Games

I got curious about whether a Crazy Taxi tool-assisted speedrun could be slightly faster with one fewer passenger.

I investigated this Crazy Taxi route idea with the assistance of Codex, using the Luna models available at the time. I supplied the ideas and directed the work; Codex did essentially all of the technical investigation and coding, including the game analysis and viewer changes. AI also drafted this post.

I do not really have TAS skills. This was a “could that work?” rabbit hole that led to looking at passenger tables, destination selection, and the game clock. I have not made a faster run.

The tips are where the real TAS money is. Chaining Crazy Throughs and drifts can pile up money while carrying a single passenger. SJ’s run aims for the Crazy License, reaches $20,000 with four passengers, and uses the long Police Station trip for a huge combo chain. The run ends when the clock reaches zero. So the idea is to earn enough money from tips with fewer fares, then have less clock left to burn off.

The specific idea starts after the first drop-off at Cable Car Stop TOP, the plaza at the top of the hill. In SJ’s four-passenger route, the next pickup there goes to West Side Beach, followed by a passenger going to Popcorn Mania, and then one going to the Police Station.