Tokyo Xtreme Racer series

[Sengoku Strider]

TL;DR which ones should I get please? Which versions and for which platforms? Please!

I only have the Saturn version, but I can recommend it. It controls fine, but better with the racing wheel.

[Arino]

TL;DR which ones should I get please? Which versions and for which platforms? Please!

2 on Dreamcast is real, real good
(I've had a game going for the past 7-8 years that I dip in and out of)

Nice! Thank you! Now I just have to find my Dreamcast. Should I play the US or JP version? Is it important to read stuff? Does it support VGA? Should I also look for my VMU? Like is it kind of like Gran Turismo where you need to save or is it more like an arcade game where you don't need a memory card?

TL;DR which ones should I get please? Which versions and for which platforms? Please!

I only have the Saturn version, but I can recommend it. It controls fine, but better with the racing wheel.

Wow cool! A new racing game for me to discover on the Saturn! Thank you, I will try to get a hold of it. Was it only released in Japan?

[Air Master Burst]

Oh this is good news! TXR and Project Gotham were always the best street racing series (Midnight Club 2 is probably the single best game, but the rest of that series varies wildly in quality).

[orange808]

Nice! Thank you! Now I just have to find my Dreamcast. Should I play the US or JP version? Is it important to read stuff? Does it support VGA? VMU? Like is it kind of like Gran Turismo where you need to save or is it more like an arcade game where you don't need a memory card?

Yeah. You'll want to read. It supports VGA. You need a memory card unless you plan to leave the console on for days.

TXR2 is easily the best in the series for me. I wouldn't worry about a wheel. It's strictly arcade "racing". The cars aren't actually very realistic. There are nods to realism that keep the game interesting. For instance, you'll find a small all wheel drive car with a short wheelbase can handle corners appropriately without drifting. On the other hand, you'll discover the huge long import muscle car is just too squirrelly to handle away from the Wangan. And, the anime classic drift ride is here--and it does it's thing.

The final boss is a cool classic ride, but it's performing way above anything we could expect from a real one. Even if you shoehorned in an aluminum block V-8, you wouldn't get that performance. The weight in the front would make drifting impossible and the suspension isn't going to make the turns otherwise. You'd be stuck drag racing on the Wangan. The rear would cut loose like an American muscle car with that much under the hood! Of course, it's an arcade title, so it doesn't matter.

The cars you control have a lot of potential variability and they change significantly as you tune them, but it's still pure arcade racing fare. The cars are generally easy to handle and you'll learn how to get away with rubbing past obstacles and traffic. It's not a simulation and that's part of it's appeal. Just one more race. Just one more upgrade. Just one more adjustment. It's an addictive game loop.

[m.sniffles.esq]

^^^^^

What they said

I would think of it as a 'open world racing arpg', in that progress takes awhile (hence my single game running 7-8 years)

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Only if NamcoBandai would release an arcade drifting racing collection of it's "Wangun Midnight: Maximum Tune" series for the PS4/PS5, Xbox Series S/X & Switch gaming platforms, that'd be awesome. Racing against the final CPU controlled opponent, the "Blue Devil," for a solid 22 minutes non-stop (whilst dealing with slower traffic at the same time) to the "finish line" in WT:MT 1 was pure "white knuckle" racing at it's best back in 1994 - 1995.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Arino]

Nice! Thank you! Now I just have to find my Dreamcast. Should I play the US or JP version? Is it important to read stuff? Does it support VGA? VMU? Like is it kind of like Gran Turismo where you need to save or is it more like an arcade game where you don't need a memory card?

Yeah. You'll want to read. It supports VGA. You need a memory card unless you plan to leave the console on for days.

TXR2 is easily the best in the series for me. I wouldn't worry about a wheel. It's strictly arcade "racing". The cars aren't actually very realistic. There are nods to realism that keep the game interesting. For instance, you'll find a small all wheel drive car with a short wheelbase can handle corners appropriately without drifting. On the other hand, you'll discover the huge long import muscle car is just too squirrelly to handle away from the Wangan. And, the anime classic drift ride is here--and it does it's thing.

The final boss is a cool classic ride, but it's performing way above anything we could expect from a real one. Even if you shoehorned in an aluminum block V-8, you wouldn't get that performance. The weight in the front would make drifting impossible and the suspension isn't going to make the turns otherwise. You'd be stuck drag racing on the Wangan. The rear would cut loose like an American muscle car with that much under the hood! Of course, it's an arcade title, so it doesn't matter.

The cars you control have a lot of potential variability and they change significantly as you tune them, but it's still pure arcade racing fare. The cars are generally easy to handle and you'll learn how to get away with rubbing past obstacles and traffic. It's not a simulation and that's part of it's appeal. Just one more race. Just one more upgrade. Just one more adjustment. It's an addictive game loop.

Awesome, thank you! I will look for the translated version then. Is Wangan PS3 also worth getting? I would guess so, but is it enjoyable without understanding anything?

[Austin]

TL;DR which ones should I get please? Which versions and for which platforms? Please!

Personally I still swear by the first game. It's got excellent pacing and can be finished over the course of a week or less on your first playthrough. Every other one I have played has a stupid amount of opponents and take eons to beat. Plus, progression into newer/better/faster cars takes longer and so they feel more like a grind. Some people like that, but these games can get pretty repetitive and so I don't want to be playing for a hundred hours.

[Arino]

TL;DR which ones should I get please? Which versions and for which platforms? Please!

Personally I still swear by the first game. It's got excellent pacing and can be finished over the course of a week or less on your first playthrough. Every other one I have played has a stupid amount of opponents and take eons to beat. Plus, progression into newer/better/faster cars takes longer and so they feel more like a grind. Some people like that, but these games can get pretty repetitive and so I don't want to be playing for a hundred hours.

Sorry but I am still unfamiliar with the series, which one do you mean by the first one? The first one on Dreamcast?

[Austin]

Right.. the first Tokyo Xtreme Racer. As the thread title states.

[Arino]

Right.. the first Tokyo Xtreme Racer. As the thread title states.

So you are referring to Shutokō Battle '94 Keiichi Tsuchiya Drift King for the Super Famicom from 1994, I guess.

[Austin]

Right.. the first Tokyo Xtreme Racer. As the thread title states.

So you are referring to Shutokō Battle '94 Keiichi Tsuchiya Drift King for the Super Famicom from 1994, I guess.

English comprehension is not your strong suit, clearly.

[Arino]

Right.. the first Tokyo Xtreme Racer. As the thread title states.

So you are referring to Shutokō Battle '94 Keiichi Tsuchiya Drift King for the Super Famicom from 1994, I guess.

English comprehension is not your strong suit, clearly.

Fuck you. It's you who is too lazy and dumb to make it clear what game you're talking about you fool

[neorichieb1971]

Had the Japanese version of the first one in 1999 to fill a void of import Dreamcast games for a while. Completed it but never continued the series after that.

[Arino]

Had the Japanese version of the first one in 1999 to fill a void of import Dreamcast games for a while. Completed it but never continued the series after that.

The first one is not for the DC

[orange808]

Don't bother with those dated SNES titles. They weren't very good at release and flat mode 7 racing has aged poorly. Those games don't matter much.

I had fun with TXR0 on the PS2, but the controls felt twitchy--versus the Dreamcast games--after I got the cars tuned. There should be a more gentle curve on the response. I felt like I was just barely nudging past the dead zone. I could correct it, but it made my late game cars too sluggish to properly corner and drift. If the analog stick is going to be uselessly sensitive, the game may as well use the dpad and tapping.

I didn't play TXR3 after I heard bad things from others.

[ExitPlanetDust]

TL;DR which ones should I get please? Which versions and for which platforms? Please!

2 on Dreamcast is real, real good
(I've had a game going for the past 7-8 years that I dip in and out of)

I second this. The 2nd game on Dreamcast is amazing and probably the best in the series to me. I spent weekends getting lost in it. I was deep into the local import scene back then, building and racing my car and friends’ cars. TXR2 saw heavy play during down time or when finances were too tight to break things on our daily drivers.

I know Zero is a big fan favorite, but I enjoyed 3 the most out of the PlayStation entries. I like the car handling and some of the QOL additions.

[Austin]

So you are referring to Shutokō Battle '94 Keiichi Tsuchiya Drift King for the Super Famicom from 1994, I guess.

English comprehension is not your strong suit, clearly.

Fuck you. It's you who is too lazy and dumb to make it clear what game you're talking about you fool

It's about the American franchise, you dipshit. In this conversation, no one cares about the "originals" from Japan.

Side rant, your posts overall are ridiculously stupid and ignorant. How old are you? 15? Are you a newbie trying to fit into this scene as if you experienced it (as many of us did) in 1999? I am starting to wonder. You're a dude that hides behind the banner of a well-known TV show host (and you're clearly not that) and it is... not enticing, to say the least.

[Arino]

Side rant, your posts overall are ridiculously stupid and ignorant.

No, this must be a mix up. My posts are great, trust me.

How old are you? 15? Are you a newbie trying to fit into this scene as if you experienced it (as many of us did) in 1999?

Uhm, no?! You couldn't be more off. But I find the output of your retarded brain amusing and would love to see more.

You're a dude that hides behind the banner of a well-known TV show host (and you're clearly not that)

Oh no! You got me! You are right, the truth is I am not that "well-known TV show host"
How dumb can you get? I am not "hiding" behind anything. It should be obvious that I just used this character's picture as a profile picture and the actor's name as a nickname because I am a fan of the show, not because I am trying to steal someone's identity Are your parents siblings or something? Because you seem even more stupid than the average person, and that's one hell of an achievement.

Look at your dumb face and just everything you put online. You're that typical dull nerdy American hillbilly dumbass like DarkSidePhil, I would be ashamed if I was seen anywhere near you.

[Air Master Burst]

You kids settle down back there or I swear I'll turn this thread around.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

How's the racing on the Sega Touring Car Championship (or better known as Scud Racer) on the Sega Saturn console? I didn't know that Sega of America sold/distributed this particular racing title statside. Sure, I used to play the Sega arcade racing game with same title as that of the SS racing namesake back in 2004-2005.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Austin]

How's the racing on the Sega Touring Car Championship (or better known as Scud Racer) on the Sega Saturn console? I didn't know that Sega of America sold/distributed this particular racing title statside. Sure, I used to play the Sega arcade racing game with same title as that of the SS racing namesake back in 2004-2005.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

Scud Racer is a totally different game and was arcade-only. Touring Car's handling on Saturn is one the most twitchy driving experiences ever. I've never been able to get a handle on it enough to appreciate it. Not to mention the AI drivers seem impossible to beat. Could be a skill issue, or the game could just be jank.. or a bit of both, who knows.

[BIL]

Saturn TOCA's framerate is brutal, sadly. That said, just like the similarly choppy MD Virtua Racing (not to be confused with the far smoother VRDX for 32X), I found it perversely enjoyable enough.

I really only got it for the floor-shattering PUMPIN RAVE CHOONZ. It's Raiden Fighters good. (or bad, ymmv )

[Sengoku Strider]

I found Saturn TOCA flat out unplayable and sold it. Twice. I know there are some who find a way to enjoy it, but as Mizuguchi's follow up to Sega Rally it's far and away the biggest disappointment in the Saturn racing library to me - and I'm a guy who can look past the jank in Hang On GP '95. Avex dance pop does nothing for me personally.

[D]

Saturn TOCA is really the definition of either hate it or love it.
I hate it, but from time to time I get persuaded by people who love it to give it another go.
For me the biggest issues are the choppy framerate and the playability.
Then things which are not helping are stupid graphics and whack music
I really want to like it, but it is not giving me any love. So I say: "f. that ho".

[it290]

FYI, the new Tokyo Xtreme Racer game from Genki just dropped on Steam Early Access. Fantastic game, completely true to the spirit of the series and easily the best entry that I've played.

[m.sniffles.esq]

FYI, the new Tokyo Xtreme Racer game from Genki just dropped on Steam Early Access. Fantastic game, completely true to the spirit of the series and easily the best entry that I've played.

Good to hear
(I'm not going to be able to run it, but it will only get better by the time it comes to console. At least, that's the theory)

[PC Engine Fan X!]

The Steam "Early Access" port of Tokyo Xtreme Racer is priced at $29.99 usd and is a 6.7gb d/l in it's entirety. It runs silky-smooth on a Steam Deck setup. After a couple of hours of really getting into it, the Wangun Expressway is eventually unlocked making for some truly heated and legendary battles with the CPU controlled opponents (reminds me of Namco's famous arcade racing game of "Wangun Midnight: Maximum Tune" that I used to play solo back in 2004-2005 -- racing against the "Blue Devil" Datsun 240Z car CPU opponent for a solid 22 minutes non-stop was pure solid white-knuckle "balls to the walls" racing at it's best right there). I've noticed that if you change to "soft tires," during a heated race, they don't last very long (promptly forcing you to choose the medium or hard type of tires for longer lasting wear 'n' tear when in the garage in between races).

I've noticed if you select the camera viewpoint of the "fixed view of behind your vehicle's headlights," the overall framerate is a lot smoother and "hits the sweet spot." Of course, TXR is running the Unreal Engine 5 setup under it's hood. The opening FMV scene plays at a silky-smooth 60fps framerate indeed.

It'll be interesting to see how Genki's latest port of TXR fares on the Series X & PS5/PS5 Pro consoles down the road in 2025-2026. Seems like upgrading to a serious force-feedback steering wheel, shifter/shifter paddles and gas/clutch/brake combination pedal setup to rachet up the racing experience a notch higher is the way to go nowadays (i.e. -- Fanatec, Logitech, etc).

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Lemnear]

Coming mostly from the Ridge Racer series and typical SEGA racing games (especially Daytona and Scud Race).
How much would I like Tokyo Xtreme Racer? I know a new title is coming to consoles.

[Austin]

Coming mostly from the Ridge Racer series and typical SEGA racing games (especially Daytona and Scud Race).
How much would I like Tokyo Xtreme Racer? I know a new title is coming to consoles.

It is totally different. It’s not realistic per-se, but it’s generally a lot slower and the cars feel much heavier than those arcade racers. No drifting either (at least in the early ones, not sure about the later entries). Watch some gameplay and see if you think you would like it.