultaneously on the N64 "C" buttons. The new vehicle will appear in place of the previous car (Italia P69 excluded). Once chosen press START to begin using that vehicle.
