Crazy Taxi: World Tour Impressions – SEGA Knows Exactly What we all Wanted

It’s been a long, long wait since the last Crazy Taxi title, with the gap since the last entry in the franchise set to hit a quarter of a century before Crazy Taxi: World Tour releases next year, but boy, it’s been worth the wait.

The Crazy Taxi franchise has lived long in the memory of players, especially those in my age bracket who have fond memories of playing the title at home and at a local arcade, and SEGA is finally bringing the franchise back into the limelight.

During a hands-on with Crazy Taxi: World Tour, I got an insight into the upcoming title, and I’m happy to say it’s as bonkers and addictive as I can remember.

Wacky Racing

My preview session was based in one set location and featured everything we’ve come to expect from Crazy Taxi, with the core, of course, being ferrying passengers around as quickly as possible, drifting and boosting to earn extra credits and set a new high score.

With no menus or anything to hold up your progression, you can quickly jump from one sequence to the next, and if your clock reaches zero, there’s always another passenger nearby ready for a trip that can start the process all over again.

Alongside this, I also experienced a wide array of side quests, ranging from basics, like racing and time trials, to the downright bizarre, including odd jobs that included driving an alien around, dropping off the easter bunny, and escaping from the police and keeping up with a plane taking off for my passenger to make a dramatic exit.

While the core mechanics of the title remain the same across everything I did in Crazy Taxi: World Tour, it still felt different enough to keep me hooked, and the quick pick-up-and-play nature of the title is a huge strength.

A World Away

My experience was merely the tip of the iceberg, however, as Crazy Taxi: World Tour looks to have even more to enjoy when it launches at a still yet to be confirmed date in 2027.

My session was limited to just a single map, but it’s already been confirmed, as the title suggests, that World Tour will be a globe-trotting adventure as Axel tracks down those who have stolen his beloved taxi.

This story-driven campaign will provide plenty for players to sink their teeth into, but from my preview session, it was clear that the main area that will command my attention is the free-play, striving to set a new personal best, and completing all of the odd jobs I stumble across in Arcade Mode.

Whether you’re a long-term Crazy Taxi fanatic who is desperate to jump back into the franchise, or are looking to enter the frantic world for the first time, SEGA is certainly cooking up a storm, and I can’t wait for next year’s release.