Cruis'n Velocity
A pseudo-3D racer with a damage system and password saves.
Cruis'n Velocity, a racing game for the Game Boy Advance, hit shelves in 2001. Developed by Graphic State and published by Midway Games, it stands as the fourth title in Nintendo's Cruis'n series. Unlike its predecessors, it was not based on an arcade version and introduced altered gameplay. Its pseudo-3D visuals were powered by the same engine used in Graphic State's first-person shooter Dark Arena, a choice that led to mixed critical reception.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Graphic State
- Publisher
- Midway Games
- Series
- Cruis'n
- Released
- November 27, 2001 (NA); February 8, 2002 (EU)
- Genre
- Racing
- Modes
- Single-player, multiplayer
- Platforms
- Game Boy Advance
Facts from the source article.
Gameplay
Unlike previous series entries, players travel through a large environment racing eleven cars and winning without hitting walls. Fourteen locations, the same as Cruis'n Exotica, are available. A new speed boost system is activated by pressing the gas button twice. An option allows the damage system to be turned on or off; a damage bar depletes when crashing into objects. Three race types exist: Cruis'n Cup unlocks courses and cars, Championship awards points like in Mario Kart, and Freestyle targets the highest track record. A three-player multiplayer mode uses the link cable. Progress is saved via a password system instead of a save feature.
Reception
Cruis'n Velocity received mixed reviews according to Metacritic. IGN called the game somewhat enjoyable for its multitude of play modes, while criticizing collision detection, game-crashing bugs, the password system, and AI, and noted it was less over-the-top than arcade predecessors. AllGame criticized the Doom-style graphics engine as ugly and sluggish, unfavorably comparing them to Mario Kart: Super Circuit. Nintendo Power called it a so-so racing game.
More in Game Boy Advance Game Library of the 2000s
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