Original Map Guide

Overview

A guide to the Original Map of Crazy Taxi with advanced tips.

Map

Below is a map of the Original level in Crazy Taxi (image taken from IGN).

A few notes about this map:
– Some of the names are different in the Steam version from the original Dreamcast version

• The ‘Kentucky Fried Chicken’ is now the ‘Fried Chicken Shack’
• The ‘Original Levi’s Store’ is now the ‘Clothing Store’
• The ‘Tower Records’ is now the ‘Records Store’

– As far as I know, the FILA Store is not a location you can be given to take a customer to.

Once you do three to five games on this level, you should be able to get a good feel for it. While the map above is helpful, you shouldn’t need to access it mid-game.

Shortcuts to Know

There are many shortcuts that you should take advantage of in order to get the best time when taking a customer to a destination. It should be noted that when you take some of these shortcuts, you will be disregarding the direction arrow (which is OK and tends to happen often).

• Bridge Ramp to the Island

  
  This one is pretty hard to miss as your direction arrow will tell you to take it. From the Smith Club, head towards the Used Car Shop and take a left. If you get enough air (which isn’t hard) you will be able to launch your car off of this bridge stuck in the up position and land very close to the Marine Plaza.

• Subway Entrances Ramps Near the Cafeteria/King’s Park/Millenium Tower

  
  Ok, yes, they are entrances to the subway, but that’s not why the game developers put them there. Use these ramps to jump up onto the roof off a building near the Cafeteria to cut some time off of getting to and from King’s Park.

• Road from the Smith Club to the Fried Chicken Shack

  
  If you’re coming down the hill headed towards the Smith Club, take a right instead of a left to take a road directly to the Fried Chicken Shack. Use this road if you’re headed towards the FCS or the Records Store.

• Road from the East Village Station to the Clothing Store

  
  If you’re going up the grass hill from the East Village Station, there are 4 roads you can choose. You want to take the road that is 2nd from the left. This will take you across a small red bridge and bring you right near the Clothing Store

• Water Route from Police Station to Smith Club/Used Car Shop area

  
  If you have to go from the Police Station area to the Smith Club, Used Car Shop, Fried Chicken Shack, or other destinations in that area, don’t go through the Marine Plaza to get to the Bridge Ramp (mentioned above). Go onto the concrete area to the right of the bridge heading to the Marine Plaza/Landing Pier. Go to the end of the concrete near the water and you’ll find yourself very close to the Marine Plaza island. Just drive into the water and up onto the island.

• Short Train Tunnel Between the North and West Train Stations

  
  I like taking this tunnel right near the Campsite Subway and North Camp Station because I don’t have to deal with the windy road and the traffic that is on it.

• Train Tunnels

  Taking the train tunnels can be a great way to get to another part of the map quickly. If you get told to go to the South Parking Station, it can be useful to go into the tunnel near the Camping Village, and continue past the East Village Station to the South Station. If you’re at the South Parking Station, you can use the tunnel across the road from the station to get to the Campsite Subway area quickly. While there is a risk of finding trains in the tunnels as well, I find that it is very rare to encounter both trains at the same time. The risk is almost always worth the reward.

• Highway Shortcut to the Parthenon Museum/City Library Area

  If you’re in the Police Station/Marine Plaza area and you get told to go to either the Parthenon Museum, City Library, Grand Mercury Hotel, or Japanese Restaurant, then don’t go by King’s Park and the Firestation. Get on the Highway and stay in the right lane (for once, obey traffic laws). There will be a railing on the side of the road that has breaks in it. The opposing lanes of the highway will connect soon after you get on. Right before they split is the 4th break in the railing. Use this break to get to the City Library or GMH.
  
  Right after they split is the 5th break in the railing. Exiting the highway via this break will put you on a roof very close to the Japanse Restaurant (and also the Parthenon Museum).
  

Destination Specific Tips

• Marine Museum

  One of the most annoying destinations (in my opinion) is the Marine Museum. It’s far away from other destinations and the game never gives you enough time to get there fast enough to be able to add more time to your game clock. If you are unlucky enough to be told to get there, do not follow the direction arrow. There’s a better way to get there.
  
  If you’re coming from the Smith Club/Used Car Shop Area, you should take the roads highlighted in red on the map above. Either go around the Wave & Beach and take a left at the next intersection, or take a right from the Used Car Shop up towards the Record Store, but take an immediate left, then straight through the next intersection. Do not follow the route highlighted in black (the game’s recommended route), which makes you take a left at the Record Store and then an immediate right. Having to make two quick turns is annoying and slower.

  If you’re coming from the top of the hill (Big Hills Park), head down towards Pizza Hut and continue past it, or take a left towards the Clothing Store but then take the first right you can before it.

• Landing Pier

  It takes some practice, but it is possible to do a Crazy Drift on the bridge leading to the Landing Pier so that you are facing back towards the Marine Plaza when you stop. Use the buildings on the pier to help you stop.

• Millenium Tower

  I like to do a Crazy Drift Jump off of the stairs leading up to the tower in order to turn myself around to exit the tower area. If in a game it is your first time bringing a customer here, it is possible to do a Crazy Drift Jump and slam into tower entrance and stop in the pick-up area of the customer standing at the entrance.

• Used Car Shop

  There are lots customers you can pick up here, with many of them being positioned along the back wall. Try to stop in customer’s pick-up area so they can immediately get in your car.

• East Village Station

  I find it is easier to take the train tunnel near the Camping Village rather than continuing up the hill towards the Big Hills Park and then taking a sharp right towards the station.

Hard-to-Find Customers

While there are many customers near destinations and on all of the side streets, there are a few customers that are hidden away from destinations that might take some special manuevering to get to. Most of these are not recommended to pick up because they are inconvenient to get to.

• Punk Man with a Snorkel 1

  
  From the Police Station, go onto the concrete area near the water just to the right of the bridge to the Marine Plaza/Lighthouse/Landing Pier area. Go to the end of the concrete, then drive into the water. There will be a man standing in the water waiting to be picked up.
  

• Punk Man with a Snorkel 2

  This man is easier to find. There are two roads that lead to the lighthouse that create a small lake between the Marine Plaza and Lighthouse. He is standing underwater in the middle of this lake.
  

• Old Lady on the Roof near Marine Plaza

  If you take the Bridge Jump from the Smith Club (as described above), you should land on a roof area. There is an old lady here waiting to be picked up. If you do a crazy dash right before you jump, you may get too much speed and clear the roof altogether.
  

• Man Behind the Landing Pier

  Go to the landing pier and slowly drive onto the dock. Continue behind the buildings to the right and you will see some boxes and barrels. There’s a man standing behind those objects.
  

• Woman on the Roof near Square bank

  Get on the Highway near the Police Station. Soon after you get on, the opposing lanes of the highway will connect. Cross into the opposite lanes of traffic and immediately exit the highway in a break in the railing. You’ll find a woman on the roof.
  

• Man on the Roof Near the Grand Mercury Hotel/Parthenon Museum

  To find this man, get on the highway near the Firestation. After the large tunnel, there will be some breaks in the railing on the right side of the road. Ignore the first one right before the roads split and take the second one you see. You’ll find a man on top of this roof you landed on.
  

• Man in the Subway

  Why is this man down here if he needs a taxi? Go to the Campsite Subway and the enter the subway. On the platform you’ll find a customer you can pick up.
  

Other Tips & Tricks

The following are helpful tips that can also apply to the Arcade map and Crazy Box levels.

• Whenever possible, start your drive with a Crazy Dash and end it with a Crazy Drift.
• If you’re on a straight-away and have the time, do a Crazy Dash to maximize your speed.
• When you bring your customer to their destination, look around for where the next nearest customer is as your most recent customer gets out of your vehicle.
• Many locations have customers standing within the drop-off area (e.g. Lighthouse, Marine Plaza, Big Hills Park, Used Car Shop, etc.). Try to drop off your customer right next to a customer who is waiting for a taxi.
• While there is some debate about which is best to pick up, I generally like to go for the customers with the farthest away locations (Green, Light-Green, Yellow) because I think they give the best opportunity for adding extra time to your game-clock (when playing by Arcade rules).