Crazy Taxi Cheat Codes & Secrets
Complete collection of cheat codes, passwords, unlockables, and hidden secrets for Crazy Taxi (1999).
Expert Mode and Play Modifiers
Crazy Taxi does not use traditional enter-a-code cheat systems. Instead, secrets are accessed by holding specific buttons at the character select screen before confirming your driver choice. All inputs below are for the Dreamcast controller (A, B, X, Y face buttons; R and L analog triggers; D-pad; analog thumbstick; Start).
| Secret | Input | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Expert Mode | Hold Start while selecting your driver | Removes the green destination arrow and on-screen customer indicators — no guidance at all |
| Another Day | Hold Start for approximately 3 seconds at the character select screen before confirming | Alters the in-game lighting and time-of-day, changes traffic density and some pedestrian placement |
| No Destination Marker | Achieved alongside Expert Mode via the Start hold | The overhead marker showing customer destination disappears in addition to the arrow |
To confirm: at the character select screen, press and hold Start, keep it held while pressing the button to lock in your driver. Releasing Start too early reverts to normal mode.
Arcade Map vs. Original Map
The Dreamcast port shipped with two distinct city maps, both selectable from the main menu — this is not a cheat but is frequently overlooked.
| Mode | Selection | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Arcade | Highlight and select “Arcade” from the main menu | The original coin-op San Francisco–inspired layout with real-world brand destinations (Pizza Hut, Tower Records, KFC, Levi’s, FILA) |
| Original | Highlight and select “Original” from the main menu | Dreamcast-exclusive larger map, different landmark set, unique fare routes not present in any arcade version |
Both maps support Expert Mode and Another Day modifiers independently.
Crazy Box Mode
Crazy Box is a built-in challenge mode accessible directly from the main menu — not hidden, but many players miss the depth of its unlockable stages.
| Stage Group | Unlock Condition | Challenges Included |
|---|---|---|
| Group 1 (Stages 1–4) | Available from the start | Basic fare, bowling, pool, jump distance |
| Group 2 (Stages 5–8) | Complete all Group 1 challenges | Moving target fares, precision parking, speed challenges |
| Group 3 (Stages 9–12) | Complete all Group 2 challenges | Sequential multi-point routes, chain fares, timed obstacle sets |
| Group 4 (Stages 13–16) | Complete all Group 3 challenges | Expert-tier challenges combining drift, distance, and multi-fare chains |
All 16 Crazy Box challenges must be completed to achieve 100% completion. There is no password system — progress saves to the Dreamcast VMU.
Advanced Driving Techniques (Exploits)
These are not programmed cheats but are the primary skill-based exploits used by high-score players and speedrunners. All inputs assume Dreamcast controls where R Trigger = Accelerate, L Trigger = Brake, D-pad Up = Drive gear, D-pad Down = Reverse gear, and the analog thumbstick handles steering.
Crazy Dash (Standing Boost)
The single most important technique in the game. Performed at a complete stop for a dramatic launch acceleration beyond normal takeoff speed.
Input sequence:
- Come to a full stop
- Press D-pad Down (Reverse gear) and hold R Trigger (gas) simultaneously for a brief moment
- Immediately press D-pad Up (Drive gear) while still holding R Trigger
- The taxi launches forward with a significant burst of speed
Timing window is roughly 0.2–0.3 seconds on the reverse hold. Too long and you actually move backward. The boost is most visible on pickups — use it the instant you collect a customer.
Limiter Cut (Speed Cap Removal)
The taxi has a built-in top speed cap. Limiter Cut temporarily bypasses it, allowing you to exceed the normal maximum velocity on long straight roads.
Input sequence:
- Reach full speed while holding R Trigger and D-pad Up
- Briefly tap L Trigger (brake) — just a quick tap, not a full press
- Immediately re-apply R Trigger + D-pad Up
- Speed exceeds the normal cap for several seconds
Limiter Cut stacks with Crazy Dash on initial acceleration. On the Arcade map, the long stretch near the bridge is ideal for demonstrating the technique.
Crazy Boost (Moving Dash)
A variation of Crazy Dash performed while already moving at low to medium speed.
Input sequence:
- While rolling at reduced speed (e.g., after a sharp turn)
- Tap D-pad Down (Reverse) while holding R Trigger
- Immediately flick back to D-pad Up (Drive)
- Car surges forward — less dramatic than a standing Crazy Dash but useful mid-route
Crazy Drift
Maintaining speed through corners rather than braking.
Technique: At corner entry, hold R Trigger (gas), steer into the turn with the analog stick, and simultaneously tap L Trigger lightly to induce oversteer. The taxi rotates while maintaining momentum rather than scrubbing speed. Essential for the tight corners in downtown sections of both maps.
Map Shortcuts and Route Exploits
Arcade Map
| Shortcut | Location | How to Use |
|---|---|---|
| Highway underpass cut | Near the bridge area | Drive through the lower underpass to skip the curved surface road — saves 3–5 seconds on cross-city fares |
| Beach strip straight | Coastal road section | A rare straight stretch — ideal for Limiter Cut chaining; avoid braking once you enter it |
| Alley bypass (downtown) | Between the tall buildings cluster | Narrow alley cuts the corner of a major intersection; only viable at reduced speed |
| Park shortcut | Central green space | Drive through the park itself on the dirt path rather than circling the surrounding road |
Original Map
| Shortcut | Location | How to Use |
|---|---|---|
| Stadium parking lot cut | Near the large venue in the east zone | Drive through the lot — shorter than the road route to several nearby fare destinations |
| Hill descent direct line | Northern elevated area | Go straight down the steep grade rather than following the road’s switchback; use Crazy Drift at the bottom to correct direction |
Score Ranks and Driver Licenses
Crazy Taxi tracks your earnings and converts them into letter-ranked licenses displayed after each run. These are not unlockables in the traditional sense but affect end-screen prestige and feed into some Crazy Box unlock conditions.
| Rank | Approximate Earnings Required (3-minute session) | License Title |
|---|---|---|
| E | Under $1,000 | Crazy (E class) |
| D | $1,000–$2,499 | Crazy (D class) |
| C | $2,500–$4,999 | Crazy (C class) |
| B | $5,000–$7,499 | Crazy (B class) |
| A | $7,500–$9,999 | Crazy (A class) |
| S | $10,000+ | Crazy (S class) — referred to as “Crazy S” |
Higher earnings in the 5-minute and 10-minute modes scale proportionally. Consistently landing S-rank runs requires Crazy Dash on every pickup and Limiter Cut on every long fare.
Easter Eggs and Hidden Details
Real Brand Destinations (Arcade Map)
The original Dreamcast release contains fully licensed real-world brand placements as fare destinations. These were removed or replaced with generic names in later PC and console re-releases:
- Pizza Hut — distinctive red roof landmark
- Tower Records — music store with recognizable signage
- Kentucky Fried Chicken — corner restaurant location
- Levi’s — clothing shop in the shopping district
- FILA — sportswear shop near the central area
In all re-releases from 2010 onward (Steam, XBLA, PSN), these are replaced with fictional equivalents (Crazy Pizza, Tower Rock Records, etc.). The Dreamcast version and original Naomi arcade board are the only ways to see the licensed versions on original hardware.
Taxi Driver Idle Animations
If you leave the taxi stationary at the character select or while idling in-game, each of the four drivers (Axel, B.D. Joe, Gena, Slash) has a unique idle animation cycle. Leaving the camera on a stationary driver for 10+ seconds triggers extended animations not normally seen during active play.
Fare Dialogue Variation
Each driver has a different set of voiced lines for pickups and drop-offs. Running the same driver through repeated sessions surfaces rare dialogue lines that appear with low frequency — estimated at roughly one rare line per fifteen standard fare completions per driver.
No Password System
Crazy Taxi (Dreamcast, 1999) does not use a password system for level or progress recovery. All progress — Crazy Box completion, high scores, and best earnings per mode — is stored exclusively to the Dreamcast VMU (Visual Memory Unit) memory card. A minimum of one VMU block of free space is required. If no VMU is present, progress is not saved between sessions and all Crazy Box completion resets on power-off.