E3 2007: Cruis'n Trailer Impressions
See the world at breakneck speeds with the return of Midway's racer.
July 12, 2007 - It's been a while since we've seen Cruis'n, Midway's wild arcade racer that at one point in 1994 was any Nintendo fan's main reason to buy an "Ultra 64". The game's back, with a fresh coat of paint, a bunch of new tricks in its bag, and a necessity for velocity.
Midway debuted at E3 2007 a short trailer of Cruis'n (which unfortunately cannot be shared with the public just yet), and the game definitely looks to have retained its old-school appeal. The 3D engine reminded us a lot of Midway's own Rush series, with tons of cars on a locked-in track and miles of churning hills that, when seen at extreme heights, roll on for miles of draw distance. It's not a stunning game for the Wii, but it does keep the look and feel of the original fixed-track games while updating it for this gen's graphic demands. The lighting on cars was shiny and flashy, and the stages are dotted with landmarks and arcade-style graphic effect pops. The game will run at 480p and will have a 16:9 option (but only by resolution stretch.)
Cruis'n will bring the franchise to extreme new levels with a new stunt system. You can launch off of hills and bumps, and you can also use other cars (depending on how you hit them, as most often you'll crash into them or traffic-check them off the road) to launch off into the air. Once airborne, you can do flips and twists for style points, using the Wiimote to perform wild moves in flight. Tracks will still be locked as in previous Cruis'n games (and there are not plans to add alternate paths or branching roads), so your technique when racing will define whether you get that checkered flag. The game doesn't follow any specific theme (unlike Cruis'n USA or Cruis'n the World), instead offering racetracks all across the globe. Midway will feature a 2-player mode (offline only), and it is hoping to also add a 4-player split-screen mode in the final game if all goes well.
Although it is an arcade-styled game, Cruis'n does have some realism to it. Car fans can expect real, licensed autos in the game from major manufacturers. There is also a full customization element to the game, where you can unlock cosmetic and engine-enhancing features to pimp your ride. Ground effects, custom exhausts, rims, wheels, paints, decals, etc. -- with the Wii controller, it's all easier than ever to make exactly the kind of car you want to race with. Much of the game must be unlocked in gameplay, so you will want to be changing everything often to keep up with fashion trends.
Midway is still deep in design on Cruis'n at its San Diego studio, and the team is unfortunately not ready to show the public the game in action just yet. From what we've seen of the work-in-progress project, it's a game that's true to the series and could be simple yet wild racing fun for Wii speedsters. Cruis'n will release exclusively on Wii this November.
lembro-me aí á 10 anos ou mais que era um jogo de arcadas porreiro.
