is a 1985
platform game
A platform game (often simplified as platformer and sometimes called a jump 'n' run game) is a sub-genre of action video games in which the core objective is to move the player character between points in an environment. Platform games are charac ...
developed by
NMK and published in
arcades by
Jaleco
was a corporate brand name that was used by two previously connected video game developers and publishers based in Japan. The original Jaleco company was founded in 1974 as Japan Leisure Company, founded by Yoshiaki Kanazawa, before being renam ...
. It was released in North America by Kitkorp as ''Cruisin. The player controls Clarice in her
Honda City hatchback and must drive over elevating roads to paint them. Clarice is constantly under pursuit by police cars, which she can take out by launching oil cans at them, temporarily stunning them, and then ramming into them with her car. The design of was inspired by
maze chase games like ''
Pac-Man
originally called ''Puck Man'' in Japan, is a 1980 maze action video game developed and released by Namco for arcades. In North America, the game was released by Midway Manufacturing as part of its licensing agreement with Namco America. Th ...
'' (1980) and ''
Crush Roller
, released as ''Make Trax'' in North America, is a 1981 puzzle-maze game developed by Alpha Denshi and released for arcades by Kural Samno Electric in Japan. It was licensed in Europe to Exidy, who released it under its original title ''Crush R ...
'' (1981). ''City Connection'' was ported to the
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit third-generation home video game console produced by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan in 1983 as the commonly known as the The NES, a redesigned version, was released in America ...
,
MSX, and
ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum () is an 8-bit computing, 8-bit home computer that was developed by Sinclair Research. It was released in the United Kingdom on 23 April 1982, and became Britain's best-selling microcomputer.
Referred to during development as t ...
, among other plataforms.
In Japan, the game has maintained a loyal following, and the NES version is seen as a classic for the platform. It has since been re-released through several Jaleco game collections and services such as the
Wii Virtual Console
A virtual console (VC) – also known as a virtual terminal (VT) – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some Unix-like operating systems such as Linux, BSD, illumos, Un ...
. These versions attracted more mixed responses in North America, with critics disliking its simplicity, lack of replay value, and poor controls. Some felt it possessed a cute aesthetic and unique concept, and was entertaining to play. Jaleco produced a sequel named ''City Connection Rocket'' for Japanese mobile phones in 2004. The game is credited for having one of the first female protagonists in a console game.
Gameplay
In ''City Connection'', the player controls Clarice, a blue-haired teen driving an orange Honda City hatchback, as she travels around the world in the quest of finding herself the perfect man.
Clarice traverses through twelve side-scrolling stages that take place within famous locations around the world, including New York, London, and Japan.
To clear these levels, the player must drive over each of the elevated highways to change their color from white to green.
The car can jump over large gaps to reach higher sections of the stage.
Clarice is constantly being pursued by police cars that follow her around the stage, and must also avoid flag-waving cats that block her from moving past them.
Clarice can collect and launch oil cans at police cars and traffic vehicles to temporarily stun them;
ramming into them while stunned will knock them off the stage. Cats are invulnerable to oil cans, and cannot be killed by any means. If the player remains on the same stage for an extended period of time, spikes extrude from the ground and instantly kills them.
On occasion, a red-colored balloon may appear in the stage, and collecting three of these warps the player to a new area and grants them bonus points.
Stages
Development and release
''City Connection'' was developed by
NMK and published by
Jaleco
was a corporate brand name that was used by two previously connected video game developers and publishers based in Japan. The original Jaleco company was founded in 1974 as Japan Leisure Company, founded by Yoshiaki Kanazawa, before being renam ...
in Japanese arcades in July 1985.
In North America, the game was licensed to Kitkorp and published as ''Cruisin''.
Many of the game's stages feature an arrangement of
Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1. The song used when Clarice hits one of the flag-waving cats is "
Flohwalzer", known in Japan as "Neko Funjatta" (lit. "I Stepped on the Cat"),
while another stage features a remix of the song "
Highway Star" by Deep Purple.
''City Connection'' is credited as being one of the first to use new music tracks for each stage as opposed to recycling one song.
The car the player controls throughout the game is a
Honda City hatchback, which is believed to be the source for the game's title.
Jaleco based the game's concept on
Namco
was a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational video game and entertainment company, headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo. It held several international branches, including Namco America in Santa Clara, California, Namco Europe in London, Na ...
's ''
Pac-Man
originally called ''Puck Man'' in Japan, is a 1980 maze action video game developed and released by Namco for arcades. In North America, the game was released by Midway Manufacturing as part of its licensing agreement with Namco America. Th ...
'' (1980) and
Alpha Denshi
, formerly known as , was a Japanese video game developer founded in 1980. ADK began as a developer of arcade games and is best known for their library of SNK Neo Geo titles, including for its home consoles, produced in partnership with SNK. ...
's ''
Crush Roller
, released as ''Make Trax'' in North America, is a 1981 puzzle-maze game developed by Alpha Denshi and released for arcades by Kural Samno Electric in Japan. It was licensed in Europe to Exidy, who released it under its original title ''Crush R ...
'' (1981).
''City Connection'' was ported to several consoles, including the
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit third-generation home video game console produced by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan in 1983 as the commonly known as the The NES, a redesigned version, was released in America ...
(NES),
ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum () is an 8-bit computing, 8-bit home computer that was developed by Sinclair Research. It was released in the United Kingdom on 23 April 1982, and became Britain's best-selling microcomputer.
Referred to during development as t ...
, and
MSX.
The NES version, which was Jaleco's first release for the system in North America,
replaces Clarice with an unnamed male protagonist (though the Famicom release does feature Clarice,), alongside other minor differences. The Japanese Family Computer (Famicom) version is included in the compilations ''Jaleco Collection Vol. 1'' (2003) for
PlayStation
is a video gaming brand that consists of five home video game consoles, two handhelds, a media center, and a smartphone, as well as an online service and multiple magazines. The brand is produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment, a divisi ...
and ''JaJaMaru Jr. Denshoki Jaleco Memorial'' (2004) for
Game Boy Advance
The (GBA) is a 32-bit handheld game console developed, manufactured and marketed by Nintendo as the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001, in North America on June 11, 2001, in the PAL region on June 22, 2 ...
. Both the NES and Famicom versions were digitally re-released for the
Wii Virtual Console
A virtual console (VC) – also known as a virtual terminal (VT) – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some Unix-like operating systems such as Linux, BSD, illumos, Un ...
in 2008,
and the
3DS
The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo. It was announced in March 2010 and unveiled at E3 2010 as the successor to the Nintendo DS. The system features backward compatibility with Nintendo DS video games. As an eighth-generatio ...
and
Wii U Virtual Console
A virtual console (VC) – also known as a virtual terminal (VT) – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some Unix-like operating systems such as Linux, BSD, illumos, Unix ...
in 2013.
A version for Japanese cellular phones was published in 2002 through
i-Mode
NTT DoCoMo's i-mode is a mobile internet (distinct from wireless internet) service popular in Japan. Unlike Wireless Application Protocols, i-mode encompasses a wider variety of internet standards, including web access, e-mail, and the packet- ...
devices. Mediakite produced a port of the arcade game for
Windows
Windows is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. For example, Windows NT for consumers, Windows Server for serv ...
in 2003, while Jaleco produced a remake titled ''City Connection DX'' for mobile phones in Japan.
Hamster Corporation
is a Japanese video game publisher, with office located in Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan. The game division of Toshiba-EMI Limited spun off Hamster Corporation in November 1999.
On the Japanese PlayStation Store, more than 200 titles are distrib ...
released a digital version of the game under their ''
Arcade Archives'' series for the
PlayStation 4
The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013 in ...
in 2014, and for the
Nintendo Switch
The is a hybrid video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. The console itself is a Tablet computer#Gaming tablet, tablet that can either be docking station, docked for use as a home video ...
in 2018.
The NES version is also available through the
Nintendo Switch Online
Nintendo Switch Online (NSO) is an online subscription service for the Nintendo Switch video game console. Nintendo Switch Online features include online multiplayer, cloud saving, voice chat via a smartphone app, access to a library of Ninten ...
service.
Reception
''City Connection'' has maintained a loyal following in Japan, where it became one of Jaleco's most successful and beloved games.
The NES version, in particular, is viewed as a classic title on the system for its accurate portrayal of the arcade original.
In 2003, ''Yuge'' listed it as being among the console's greatest games, through its unique gameplay, colorful visuals, and memorable soundtrack. The magazine staff described it as being a game that fulfills the dreams of children who want to play arcade games.
The NES version and its digital re-releases received mixed reviews in North America, by comparison. Critics focused largely on its overall simplicity and poor controls. A reviewer for ''Computer Entertainment US'' felt that the game was hindered by its lack of replay value for older players.
''
IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
'' and ''
Nintendo Life
Gamer Network Limited (formerly Eurogamer Network Limited) is a British mass media company based in Brighton. Founded in 1999 by Rupert and Nick Loman, it owns brands—primarily editorial websites—relating to video game journalism and other ...
'' reviewers Lucas M. Thomas and Marcel van Duyn respectively both believed the game didn't age well and was too simplistic;
Duyn described it as being "still well below par" compared to other NES ports of classic arcade games.
Agreeing with them was ''Nintendo Life''s Steve Bowling (now part of Good Vibes Gaming with
Ashton Paulsen (Rob Paulsen's Son), and Derrick Bitner), who claimed the Wii U version was a shallow conversion of an arcade game he considered "already lost to the ages", specifically for its ill-conceived controls.
Critics felt ''City Connection'', in light of its flaws, possessed a cute aesthetic and unique gameplay. ''Computer Entertainer US'' believed its cute visual style would appeal to younger players and its challenge to older ones, and said what little the game had to offer was enjoyable.
Christopher Michael of ''
AllGame
RhythmOne , previously known as Blinkx, and also known as RhythmOne Group, is an American digital advertising technology company that owns and operates the web properties AllMusic, AllMovie, and SideReel.
Blinkx was founded in 2004, went publ ...
'' likened its gameplay to ''
Pac-Man
originally called ''Puck Man'' in Japan, is a 1980 maze action video game developed and released by Namco for arcades. In North America, the game was released by Midway Manufacturing as part of its licensing agreement with Namco America. Th ...
'' and similar maze-chase arcade games from the era, writing that its graphics and gameplay made it a must-play for the platform.
Reviewing for ''
Eurogamer
''Eurogamer'' is a British video game journalism website launched in 1999 and owned by alongside formed company Gamer Network. Its editor-in-chief is Martin Robinson.
Since 2008, it is known for the formerly eponymous games trade fair EGX ...
'', Dan Whitehead compared its gameplay to ''
Q*Bert
''Q*bert'' (also known as ''Qbert'') is an arcade video game developed and published for the North American market by Gottlieb in 1982. It is a 2D action game with puzzle elements that uses isometric graphics to create a pseudo-3D effect. The ...
'' and its horizontal-scrolling to ''
Defender'', and made for an addictive game that justified its price tag.
Thomas and Duyn agreed that ''City Connection''s gameplay was simplistic and enjoyable, though constrained by its controls and high difficulty.
Legacy
Clarice is credited as being among the first female protagonists in a console game.
She appears as a playable character in the
PlayStation
is a video gaming brand that consists of five home video game consoles, two handhelds, a media center, and a smartphone, as well as an online service and multiple magazines. The brand is produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment, a divisi ...
game ''GUNbare! Game Tengoku'' (1998), misspelled as "Claris" and bearing little resemblance to her original design, and in the high-definition remaster ''
The Game Paradise Crusin' Mix'' (2018) as downloadable content.
In 2004, Jaleco released a sequel named ''City Connection Rocket'' for Japanese mobile phones through
i-Mode
NTT DoCoMo's i-mode is a mobile internet (distinct from wireless internet) service popular in Japan. Unlike Wireless Application Protocols, i-mode encompasses a wider variety of internet standards, including web access, e-mail, and the packet- ...
.
The game places Clarice in the role of a spy working for a secret organization to capture criminal leaders from around the world. Rather than painting sections of road, Clarice must now collect briefcases placed in specific areas in each stage while avoiding police cars and other types of enemies.
''Rocket'' was bundled with ''City Connection DX'' for a 2015 re-release on the
PlayStation Vita
The PlayStation Vita (PS Vita, or Vita) is a handheld video game console developed and marketed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 17, 2011, and in North America, Europe, and other international territo ...
under Hamster's ''Appli-Archives'' series, which was available through the
PlayStation Mobile
PlayStation Mobile (formerly PlayStation SuiteHinkle, David. (2012-06-04 HTC is first partner for 'PlayStation Mobile,' the new name for PlayStation Suite [Update: Press release added Joystiq. Retrieved on 2013-08-23.) was a software framework us ...
service. PlayStation Mobile closed in September 2015, delisting the game from the PlayStation Store and other supported devices.
The company City Connection (company), City Connection, who is the current owner of Jaleco's video game assets, is named after the game.
Notes
References
{{Jaleco
1985 video games
Arcade video games
City Connection franchises
Honda
Jaleco games
Kitkorp games
MSX games
Nintendo Entertainment System games
Nintendo Switch games
Nintendo Switch Online NES games
Platform games
PlayStation 4 games
Side-scrolling video games
Video games developed in Japan
Video games featuring female protagonists
Video games set in New York City
Video games set in London
Video games set in Paris
Video games set in Germany
Video games set in the Netherlands
Video games set in Egypt
Video games set in China
Video games set in Japan
Video games set in Sydney
Video games set in Mexico
Video games set in Peru
Video games set in Easter Island
Video games set in Arizona
Video games set in Utah
Virtual Console games
Windows games
ZX Spectrum games
Hamster Corporation games
Multiplayer and single-player video games