I love driving. So it may seem strange that I couldn’t care less about the car itself. I can’t count the number of times someone has asked me what make of car I have, to which I’ve replied, ‘A small red one.’ Tokyo Xtreme Racer achieved the impossible. It inspired me to explore internet forums, where I learned about suspension, oversteer and other tuning options of my own accord. Tweaking my roadhorse in great detail just to leave a random NPC I challenged on the highways of Tokyo in the dust.
Déjà vu
For long-time racing game enthusiasts, Tokyo Xtreme Racer (or Shutokou Battle in Japanese) may ring a bell. It’s a long-running series inspired by Japanese high-speed street racing culture. The first instalment was released in 1994 on the Famicom, and the series continued to be popular with 25 releases (13 of which were translated for the Western market) until 2007. Since then, it has been mostly quiet, with only two mobile releases. However, late last year, developer Genki announced that Tokyo Xtreme Racer would be making a comeback. The game was made available on Steam Early Access in January 2025, and was released on 25 September as version 1.0. An additional announcement confirmed that the game is also being developed for the PlayStation 5. Genki clearly wants this game to succeed, so they haven’t compromised on the variety of gameplay either.
Gas Gas Gas
Tokyo Xtreme starts by giving you a budget. You also get three cars to choose from. They are all good options. During the early access period, I opted for the Mazda RX8. I blew my budget right away on an expensive, fast car. However, in the 1.0, I decided to start again and embrace my inner underdog drifter with the Toyota Trueno ’86. This gave me a bit more tuning cash right away.
Once you have chosen your vehicle, you can start your journey as an up-and-coming rookie on the Tokyo Expressway. You are dropped onto the ringway and taught the basic mechanics of the game. You find the rivals, who are indicated on the map, and race them. Drive up behind them and flash your headlights to trigger a race. What follows isn’t a standard race to a certain point or against the clock. It’s a clash of spirits!
Once you have challenged someone, two spirit bars will appear at the top of the screen. One is for you and one is for your opponent. A racer loses spirit by staying behind for too long or by sustaining damage from other cars or obstacles. After all, a highway in one of the biggest cities in the world isn’t empty.
The early races may seem easy, but once you’ve gained a reputation, the racing starts to live up to its promise. It becomes a clash of wills between two people who want to gain respect by proving that they are the fastest. This is especially true when you are challenged by the boss of a street gang after taking down all of their members. It becomes a nail-biting experience that leaves you on the edge of your seat.
One interesting fact is that it’s not just the gangs and rivals who can be challenged. Every driver on the roads of this strange version of Tokyo is ready to burn some rubber. They aren’t as easy to beat as you might think, which can be hilarious. Take the taxis, for example. Whenever I tried to challenge one, even with a fully tuned car, I was left eating their dust. Most taxi drivers in Japan are retired men, so imagining my opponent was an elderly person with a terrified passenger in the back seat was hilarious. It also makes the downtime between races more enjoyable. This is especially true later in the game when the world gets bigger as you unlock more roads around Tokyo and rivals drive further apart.
A racer’s dream
Of course, winning earns you cash and stat points. These can then be used to buy and unlock new cars and parts for your cars. You can customise every car to make it your own unique vehicle, completely tailored to your preferences. Aesthetically and mechanically. You can fully kit out a car with new colours, spoilers, tyre rims and LED lights. The options are almost endless.
Upgrading your car’s mechanical attributes takes the experience to an even higher level. If you unlock a part’s customisation option, you can tweak it down to the finest detail. Take the suspension, for example. I upgraded it and was able to adjust the height of the front and back of my car separately. This had a significant impact on the handling, and the same goes for all the other options. In my first playthrough, my Mazda became a fast and furious racing machine that excelled on straight roads, reaching dazzling speeds. In contrast, my new Toyota was built for outmanoeuvring opponents around corners and through tight spots. Whatever you’re looking for, there’s a build for you.
Whether you’re a car enthusiast or not, there’s no need to worry. There is a dedicated key during tuning that provides a useful overview of the effect that tuning changes will have on your car. It certainly helped me — someone whose tuning knowledge was limited to the speed and acceleration bars in Mario Kart.
When naming this section of the review, I couldn’t think of a better way to describe Tokyo Xtreme Racer than as a racer’s dream. It makes you feel like an up-and-coming tuner/racer. The story may seem weak at times, but that doesn’t detract from the core experience. Nothing beats the feeling of overtaking an opponent after a neck-and-neck race, only for them to make a mistake and crash while overtaking another vehicle. Racing in this game is nail-biting, and I hope it succeeds so that the series can continue. It already seems to have been embraced by the internet. There are a lot of positive player reviews and an active community. Genki is also constantly improving the game, releasing patches to enhance the experience. With the upcoming PS5 release, I doubt this drive to update and improve will stop any time soon.
Conclusion
Tokyo Xtreme Racer is a prime example of how an older IP can make a successful comeback if the team behind it is passionate and dedicated. After 18 years, Genki successfully revived the series, staying true to its core values and offering a unique experience for new and returning players alike. The Tokyo expressway is an amazing setting for this arcade racer, offering thrilling confrontations with rival gangs and even ordinary NPCs. Everyone on the road is looking for an opportunity to prove themselves, and with a plethora of customisation options, both mechanical and aesthetic, you can customise your experience to the fullest. I can’t wait to see where the series goes next. I hope the PS5 release will give it even more exposure. It’s a must-play game, whether you’re a car enthusiast or just a gamer looking for a good time.
