Techno Drive

Techno Drive is a 1998 driving simulator arcade game developed and published by Namco in Japan. It is known for its unique graphical interface that uses fluorescent colors choices and flat shading. Players control a racecar throughout a variety of different minigames, each testing their skill and reaction time. Minigames include drifting along corners, avoiding collision with other vehicles, and driving with a bowl of liquid attached to the rear of the car. The game was designed for the Namco System 12, an arcade board based on raw PlayStation hardware.
"Techno Drive" is the second in Namco's "Almighty Human Project" series of simulation games, which also include "Gynotai" and "Photo Battle". Its futuristic aesthetic was designed by Minoru Sashida, who is known for his work on titles such as the "Mr. Driller" series and "". Critics praised "Techno Drive" for its unique gameplay structure and presentation, finding it a welcome change in pace from other arcade racers of the era.
Gameplay.
"Techno Drive" is a driving simulator video game. Its plot revolves around Japan's escalating traffic problems causing the country's roads to become paralyzed and deteriorating the driving ability of its population. The player is sent back to the past via a futuristic race car to rehabilitate drivers and prevent the problems of the future. The objective of the game is to control a car through a variety of racing-themed minigames under a limited amount of time. They are designed to test the player's skill and reaction time, judged by a letter grade from A- to E at the end. Minigames are split into three categories: Steering Technique, which only utilize the steering wheel; Footwork Technique, which use only the gas pedal and brake; and Practical Technique, which make use of all three. Objectives in these minigames differ for each one, including drifting around sharp corners, avoiding collision with other vehicles, driving with a bowl of liquid attached and avoiding any spills, dribbling a ball to the goal, and driving only when a large eyeball is closed. Only three minigames from each category can be played in a single game. Upon completion, the arcade cabinet prints out the player's results and letter grade.
Development and release.
"Techno Drive" is the second game in Namco's "Almighty Human Project" series, which also include the skeeball-esque "Gyontai" (1996) and action game "Photo Battle" (2003). It was designed by a small team of employees led by Minoru Sashida, a designer that was known for his work on redemption games and mechanical prize-winning machines; Sashida used the knowledge he gained from these while developing "Techno Drive". Sashida worked primarily on the game's graphical interface, which features bold, fluorescent color choices and flat-shaded polygons. "Techno Drive" was designed to be vastly different and distinct from Namco's previous racing game offerings, such as "Ridge Racer" (1993), and appealing towards a wide player demographic. The upbeat electronic soundtrack was composed by Koji Nakagawa, who later went on to compose the music for "" (1999).
"Techno Drive" was demonstrated at the 1998 Amusement Operator's Union (AOU) tradeshow at the Makuhari Messe convention center in Tokyo, alongside games such as "Ehrgeiz", "Time Crisis II", and "Panic Park". Its original concept attracted attention from publications. The game was published on July 1, 1998 in Japan.
Reception and legacy.
"Game Machine" listed "Techno Drive" as being the third most popular arcade game of August 1998. A reviewer for "Edge" described "Techno Drive" as being a "complete and drastic departure for Namco", and a game that distinguished itself from most other racing arcade games with its futuristic presentation and vastly-different gameplay structure. The reviewer said that it drastically departs from the real-world setting of Namco's previous racing games, such as the "Ridge Racer" series, and as such made it an intriguing title. Staff from "Next Generation" believed that "Techno Drive" possessed the same amount of innovation as "Soulcalibur", which was released in the same time frame. They admired the game's stylized graphics, which they took as "a concession to the real meat of the game: technical driving ability". Staff also expressed disappointment towards the lack of any kind of home release. A writer for the Italian publication "MegaConsole" enjoyed "Techno Drive" for its immersive techno atmosphere and printer feature. "Console Plus" writers found "Techno Drive" to be an aesthetically-pleasing arcade game, and its unique concept made it stand out from other titles.
Max Krieger, the creator of the puzzle game "CROSSNIQ+", credits "Techno Drive" for inspiring most of the look and presentation used in his game. A song from the game appears as a playable track in the Nintendo Switch game "". The music used for the Footwork Technique minigames was played live at "Ridge Racer Night 2", a concert hosted to celebrate the 20th anniversary of "Ridge Racer" in 2014. In July 2015, Bandai Namco Entertainment announced it would cease support for "Techno Drive" due to a shortage of necessary parts.