Cruis'n (video game)

Just Games Interactive

Industry	Video game development
Parent	Midway Games (distributor for Cruis'n Wii)

Cruis'n is a racing game created by Just Games Interactive and distributed by Midway Games exclusively for the Wii. This title is an adapted version of Raw Thrills' arcade game The Fast and the Furious, originally launched in 2004 and inspired by the Fast & Furious franchise. The Wii edition utilized the Cruis'n trademark licensed from Nintendo.

The development team at Raw Thrills, headed by Eugene Jarvis, was composed of former Midway staff who had previously contributed to the Cruis'n franchise. While the gameplay closely mirrored that of earlier series entries, critical reception was predominantly unfavorable.

Gameplay

Featuring 12 distinct circuits and 16 vehicles, the game offers point-to-point racing experiences set in authentic global locations. Players must maneuver through obstacles such as opposing traffic and construction zones while strategically utilizing a limited supply of nitrous oxide boosts to increase speed.

Customization options allow players to enhance their cars with spoilers, decals, neon lighting, ground effects, and engine upgrades, all purchasable with funds earned from races. The arcade iteration includes a PIN system enabling players to save progress and maintain their vehicle enhancements across multiple sessions.

Development

Raw Thrills developed The Fast and the Furious as their second project, following the company's establishment in 2002 by ex-Midway employees after Midway's withdrawal from the arcade industry in 2001. Eugene Jarvis, who led the original Cruis'n arcade projects at Midway, took on the role of lead developer.

In 2006, Midway initiated plans to port the game to home consoles and contracted Just Games Interactive for the Wii adaptation. Due to licensing restrictions—since an unrelated Namco Bandai title held the F&F rights—Midway rebranded this version under Nintendo's Cruis'n license. The Wii release occurred on November 27, 2007, in North America, followed by February 14, 2008, in Australasia, and March 27 in Europe.

In 2023, Arcade1Up launched a replica stand-up arcade cabinet featuring both the original game and its first sequel.

Reception

The Wii iteration of Cruis'n was met with overwhelmingly negative reviews, earning an average score of 25/100 on Metacritic. Critics frequently highlighted numerous flaws concerning gameplay mechanics and overall design.

Conversely, the Arcade1Up reissue received commendations from Popular Mechanics for accurately replicating arcade visuals, audio, and gameplay. It also included seven additional tracks from the Drift installment. However, reviewers noted constraints such as a limited car roster due to licensing issues and restricted access to certain tracks.

Legacy

In 2006, Raw Thrills introduced an arcade motorcycle racing game titled The Fast and the Furious: Super Bikes, which utilized the F&F branding but bore no other connections; subsequent sequels dropped this association.

Following that, in 2007 Raw Thrills released The Fast and the Furious: Drift, an updated arcade version partially inspired by the third film in the series. This edition featured a revamped vehicle lineup alongside seven new tracks set across Japan.

An additional update appeared in 2011 with Fast & Furious: SuperCars, which introduced high-definition visuals, ten fresh cars, and incorporated tracks originally from Super Bikes. These updates were available both as new arcade cabinets or as upgrade kits for existing machines. After Raw Thrills’ license for Fast & Furious expired, the game was retitled simply as SuperCars, removing all franchise references.

In 2017, under Nintendo's license, Raw Thrills launched Cruis'n Blast, a fresh entry in the Cruis'n series that expanded its market reach. This title was later ported to the Nintendo Switch in 2021.

After reacquiring rights to the Fast & Furious brand, Raw Thrills released Fast & Furious Arcade on October 7, 2022. This installment integrates elements from recent films and incorporates mission-driven gameplay designed to meet contemporary player expectations.