The Nineties was a great time for racing games, with the arcades having some of the best of the genre at that point. Racing games have changed though, since the Nineties arcade racing heyday and while games like Daytona USA were legendary, these kind are not scene often anymore. There are exceptions however, but some background is needed first. In the Nineties, Nintendo partnered with Midway to create an arcade racer of their own, which was Cruis’n series. Created by Eugene Jarvis as an over the top experience for the arcades and later brought to the N64 and Wii, the series may not have reached the same heights as Daytona USA, but was a worthy competitor nonetheless. The series was dormant for some time however, with the Wii entry actually being a reskin of a Fast and the Furious licensed game that Midway had lost the rights to. Just when it seemed Cruis’n would remain in the past, Jarvis licensed the IP from Nintendo in 2017 for a new arcade game from his company Raw Thrills and the result was Cruis’n Blast.
Cruis’n Blast is not only a throwback to the days of arcade racers, it shows just how much more could be done with that genre Taking every aspect of Jarvis’s design philosophy and applying it well, Cruis’n Blast goes further than any previous arcade racer. Taking a far more technical approach, with new tricks you can do in the race, the game manages to also be over the top and bring in new ways to enhance the game. From well designed courses, that have numerous interactions that you can use to get ahead, or perform stunts, to the excellent selection of cars, Cruis’n Blast has it all. This is not a driving sim like many other racers are now, but that makes it better due to being about action and fun first. You can even race as a Dinosaur for instance, which is both hilarious and awesome at the same time.
This is an incredibly well designed arcade racer in its own right, but the IP is also owned by Nintendo. This is something Nintendo and Raw Thrills should bring this to Switch as an enhanced port. Imagine more tracks in the game, online play and improved visuals. In addition, the game could make full use of HD rumble and gyroscope controls to help capture the arcade experience as well. There could be new tricks to take full advantage of the Switch’s control scheme and perhaps more updates over time. The licensing of the vehicles would be an issue admittedly, but I am sure something could be arranged for this.
Cruis’n Blast would fill a void in the Switch library and its something I hope they and Raw Thrills do. It would also be a good way for people to play the game, who do not have access to the arcade cabinet.