Tacopocalypse is an odd game that doesn’t really fall into any one genre. It is an Arcade styled racing game like Crazy Taxi mixed together with the gameplay you’d expect from something like Jet Set Radio or Tony Hawk. Our goal is simple, deliver as many tacos as we can in the time we are given and gather enough cash to unlock either new cars or customization options. We have four maps in total to choose from, each having their own crazy gimmicks like asteroids falling from the sky or a tsunami periodically consuming most of the city. To deliver said tacos, we simply drive through a circle signifying a customer, with the amount of orders we are able to carry being limited, which causes us to have to go back to refill our supply for more tacos.
How we traverse the environments is entirely up to us and is as open as they come. This is no ordinary car, it is the type that can double jump, grind on rails, and has a boost so powerful it basically allows us to fly as long as it lasts. It is indestructible as well so even if we never take our foot off the pedal while zooming past or through obstacles, we are never any worse for wear. Each map has preset taco deliveries that are not random. This means that we can learn the ins and outs of each area to not only get a bigger paycheck, but also allows us to stand more of a chance to get high into the online leaderboards. If you don’t want to worry about either a time limit or scores, there is a Practice mode which lets you explore and mess around at your leisure.
If you have some mates around, Tacopocalypse also features four-player local coop to up the crazy meter. As you grind, barrel roll and generally cause havoc around the cities, you will notice that the amount of cash you get increases. The crazy moves you can pull off does tie into the game and comboing them together will net you far more of a hefty profit than you would merely driving everywhere. It’s a pretty laid back game, even if you only gain a few dollars there is no way to actually lose. Sure more money is good, but you are free to do whatever you want and will still gain from it. This really helps it be the type of game you can pick up for a quick session and still progress towards your goal whether it be a new object to stick onto your antenna or a fresh new paint job.
There are two additional cars that you can purchase which do handle differently and may be able to carry more or fewer taco orders at once. Nothing too game changing though it is a nice inclusion nonetheless. The maps themselves are small but filled to the brim with small details and collectibles such as a cassette that unlocks new music or spray cans for new designs to put on your car. Each area is a ton of fun to navigate around and feature some form of object that tosses you far into the air to allow you to quickly make your way back near the start to get more tacos. None of the maps have unique music, all of them play from a large selection of loud and fitting music which ranges from hip-hop to energetic boy band. Every aspect of this title is very over the top and makes it all the much more enjoyable as a result.
Not all is well in Tacopocalypse unfortunately. It has a fair share of constant glitches such as the music completely disappearing and more serious stuff like the screen suddenly turning black, forcing you to play without being able to see a thing. Both are very common and have occurred randomly each time I’ve booted up the title. The only way to fix those glitches when they happen is to restart the game. Thankfully, it is designed to be played in short bursts so you’ll never lose much, but it is no doubt annoying and worrying at the frequency they occur. Its such a shame that it suffers from technical problems as the rest of it is so well put together and incredibly stylish. Tacopocalypse has to be one of the most aesthetically pleasing titles that I have seen in a long time with gameplay equally as unique. For its low price of $5, I’d say it is still well worth picking up if you are willing to deal with a less than polished experience.
- Speer DX Review - April 4, 2024
- The Legend of Santa Review - December 7, 2023
- GROOD Review - December 6, 2023