Midtown Madness

Midtown Madness
developer	Angel Studios , Digital Illusions CE
Publisher	Microsoft
First title	Midtown Madness (1999)
Last title	Midtown Madness 3 (2003)
Platform (s)	Windows , Xbox
Genre (s)	Racing game

Midtown Madness is a series of racing games distributed by Microsoft Game Studios .

chronology

Midtown Madness

Erstveröffent-
lichung

February 27, 1999 May 27, 1999

Game mode

Single player , multiplayer

control

Mouse and keyboard , joystick

system advantages
preconditions

Pentium with 200 MHz, 32 MB RAM and an 8 MB graphics card.

1 CD-ROM

German English

The video game Midtown Madness was released on May 27, 1999 in the US and Europe. It was developed by Angel Studios , which later renamed itself Rockstar San Diego . Midtown Madness is the offshoot of the Madness series, which also includes Monster Truck Madness and Motocross Madness . When Microsoft was successful with the two Madness series, they decided to develop a new Madness offshoot. The game was released in May 1999 and was able to establish itself in the racing game genre on the PC . Midtown Madness was very successful mainly because of the low competition in the racing game area.

A great feature compared to its competitors was the replicated city of Chicago. The player was allowed to do the jobs in the US city. The developers also added an overview map at the bottom right to give the player an orientation in the city. The position of the player is marked on the map with a black triangle.

There are no tuning options available to the player. The vehicle selection offers not only normal sports cars (such as the Ford Mustang GT ) but also other vehicles (such as taxis, buses ). In addition to the driving physics, each vehicle has its own damage model that changes due to accidents. Vehicles and their paintwork can be unlocked by completing the tests. In addition, the choice of weather conditions is possible by activating the tests.

There are a total of four game modes in the game: Tour mode , Blitz mode , Circuit mode and Checkpoint mode . The player can view his vehicle from the inside (with fittings), outside and side view. In the multiplayer mode, up to eight players can compete against each other or take part in car chases with the police .

Midtown Madness 2

Erstveröffent-
lichung

April 22, 2000 May 6, 2000

Game mode

Single player , multiplayer

control

Mouse and keyboard , joystick

system advantages
preconditions

Pentium II 266 MHz, 32 MB RAM, 250 MB HD, 4-way CD or DVD-ROM drive, 3D card

medium

1 CD-ROM

language

German, French, English

Age rating

USK

PEGI

Midtown Madness 2 was released on September 21, 2000 in the USA. On October 6, 2000, Midtown Madness 2 was also released in Europe.

This time the player can choose between two different cities: San Francisco and London. As in the previous game, it is possible to use shortcuts or tunnels during the races. The overview map, which is used for orientation during the journey, has been subtly expanded and improved.

The player can choose from ten new vehicles (including Audi TT and Aston Martin DB7 ), which also have their own damage model.

The developers have integrated a new game mode , the crash course mode . The crash course mode is divided into two further modes: stunt course mode and taxi driver mode . In stunt course mode , the player can visit a stunt school in San Francisco and take exams there to train the player to become the best stunt driver. The taxi driver mode is similar to the stunt course mode: Here you are trained to be a taxi driver. Otherwise, the four modes that are already known from the predecessor ( lightning, tour, control point and circuit mode ) are also available in the game this time.

The game is LAN- compatible and can be played online with up to eight players in online mode via the International Gaming Zone (www.igzones.com) .

Midtown Madness 3

Erstveröffent-
lichung

June 17, 2003 June 23, 2003 August 7, 2003

Game mode

Single player , multiplayer

1 DVD-ROM

German

Midtown Madness 3 was released on June 23, 2003 exclusively for the then new Xbox . This time Angel Studios was not involved in the development of the game, but the Swedish development team DICE .

In contrast to the two predecessors, the vehicle selection has tripled. The player can choose from a total of 32 different vehicles (including a Mini Cooper and a concrete truck). Each of these vehicles has its own driving physics and its own damage model. The new development team set their priorities for fun, which is why the driving physics was designed to be more action-oriented.

Two more metropolises have been added to the game - Washington (DC) and Paris. Midtown Madness 3 offers not only the typical game modes ( Blitz, Tour, Checkpoint ) but also a new mode: Working undercover . You have to work in different professions (including as a police officer) and solve a total of 26 tasks. In multiplayer mode you can compete against other players in the split screen or via the "system link". The game also includes an online mode.

Game modes

Tour mode: In tour mode you can view the respective city in the game without any time pressure. The player can set a few other options beforehand, such as: B. the traffic density, the police presence, the weather as well as the time of day and time of year.

Lightning race mode: Here you have to drive a certain number of checkpoints within a time limit.

Circuit racing mode: The player must drive through control points that are arranged in a circle.

Checkpoint race mode: In the checkpoint race, the player must drive a certain number of checkpoints against other opponents and be the first to reach the goal. The race opponents are always balanced because they drive the same vehicle.

Undercover mode: Here the player has to work in different professions and solve different tasks. In undercover mode you can choose from the following professions: delivery driver, taxi driver, chauffeur, security guard, paramedic, police officer and special agent .

Web links

Midtown Madness series at MobyGames (English)
Official Midtown Madness homepage
Official homepage of Midtown Madness 2
Official homepage for Midtown Madness 3 ( Memento from March 28, 2009 in the Internet Archive )