One of the surprises of Nintendo's E3 Direct this year was Cruis'n Blast. It was announced as a Switch exclusive and given a Fall 2021 release. The team at Raw Thrills has now narrowed down the release date. Clear your calendars racing enthusiasts because the game will be arriving on Nintendo's hybrid system on 14th September this year.
If you're not familar with this game, it's part of the Cruis'n series which originally started out in arcades in '94 with Cruis'n USA. This followed with a home console release on Nintendo 64 in 1996. Blast is the latest entry and originally arrived in arcades in 2017. Here's what you can expect from the home console version:
"Cruis’n Blast for Nintendo Switch features a total of 29 thrilling tracks, including all five fan-favorite tracks from the arcade version of the game (Death Valley, London, Madagascar, Rio de Janeiro and Singapore), as well as 23 upgradeable vehicles – from licensed supercars to unicorns. The game supports up to four players on the same console or separate consoles via local play."
There'll also be a physical release, which is being handled by GameMill Entertainment. Will you be adding this racer to your collection? Tell us down in the comments.
Comments (80)
Sorry, but this looks like a budget title to me.
It’s a shame that 90’s Arcade Racer was cancelled, during the Wii U era. Now, THAT looked like it had potential!
Finally, the best game in the Arcades is coming soon!
@BanjoPickles Trust me, this game is way more fun than it looks.
Massively looking forward to this!
It may be gaudy and loud, but I’m pumped! I’ve always enjoyed this series over-the-top humor.
Hopefully it’s more in the $40 instead of $60 realm though 🤞🤞
@RobotReptile It looks to be only £29.99 here in UK so does seem to be a cheaper title. Should be considering lack of online play!
@BanjoPickles if you’re just polygon counting, this game has loads of touches and details in the design that I don’t see from budget developers or inexperienced game makers. Raw Thrills has the feel and design of an arcade experience down with best of them
Port over ExciteBots, you cowards!
Looking forward. But how much will It cost? Should be 40-50 tops.
@BanjoPickles 90s Arcade Racer has never been officially cancelled. It's on Nicalis' website as coming soon, whatever that means (https://www.nicalis.com/games/90ssupergp)
@Paulo @BanjoPickles Unfortunately, 90s Arcade Racer is looking like vapor-ware. The Wii U didn’t have the massive audience, but the Switch would still be a good home for it.
This particular subgenre of racers still holds a special place in the hearts of many gamers, myself included. The original Cruisin' USA, Daytona USA, Daytona USA 2, SCUD Racer, Hydro Thunder, Sega Rally Championship, San Francisco Rush, Ridge Racer, Super Hang-On, Super Monaco GP...every one of these and more would find a huge welcome on the Switch.
This is my type of racing! Will definitely be getting this: super-hyped for that four player splitscreen!
No online multiplayer?
If no online does that mean no wireless local play
Does this have a huge variety of tracks around the world like Cruis’n World and Exotica?
anyone know if its online ?
I may have to freeze myself.
@Gameday @DreemWeever Sadly no online.
Hmm. This actually looks pretty solid. If given a discount I might give it a go.
Just saw Cruis'n USA in the wild this past weekend and played it again. I'm definitely hoping to get this when it comes out.
@Clyde_Radcliffe we can never get no love for these types of titles..
@HotGoomba
I hope so. I could sure go for an old-school arcade racer!
@NinChocolate
I hope you’re right. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen an arcade racer that I’ve been a big fan of. I’ll wait for the reviews before taking the plunge. I keep reminding myself that Nintendo wouldn’t have given it a significant showing in their E3 Direct if it was awful.
@Tandy255
Unfortunately, I think you’re right. It’s a shame, because it looked soooo good!
@Paulo
Coming to an Unseen64 video, sometime in the distant future.
Really hope this sells well. Raw Thrills' other racers Dirty Drivin' and H2Overdrive deserve console ports too!
Looking forward to this and Hot Wheels. This looks like a nice blend of Crusin' and Excite Truck. I've been looking at steering wheels/pedals to go with these, does anyone have any recommendations?
Remake rush 2049 and include the stunt mode please.
I’m gonna buy this game so hard
@AG_Awesome I’ve been wanting that more than any other game for years. Those Rush games are just so good. This looks to sort of scratch that collecting/racing itch but yeah. I want to hold a button in the air, have wings pop out, and let me spin my vehicle like a violent washing machine.
@BanjoPickles That's cause it is made and own by an indie studio, Raw Thrills (former dev team who once work at Midway for their arcade division) which license the IP to Nintendo. This game is not made by Nintendo or a triple A studio like Sega and Namco which explains why it doesn't had that F-Zero GX and Ridge Racer triple A feel to it. This is also why it won't be a full price game at launch. Though it doesn't look triple A, it's still a fun game just like OutRun and Virtua Racing.
@Tandy255 Last time I heard of that game it got a name change to 90s Super GP and it's planning to come to Switch and PS4 soon. Still Nicalis is very quiet with that game so I'm not confident if it'll be any good in the end. For all we know it'll likely end up like Redout, another failed Nicalis racing title.
Absolutely getting this
@Ghost_of_Hasashi Maybe I'm confused but I thought it was the other way around. With Midway gone doesn't Nintendo own the IP and they license it out to Raw Thrills to make the games?
@Chowdaire Raw Thrills was not the creator of the series but the creator who made the series became a part of the studio once Midway went under. Nintendo doesn't make the game, they only own the license of the IP so the game would get publish one way or another. This is also why when Midway went under, Cruis'n, Doom 64, and Killer Instinct unlike Mortal Kombat, Pit-Fighter, Hydro Thunder, etc., weren't sold to another company cause the IP rights still belongs to Nintendo in the case with Killer Instinct the game was made by Rare but game license right was own by Nintendo at that time and in the case with Doom 64, though Midway made the game, the IP still belongs to idSoftware and later become a part of Bethesda which to this day become a part of Microsoft now.
Just in time for my birthday!
If we want more of these, or say, "riskier" IPs like Advance Wars, you all know what we have to do: VOTE WITH OUR WALLETS and buy these games when they're released. I'm not talking about waiting until their first big sale price or for them to hit the bargain bins first (publishers don't profit nearly as much from those scenarios, and they're immediately associated with a lack of genuine interest from consumers, which is a kiss of death); I'm talking DAY ONE.
Hey, that means you too, F-Zero or Star Fox fans. Risk that isn't rewarded by genuine, tangible (as in $$$) fan support will put future Nintendo projects on increasingly narrower rails focusing on fewer and fewer "core franchises" (can anyone say "Sega and Sonic", "Konami and Metal Gear", and so on?). Hey, I love me some Mario and Zelda, but I don't want those to be the only franchises Nintendo's bothering to make games around a decade or so from now.
You can have the most vocal and passionate fan support for an IP or concept, but from the corporate angle, you know the saying: "Money talks..."
@AtlanteanMan Wow someone speaking sensibly for a change. I've been saying the same thing for a long time. I can guarantee you that there's a lot of bleed over between the people who threatened to boycott pokemon but still bought Sw/Sh anyway and the people who have been begging for more metroid love but will refuse to buy dread because its $60.
Whatever that is discussed here; I just know that I want this game now !!, XD
That song makes me so mad its so bad lol
Day one purchase for me shame they didn't bother adding online multiplayer though
I want to be excited for this, but if it's more than $40, I'll have to pass. Besides, I'm not very good at Cruis'n games anyway. A difficulty setting might change my mind.
As I've stated many times before in the past, I played Cruis'n Exotica a ton during my childhood, so I will def be getting this!
@DrDaisy Best Buy has it right now $39 with $10 gift card!
I love arcade style racers, so I'll probably get this.
Day 1 physical purchase.
Really excited for this, great arcade series!
Always love arcade racers, so this could be amazingly fun. did play less hotshot racing than i thought.. so wonder how long this will be keep interesting me... The shot where you jump in Rio and see the Maracana did make my heart go yonder...
And as it a game from 2017 apparantly, that gives hope the game can be converted well..
@nintendolife It should be obligatory to mention that Eugene Jarvis was involved in the first Cruisin'USA... And he's a hero...
@AtlanteanMan
You forgot OutRunners, other than that, solid list!
Really looking forward to this. I'm a bit of a sucker for racers, currently sat in the queue are: Dirt 5, Wreckfest, Sonic Team Racing, Crash Bandicoot Nitro-Kart, Inertial Drift, GRID, 80's Overdrive, and what am I doing? Replaying the GBA F-Zero titles again.
'British Invasion' might my favourite track name ever.
@SpringDivorce Outrun 2 (coast 2 coast ) would we nice too, still play it on my xbox 360 at times)
Looks really interesting, I love this kind of racing games (suck at simulators), and I've always had an interest in the Cruisin' series, since its first entry on N64, although I've never had the chance to play it.
But what concerns me is the sadly traditional performance of racing games on Switch, with the exception of Mario Kart 8, and compared to more powerful consoles. Of course, it will be an exclusive and we won't be able to compare, but if it's not smooth we will be able to tell anyway.
@SpringDivorce Yes, I did forget OutRunners (as well as OutRun 2006: Coast2Coast). I'd love to see both of those make a return to consoles and/or PC.
@AtlanteanMan 100% agree with you.
If these games sell well enough they might open doors for other dormant IPs.
I really hope that Cruis'n will have a good number on sales.
Perhaps we could see in a near future games like F-Zero, Pillotwings, Wave Race, 1080.... We just need to support these releases from the start.
@AtlanteanMan
Was gutted when Sega stopped the Ages range. I know Daytona and its ilk might have been out of the question, but after the job they did with Virtua Racing, I though we'd at least have gotten Hang-On / Super, OutRunners, Power Drift, AB Cop, Thunder Blade & After Burner. Apparently, they sold better than expected in the West, it was the Eastern region that let them down which is odd.
@BanjoPickles All I can tell you is that the arcade version is amazing, if this plays like that...well it will be too.
@SpringDivorce Especially as Hang-On was done previously for the 360 ages collection.
The visuals have taken a bit of a hit, no surprise seeing as the arcade version runs on a PC several times the power of the switch, but if they can lock a solid framerate this will be really good, the arcade is one of the best racers of it's type.
I thought it would be a October/November release so it's great to see it releasing in September... Getting the physical version day 1...
I had to watch the trailer with sound off, that song was abysmal.
The gameplay looks lovely, but if the soundtrack us gonna be as terrible as in the trailer it's gonna ruin the whole experience.
My Kind Arcade Racer That Is Coming To The Switch
@Paulo Are you SERIOUSLY still waiting for them to do something with that ROFL... that is so dead...
I really loved Cruis'n World on the N64! More than that I loved Beetle Adventure Racing... But Cruis'n was really great, in single player and especially in multiplayer. I actually like arcade racers more than simulators, they're just more fun and easy to pick up and play, especially with friends. I think I'm going to get this one!
25 extra tracks is pretty significant.
If this is 60fps on switch im 100% getting it
I played some of these games in arcade, as a child. Never super seriously. Just for fun. They were lots of fun. I'm not much of a racing fan but this collection is tugging at my nostalgia strings. I will likely have to pick it up.
I remember Cruis'n USA arcade cabinets were everywhere in the late 90s, along with that Area 51 game. Think I'll pick this up, looks fun and incredibly nostalgic.
SOLD!
Please bring H2Overdrive to Switch too, Raw Thrills. Hydro Thunder is one of my faves!
Yes please! I'm looking to play my N64 versions in the coming months to get ready for it!
@Moroboshi876 Play Burnout paradise on switch. It runs flawlessly.
@stuntz0rZ so glad you mentioned this deal. I just purchased.
@RobotReptile it's $39 at best buy with $10 free gift card. So $29!!!
@Danrenfroe2016 Nice! Thanks for the heads up 👍
@Danrenfroe2016 Glad to hear it. Let's hope they can do a similar job porting a game that's not from 2006 though.
wait wait you can "drive" ride a Triceratops???
come one not even Need for Speed is that cool!
After years of port begging, i'll certainly pick this up day one.
@RobotReptile @stuntz0rZ pointed me to it, it's a great deal.
I can't wait for this! Day one physical for me
I broke my no pre-order rule for this one today! Like everybody has said, it's day one, for sure.
More arcade racers please!!!
And a Cruis'n collection would be awesome
I love the Cruis'n series and I'll be pre-ordering Blast the second I learn that Nintendo starts taking pre-orders. I have a lot of good memories of Cruis'n USA and that's one game I'd like really like to see come back in some form... Switch Online N64, Nintendo? Didn't play as much Cruis'n World and never got the chance to play Exotica, but I'd like to go back to all of them some day...
@UltraZelda64
I hear you, but I'd MUCH rather have the arcade versions....
@RobotReptile Actually, Cruis'n Blast is priced at $39.99 in the US.
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