Crazy Taxi was really something, right? A hyperactive breath of fresh air when it hit arcades (and, shortly afterwards, the Dreamcast), it spawned two direct sequels and a few spin-offs but has sadly been dormant for quite some time now.
Sega's lack of interest in reviving the series has meant that other developers have picked up the slack; we recently had the disappointingly average Taxi Chaos, and pretty soon, we will have MiLE HiGH TAXi – a Steam release from solo developer Cassius John-Adams that not only channels the spirit of Crazy Taxi, but combines it with the cult Luc Besson movie The Fifth Element to create something that looks genuinely unique.
"Get ready to take on the role of the ultimate sci-fi hover taxi driver in this fast-paced adventure," reads the PR. "Experience heart-pumping action as you race against the clock in a vibrant, futuristic city inspired by "The Fifth Element", with arcade-style gameplay reminiscent of "Crazy Taxi". This pulse-pounding ride will have you on the edge of your seat. As you speed through the narrow, vibrant skyways, you'll encounter a cast of hilarious and chatty pedestrians, as well as inpatient and over-the-top passengers."
Broken down into three modes – Regular, Challenge and Free Roam – MiLE HiGH TAXi takes the core gameplay of Sega's classic and adds in some serious verticality. You'll need to get your head around exploring a futuristic city where your target could be up or down as well as right ahead.
If you like how MiLE HiGH TAXi is shaping up, you can wishlist it on Steam now. Its release date is still to be confirmed.