Publisher - Nintendo
Developer - Eurocomm Development
Platform - N64
Release Date - September 26 1998
Type - Racing

We received the information by E-mail from Nintendo on the game, Cruis'n World, and we decided to tell you about it. "The mechanics at Eurocomm (with a little help from Nintendo) are getting good and greasy as they fine-tune the N64 version of the arcade hit. Cruis'n World challenges you to a grueling globe-trotting circuit that boasts drive-by views of the world's great landmarks. The Eiffel Tower, the Kremlin and the Great Wall of China are all here, but stiff competition from a world-class field of lead-footers means you won't have much time for rubbernecking.

Nintendo Power Source has had a chance to play an early version. With about 80 percent of the coding finished, 14 tracks in various stages of development are available. The chariots at your disposal range from vintage muscle cars to a surprisingly peppy three-wheel delivery truck.

Even in this early version, it's clear that a lot of thought has been given to play control. A thankful lack of oversteering means you can keep your thumb on the Control Stick almost all the time. This gives you greater control through Cruis'n World's twisting tunnels and especially when you're driving in traffic. Good control is vital for mastering Cruis'n World's hair-raising attack moves. Pop a wheelie at the right time and you'll be able to leapfrog a rival in front of you. Thread your way through two rivals by going up on two wheels. You can then drop onto one rival to make him stall, while you sprint forward unimpeded. Mastery of drift -- hold the A Button while tapping the B Button -- will allow you to cut the tight corners in the brutal Australia, Mexico and Italy tracks.

Using from library of landscapes from the arcade version of Cruis'n World, Eurocomm has revamped and extended the tracks. You can expect an all-new racing experience. Once you're out on the road, however, the constantly updated map shows only the stretch of track that you're on. It's a lot easier to read than the full-course maps found on most racing games. Legendary developer Eugene Jarvis, creator of both Cruis'n World and the original Cruis'n USA, is advising the development team. His well-cultivated reputation for wit can be seen in abundance here, as when sharks swim above a glass tunnel in Hawaii, factories next to Red Square belch smoke and alien spacecraft hover over Stonehenge. Nintendo producer Ken Lobb promises major enhancements to artificial intelligence, further tweaking of the play control, new music tracks and other improvements before the game is finished. Naturally you can expect hidden vehicles, tricks, shortcuts and other secrets. Look for Cruis'n World to ship by early summer '98."