Cruis'n' Blast is all about insane situations and close calls...but
they happen with such frequency that it seems implausible, even by Arcade standards. I mean,
how is it that it’s always just a close call, and never something significantly worse? Like being
crushed, eaten, or falling to your death? And on the flipside how is it that you always seem
to be in just the right place at the right time to witness these close calls in the first place?
It doesn’t matter how fast or slow you drive, the out-of-control ferris wheel will always just
narrowly miss, the tornado, without exception, will dissipate just before you reach it,
the chasm won’t ever swallow you whole, and the Yeti’s hamd will always fall just slightly short.
Come on man, I just want to be held by a giant Yeti! I’m sure it’s super cuddly.
Point is, the world of Cruis'n' Blast seems like a dangerous place,
but it’s all just an elaborate magic trick. One that intends to deceive you, and only you,
into making you feel like an action movie star and that you’re always in danger.
Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
Just kidding, we’re fine see? But could you imagine? And it’s close calls such
as that that make Cruisn’ blast such a thrill. And the game pulls off this
illusion in a few clever ways--including one method I’ve never seen before in my life. So
let’s take a look at how Cruis'n' Blast essentially lies to you--the player--but
for the best possible reasons, in our first episode of Secrets of the Gameplay.
Pop quiz hot shot: Can you tell me what’s wrong with this scene?
I’ll even play it again.Yeah, we’re in last place...and yet we’re somehow the first to
smash through the wall? How’s that possible when this is the only way through? Well,
as you might have gussed, the wall can only ever be destroyed by you,
as it ignores any computer opponent ahead of you, allowing them to pass through as if it
didn’t exist at all. Which guarantees you’re always the one to create the spectacle. Aww,
isn’t that nice! Cruis'n Blast is so considerate. You can find similar setpieces elsewhere,
like the giant Yeti who always smashes through the ice floor just as you happen to arrive.
And it’s Yeti trick that actually hints at another
method of deception used far more often throughout the game.
Have you noticed that every single hazard seems to be perfectly timed
to react exclusively to you, always just narrowly missing you at the last second
no matter how long you’ve taken to get there
How in the hell does that work? Well, this one might just blow your mind.
As it turns out, almost every major animated object is literally synched to your car’s
position, advancing only when you do. Check this out--if we come to a stop, so does the supposedly
out-of-control Ferris wheel. But if we start moving again, it does too...keeping pace based
on your speed--or perhaps more accurately, your position on the track. So it doesn't matter how
fast or slow you go, you’ll never catch it, but you’ll also never miss seeing it either.
Almost every single hazard is exactly where it needs to be at every moment in time
in order to ensure it’s in the optimal position based on your proximity.
And this trick is used everywhere. Like with the Yeti’s paw,
or crashing semi truck, or the attacking dinosaurs,
or even the helicopter’s missiles. You’re practically Neo!
They all just come to a stop if you do yourself, as if magically suspended in time. That is until
you advance farther on the track. It’s almost like you’re a god, controlling their every movement.
Jafar: “The power!”
And even though it’s impossible to turn around and drive the wrong way, I was able to find a
spot where I was able to roll backwards, causing the animation to play in reverse!
It’s such a simple and genius solution to what could have been a very complex problem.
Could you imagine if you missed seeing all the spectacular action just because you fell behind?
Cruis’n? It’d be more like Snooz’n. Of course,
knowing the secret to how it works does kind of ruin the illusions a bit--but
hey, knowing the secret can make you appreciate the magic trick in a whole new way,
Now I did find one interesting set piece that does something a little bit different--and
it’s when the two London trains collide. Because it’s physical;ly impossible to slow down here--in
fact, the game actually forces you to speed up whether you want to or not.
So it seems this is one moment that the developer absolutely did not want you screwing with,
taking some control away from the player in order to ensure they see it as intended.
Ron Burgundy: “I’m not even mad. That’s amazing.”
Now there are a handful of setpieces that use more conventional animations that play out from
start-to-finish at a set speed, based on you hitting an invisible trigger on the track,
though they’re definitely the exception rather than the rule.
Alright, so that explains the animated elements in Cruis'n' Blast,
but what about the inanimate ones...specifically being the large gaps, like this gorge here?
What happens if your jump happens to say, fall short? Well...lord, It's a miracle! Okay, or maybe
it’s just an invisible track. And every single gap in the game has one, ensuring that, once again,
that you’re never in any real danger. It keeps the action flowing, even if it comes at the occasional
expense of believability--but in general, you’re moving too fast for you to notice,
and this is yet another clever way of ensuring you’re always kept right in the action.
From a developer’s standpoint, these tricks are unlikely to work for every racing game. Or even
many other racing games period. But Crusi’n Blasts more restricted movement combined with
constantly thrilling setpieces made it uniquely suited for just this kind of problem solving.
So there you have it: a breakdown of some of the secrets to Crusin’s gameplay, which is
only done to ensure you’re always in the middle of the action--yet never in any actual danger.
So what do you think of this clever deception? And do you want to see more episodes exposing
secrets of the gameplay? Let us know by posting in the comments below. Thanks so
much for watching and of course, make sure to click that subscribe button and ring that bell
for more interesting features and everything else Nintendo Switch. We’ll catch you next time.