Cruis'n
| Company type | Video game franchise |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Founder | Eugene Jarvis |
| Owner | Nintendo |
| Parent | Midway Games (former licensee), Raw Thrills (developer of later titles) |
Cruis'n represents a collection of racing video games originally conceived by Eugene Jarvis and currently owned by Nintendo. Several entries in the series were published by Midway Games under a licensing agreement with Nintendo. Renowned for its exaggerated style and rapid gameplay, the franchise showcases a diverse array of vehicles and tracks modeled after actual global destinations. The series made its arcade debut in North America and Europe in 1994 with Cruis'n USA. This title, alongside Rare's Killer Instinct, was marketed as operating on Nintendo's Ultra 64 platform. Two follow-up titles, Cruis'n World and Cruis'n Exotica, expanded the lineup with additional vehicles and circuits. All three were adapted for the Nintendo 64, with Exotica also released on the handheld Game Boy Color. The franchise took a new direction with Cruis'n Velocity, launched for the Game Boy Advance, which diverged from the conventional arcade formula.
Following Midway's exit from the arcade sector, Jarvis's company Raw Thrills developed The Fast and the Furious, a title inspired by the movie and sharing gameplay mechanics with Cruis'n. Midway later ported this game to the Wii, removing the film license and rebranding it as Cruis'n. Raw Thrills obtained licensing rights from Nintendo to use the Cruis'n brand for a new arcade release, Cruis'n Blast, which debuted in 2017 and was subsequently enhanced and ported to the Nintendo Switch in 2021.
Original arcade releases
The initial arcade titles, created by Midway with design led by Eugene Jarvis, centered on outrunning nine competitors across various tracks inspired by real-world locations. Players could choose individual courses or compete through all tracks sequentially in "Cruise" mode, selecting from multiple vehicle options.
The series launched with Cruis'n USA in arcades during 1994. Races began at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge and concluded at Washington, D.C.’s White House. Arcade machines supported linked multiplayer sessions. Although advertised as running on Nintendo's Ultra 64 hardware (which later became the Nintendo 64), the arcade version actually utilized distinct hardware. The Nintendo 64 adaptation, released in December 1996 after delays, featured reduced graphical fidelity and content censorship compared to its arcade counterpart. Initially, most tracks were locked except for U.S. Route 101; players could unlock new paint schemes and upgrades by racing. The game allowed progress saving across multiple profiles using both Game Pak and Controller Pak. Despite receiving mixed reviews from critics, it achieved commercial success and was reissued in 1998 as part of the Player's Choice Million Seller lineup. It was later made available on the Wii Virtual Console but did not appear on Wii U due to Midway’s bankruptcy.
The sequel, Cruis'n World, arrived in arcades in 1996, maintaining similar gameplay while introducing fresh locations such as Hawaii and Florida. This installment added a stunt system enabling players to perform tricks that extended race time. Eurocom handled the Nintendo 64 port, which was postponed from fall 1997 to mid-to-late 1998 and garnered more favorable reviews than its predecessor’s port. Most tracks were accessible from the start; additional cars, stages, paint jobs, and exclusive console content—including Rumble Pak compatibility—were included. Progress could be saved on up to four separate accounts via Game Pak. Censorship removed any ability to harm wildlife. Both arcade and Nintendo 64 versions supported up to four players simultaneously.
The last arcade entry, Cruis'n Exotica, released near the end of 1999, introduced twelve new circuits beginning in Hong Kong and concluding on Mars. It retained the stunt mechanics and incorporated a PIN system allowing players to save their progress through a keypad interface on the cabinet. Home versions for Nintendo 64 and Game Boy Color were launched in late 2000. The N64 edition, developed by Gratuitous Games, replaced some licensed vehicles with generic alternatives; Crawfish Interactive developed the Game Boy Color version. Both versions featured unlockable content and supported multiple save methods—account-based saves on N64 and password systems on Game Boy Color. The N64 port again censored wildlife harm scenes and enabled up to four-player gameplay on both platforms.
Later Installments
The following entry in the series, Cruis'n Velocity (2001), was created by Graphic State and released by Midway solely for the Game Boy Advance. Players race through fourteen tracks set in diverse locations such as Las Vegas, Alaska, Ireland, and even Mars, competing against seven opponents while utilizing a newly implemented boost mechanic. Game progress is recorded using a password system, and multiplayer support allows up to four participants via the Game Boy Advance Link Cable.
In 2004, Eugene Jarvis's studio Raw Thrills launched The Fast and the Furious, an arcade game inspired by the 2001 movie. This title borrows heavily from the original Cruis'n series, featuring seven vehicles and twelve tracks beginning at New York's Times Square and concluding on Los Angeles' Mulholland Drive. It introduced a nitrous oxide boost feature alongside a cash-based upgrade system. Subsequently, the game was adapted for the Wii by Just Games Interactive and published by Midway in 2007 under the name Cruis'n, omitting any association with the film. The Wii edition received criticism due to outdated visuals, simplistic gameplay, and extended loading durations.
Cruis'n Blast, developed by Raw Thrills with licensing from Nintendo, debuted in arcades in January 2017. The game includes five tracks—Death Valley, Madagascar, London, Rio de Janeiro, and Singapore—and features eight main cars, including models such as Lamborghini, Nissan GT-R, Chevrolet Corvette C7, and Hummer HX. Additionally, there are eight bonus vehicles available, comprising a helicopter, London taxi, police car, double-decker bus, dinosaur, and dune buggy. Later updates introduced classic cars like the 1959 Chevrolet Corvette and 2019 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. A version for the Nintendo Switch became available in September 2021.