 |
| Metropolis Street Racer | |
|---|---|
 PAL version cover art featuring an Opel Speedster (front) and a Fiat Barchetta (background) | |
| Developer(s) | Bizarre Creations |
| Publisher(s) | Sega |
| Composer(s) | Richard Jacques |
| Platform(s) | Dreamcast |
| Release | |
| Genre(s) | Racing |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Metropolis Street Racer (MSR) is a racing video game developed by Bizarre Creations and published by Sega exclusively for the Dreamcast. Initially intended as a launch title for the Dreamcast, its release in Europe was delayed until November 2000, with a North American version following in January 2001. A Japanese version was anticipated by February 22, 2001,[4] but was ultimately canceled after Sega discontinued support for the Dreamcast.
In addition to being an early example of an open world racing game, Metropolis Street Racer is notable for introducing the "Kudos" system, which rewards players for racing stylishly as well as quickly. The game features detailed and accurate recreations of the cities of London, Tokyo, and San Francisco. The music for the game was composed by Richard Jacques and is delivered through nine fictional radio stations (three for each city), similar to the Grand Theft Auto series. The day/night cycle during gameplay is realistic, as the game uses the internal clock of the Dreamcast to reflect the present time in each in-game city. A key selling point of Metropolis Street Racer is the large number of available tracks (262 in total), created by blocking off specific areas of the city to guide players along designated roads and paths. However, only a small number of tracks are accessible at the start, with most unlocked by progressing through the single-player mode.
Although the game received positive reviews, it did not achieve strong sales due to the discontinuation of the Dreamcast shortly after its release. Bizarre Creations took the concept of the game and developed Project Gotham Racing for Xbox, which became a best-seller and led to the series of the same name.[5]
- ^ Justice, Brandon (16 January 2001). "Sega Ships Metropolis Street Racer". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on 14 June 2023. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
- ^ "Metropolis Street Racer". Sega. Archived from the original on 26 August 2002. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
- ^ "MSR Metropolis Street Racer". Chipsworld. Archived from the original on 9 April 2001. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
- ^ "Dreamcast Direct" (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 11 January 2001.
- ^ Retro Gamer Team (27 December 2022). "The evolution of Project Gotham: from Metropolis Street Racer to the original Xbox and beyond". gamesradar. Archived from the original on 17 September 2024. Retrieved 19 September 2024.