Since its explosive debut in 1999, Crazy Taxi has been inextricably linked to the high-octane punk rock of The Offspring, particularly their 1997 anthem, “All I Want.” This soundtrack became so fundamental to the player experience that when later ports for the PS3, Xbox 360, and PC omitted tracks from The Offspring and Bad Religion, fans were quick to voice their disappointment. Following the recent announcement of Crazy Taxi: World Tour, we sat down with series producer Kenji Kanno to discuss why these specific songs remain the heartbeat of the franchise.
Kanno reveals that even during the early stages of development back in 2022, the soundtrack was a non-negotiable priority. “Music is vital to Crazy Taxi,” Kanno explains. “Whenever I sit down with stakeholders, the first questions are always about whether we have secured The Offspring and Bad Religion.”
For Kanno, the music isn’t just background noise; it is the blueprint for the game’s design. “I establish the theme song before anything else,” he notes. “I tell the development team, ‘We are building this game around this song,’ and I have them listen to it on repeat. Whether they’re a designer or a programmer, they’re working with that energy pulsating in the background.”
The discovery of the original soundtrack was a stroke of serendipity, born from the quintessential 90s pastime of crate-digging at a record store. Kanno recalls spending an entire day browsing the shelves at Tower Records in Japan, sampling tracks until he found the perfect punk-rock sound to match the game’s frantic pacing. That connection was so profound that a virtual Tower Records was even immortalized as a destination within the original Crazy Taxi map.
The signature energy of The Offspring and Bad Religion is set to make a triumphant return in Crazy Taxi: World Tour, which aims to modernize the classic arcade loop for a new generation. While the title promises a chaotic, high-speed experience, it has also faced scrutiny regarding its implementation of generative AI. Kanno has addressed these concerns directly, offering insights into how the studio is utilizing new technology.
Crazy Taxi: World Tour is scheduled to launch on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, and PC in 2027.
