Crazy Taxi PSP is the portable port of its two very popular predecessors: Crazy Taxi and Crazy Taxi Game 2. It was developed by Hitmaker and Sniper Studios, and was released by SEGA last September 2007 in Australia and the EU. And unsurprisingly, the combination of its two games offers more of the mayhem that made the series great, while also adding some new twists that take advantage of the PSP’s capabilities.

But for those of you who haven’t been aware of this game for the last few years, here’s what it’s all about: you play as one of four taxi drivers, who must travel through a selection of three cities to pick up passengers. He then drives them to their respective destinations and collects the fee. It’s that easy. However, the fun begins when you realize that there is a VERY rigid time limit in Crazy Taxi PSP, and that you have other taxi drivers who will stop at nothing to steal your fare. The result: competitive driving mayhem at breakneck speeds.

What’s new in Crazy Taxi PSP

As good as its concept is, however, series veterans will notice a few more ways to add fun. First, there is the ability to ram your opponent’s cockpit. This is very useful when both of you are heading towards the same passenger, because you can push your opponent and be in the right place to take that fare instead of him. Additionally, you can add insult to injury by using the interference feature, which slows down your opponent’s fare delivery time.

Another interesting feature of Crazy Taxi PSP is the new multiplayer feature through Ad Hoc. This is the one that exploits the capabilities of the PSP, and is the first time the series has implemented this feature. With it, you can go head to head with a friend and compete for the highest rank or fee. And if you only have one PSP to share between the two of you, there’s also a turn-based multiplayer feature, which will still allow you to challenge each other on a single system.

Then you have the customizable music. As any fan of car driving games can tell you, great-sounding music can make the difference between an adrenaline-pumping ride and a boring one. And while Crazy Taxi PSP already has great music from the hard rock/punk rock genre, it still recognizes this element and allows you to transfer your favorite songs to a specific folder and play them instead (especially since the music of The Offspring and Bad Religion has been removed due to licensing issues).

What’s hot and what’s not in Crazy Taxi PSP

Portability issues aside, there’s a lot to love about Crazy Taxi PSP. For one thing, there’s still the good core gameplay, which has been praised in the past as being “deceptively complex” by numerous critics. It’s fast, fun, and simple, making it perfect for those who want some quick fun. And this aspect is complemented by the pick-up-and-play mentality that the PSP offers.

And because it’s almost a direct port, the things that made those games fun are still there, like the crazy stunts you can do in Crazy Taxi 2, the selection of mini-games to hone your skills, the ranking system, and that rewarding feeling to be appreciated by your passengers for driving in reverse. The graphics are also decent, and while they may look a bit old, the PSP’s smaller screen size makes for a good display.

Unfortunately, though, there are issues that plagued the originals (and later some) that also made their way to handheld: lazy controls, slow loading times, poor audio cues from some passengers, and a lack of feel. of speed

But overall, Crazy Taxi PSP is a very good choice if you’re looking for a quick game to cheer you up during a lull at the airport. But if you’re a fan of story-driven mayhem, like what you can find in most police car driving games, then you better look elsewhere. Still, that doesn’t take away from the fun of playing a classic. So consider that and enjoy Crazy Taxi PSP.