N64 Game #2/296: Cruis'n USA

 Review #2 channels one of those original 5 racing games picked for the initial first 10 games to review and a classic arcade legend, Cruis'n USA!

NOW THIS is my nostalgia with this console.  I'll be very blunt, I played this initially on easy.  Especially for racing games, they aren't always the right speed for me, so I like to start simple.  Overall this racing game is the arcade nostalgia that was perfect for play sessions with you friends.  Individual races are stellar, but the Race Across the USA mode was really a treat.  The music for this game is an unsung hero, it truly makes the races a little more intense and just lines up!  Minus the fact that there are over half the races in the South West, the Midwest (Iowa, Indiana, and Appalachia) races take place in two lane highways surrounded by cornfields, and everything is just about 90 seconds long, the game is exactly what you want from an arcade racer.  

Yes the graphics make it a challenge to see oncoming traffic, but if anything it takes away an element of control from a game where control is what keeps you on the road.  It's very sink and swim though due to some VERY loose controls.  If you like precise racers that require every muscle fiber to twitch in the right way, this is not the game for you.  This is fast, in your face and chaotic.  I appreciate that the ai are not invincible and neither are the other drivers on the road.  I love the car unlocks and the opportunity to play through 3 difficulties and unlock new faster cars.  I did only play through on easy and medium but neglected to take on Hard Mode.  I will be back for the end of this one.

Review Score: 7/10