L.A. Rush
Encyclopedia
L.A. Rush is the 4th installment in the Rush
series of video games. It was released in North America for the PlayStation 2
and Xbox
consoles on October 10, 2005 and on October 21 in Europe. The PC
version was released on November 4 in Europe. PlayStation Portable version was released on October 30, 2006 named Rush. Many details were revealed at E3 in May 2005. The game is free-roaming with races similar to those in Need for Speed: Underground
. The GPS
map can have a point assigned to a certain location and then the point shows up on the radar during gameplay. The game features voice talent from Orlando Jones
, Bill Bellamy
, and Twista
. In addition to the console versions and PC version it was to be available on Gizmondo
.
in 2005 alongside other purchases.
PlayStation Portable port was released on October 30, 2006 named Rush.
The game has all-new missions and two all-new modes. Other new features include 50 new vehicles (with at least 36 of them being licensed), 30 new cruise missions (playable with another player using the PSP's Wi-Fi
), upgrades for cars (available from multiple top-line manufacturers and West Coast Customs
) and a new hip-hop
and rock
soundtrack
. Twista
and Lil' Kim
are featured in the soundtrack.
The "stunt arena" mode lets the player launch their car off ramps and fly through the air and performing different tricks. In order to keep up with points, the player must land their car safely on all four wheels. This feature was missing in L.A. Rush, but was in all other home Rush games. You also can unlock new cars and customize them in West Coast Customs.
crew. GamesRadar
says: "Roll your vehicle into the garage and they'll kit it out with what they feel like".
Not all reaction was negative. The realistic handling in the game was welcomed by some as being comparable to the handling in Juiced and Need for Speed: Underground 2
. L.A. Rush has also been criticised for not including every area of Los Angeles; for example, the San Fernando Valley
was excluded. A criticism among fans is that the game is too realistic in comparison to the earlier Rush games which featured exaggerated fantasy locations and game physics.
The game features many licensed cars such as the Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec-V, the Subaru Impreza WRX STI, the Nissan Skyline
GTR R34 and the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IV (among others). In total, up to 30 licensed cars are unlockable in the game.
Rush (video game series)
Rush is a series of racing game video games developed by American based company Atari Games and published by Atari Games and Midway Games for the Home Consoles. The series debuted worldwide in 1996. Initially, the series was exclusive to the fifth generation consoles and was brought back later in...
series of video games. It was released in North America for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
and Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
consoles on October 10, 2005 and on October 21 in Europe. The PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
version was released on November 4 in Europe. PlayStation Portable version was released on October 30, 2006 named Rush. Many details were revealed at E3 in May 2005. The game is free-roaming with races similar to those in Need for Speed: Underground
Need for Speed: Underground
Need for Speed: Underground is the seventh racing game in the Need for Speed video game series developed by EA Black Box and published by Electronic Arts in 2003...
. The GPS
Global Positioning System
The Global Positioning System is a space-based global navigation satellite system that provides location and time information in all weather, anywhere on or near the Earth, where there is an unobstructed line of sight to four or more GPS satellites...
map can have a point assigned to a certain location and then the point shows up on the radar during gameplay. The game features voice talent from Orlando Jones
Orlando Jones
Orlando Jones is an American comedian and film and television actor. He is notable for being one of the original cast members of the sketch comedy series MADtv and for his role as the 7 Up spokesman from 1999-2002.-Early life:...
, Bill Bellamy
Bill Bellamy
William "Bill" Bellamy is an American actor and stand-up comedian. He currently resides in California. Bellamy first gained national notoriety on HBO's Russell Simmons' Def Comedy Jam, where he is credited for creating or uttering before a televised audience, the phrase "booty call", described as...
, and Twista
Twista
Carl Terrell Mitchell , better known by his stage name Twista, is an American rapper. He is known for once holding the title of fastest rapper in the world according to Guinness World Records in 1992, being able to pronounce 598 syllables in 55 seconds...
. In addition to the console versions and PC version it was to be available on Gizmondo
Gizmondo
The Gizmondo is a handheld gaming console which was released by Tiger Telematics in March 2005. The electronics design was undertaken by Plextek Limited and the industrial design by Rick Dickinson....
.
Hollywood
- HollywoodHollywood, Los Angeles, CaliforniaHollywood is a famous district in Los Angeles, California, United States situated west-northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Due to its fame and cultural identity as the historical center of movie studios and movie stars, the word Hollywood is often used as a metonym of American cinema...
- Beverly HillsBeverly Hills, CaliforniaBeverly Hills is an affluent city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. With a population of 34,109 at the 2010 census, up from 33,784 as of the 2000 census, it is home to numerous Hollywood celebrities. Beverly Hills and the neighboring city of West Hollywood are together...
- Mulholland DriveMulholland DriveMulholland Drive is a street and road in the eastern Santa Monica Mountains of Southern California. It is named after Los Angeles pioneer civil engineer William Mulholland...
Downtown
- Downtown Los AngelesDowntown Los AngelesDowntown Los Angeles is the central business district of Los Angeles, California, United States, located close to the geographic center of the metropolitan area...
- Little Tokyo
- Fashion DistrictFashion District, Los Angeles, CaliforniaThe Fashion District is a design, warehouse, and distribution nexus of the clothing, accessories and fabric industry in Downtown Los Angeles. The Fashion District spans 90 blocks and is the hub of the apparel industry on the West Coast of the United States....
- Financial DistrictFinancial District, Los Angeles, CaliforniaThe Financial District is a neighborhood in Downtown Los Angeles on the redeveloped section of Bunker Hill. The area is dominated by upscale corporate office skyscrapers, hotels and related services as well as banks, law firms, and real estate companies...
South Central
- ComptonCompton, CaliforniaCompton is a city in southern Los Angeles County, California, United States, southeast of downtown Los Angeles. The city of Compton is one of the oldest cities in the county and on May 11, 1888, was the eighth city to incorporate. The city is considered part of the South side by residents of Los...
- CarsonCarson, CaliforniaCarson is a city in Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2010 census, Carson had a total population of 91,714. Located south of downtown Los Angeles and approximately 14 miles away from the Los Angeles International Airport, it is known as a suburb of the city....
- Los Angeles International AirportLos Angeles International AirportLos Angeles International Airport is the primary airport serving the Greater Los Angeles Area, the second-most populated metropolitan area in the United States. It is most often referred to by its IATA airport code LAX, with the letters pronounced individually...
South Bay
- Long BeachLong Beach, CaliforniaLong Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
- San PedroSan Pedro, Los Angeles, CaliforniaSan Pedro is a port district of the city of Los Angeles, California, United States. It was annexed in 1909 and is a major seaport of the area...
(Port of L.A.)
Santa Monica
- Santa MonicaSanta Monica, CaliforniaSanta Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
- Marina Del ReyMarina del Rey, California-Demographics:-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Marina del Rey had a population of 8,866. The population density was 6,094.6 people per square mile...
- Venice BeachVenice, Los Angeles, CaliforniaVenice is a beachfront district on the Westside of Los Angeles, California, United States. It is known for its canals, beaches and circus-like Ocean Front Walk, a two-and-a-half mile pedestrian-only promenade that features performers, fortune-tellers, artists, and vendors...
Soundtrack
The Soundtrack to the game was given as gifts at GameGAME (retailer)
The Game Group plc is a British video games retail company. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE SmallCap Index....
in 2005 alongside other purchases.
- Emerge MCs: "It's Been A Minute"
- MyGMyGMyG is an underground musical group. They have created 3 CDs to date: Sidewalk Symphony, Vito y Coco, and Politick'n. They have been featured in the Xbox games Amped and Amped 2, Transworld Snowboarding, the PlayStation and PC game L.A. Rush, as well as various snowskate and wakeboard videos, and...
feat. Talib Kweli, Lilla' D and Zelle Rok: "Music" - Damian Valentine feat. Bily Staff: "City Of Angels"
- MyGMyGMyG is an underground musical group. They have created 3 CDs to date: Sidewalk Symphony, Vito y Coco, and Politick'n. They have been featured in the Xbox games Amped and Amped 2, Transworld Snowboarding, the PlayStation and PC game L.A. Rush, as well as various snowskate and wakeboard videos, and...
feat. Lilla' D: "Dirty Money" - MyGMyGMyG is an underground musical group. They have created 3 CDs to date: Sidewalk Symphony, Vito y Coco, and Politick'n. They have been featured in the Xbox games Amped and Amped 2, Transworld Snowboarding, the PlayStation and PC game L.A. Rush, as well as various snowskate and wakeboard videos, and...
and Rose: "I Still Love You" - Damian Valentine feat. Permashine: "All Of My Life"
- MyGMyGMyG is an underground musical group. They have created 3 CDs to date: Sidewalk Symphony, Vito y Coco, and Politick'n. They have been featured in the Xbox games Amped and Amped 2, Transworld Snowboarding, the PlayStation and PC game L.A. Rush, as well as various snowskate and wakeboard videos, and...
feat. Mika 9 and Sleep: "Untold Story" - Emerge MCs feat. Rose: "Entertainers"
- Young L.O.R.D.: "50 60 75"
- Damian Valentine feat. Permashine, Tory Tee, Nikki Aguire, Afton: "We Ridin'"
- Damian Valentine feat. Permashine, Tory Tee, Adi, Shon: "Gonna Go"
- Desert Mobb: "Speedway"
- MyGMyGMyG is an underground musical group. They have created 3 CDs to date: Sidewalk Symphony, Vito y Coco, and Politick'n. They have been featured in the Xbox games Amped and Amped 2, Transworld Snowboarding, the PlayStation and PC game L.A. Rush, as well as various snowskate and wakeboard videos, and...
feat. Lilla' D: "Nothin' Lasts Forever" - Damian Valentine feat. Permashine, Tory Tee: "Pop Dat Clutch"
- MyGMyGMyG is an underground musical group. They have created 3 CDs to date: Sidewalk Symphony, Vito y Coco, and Politick'n. They have been featured in the Xbox games Amped and Amped 2, Transworld Snowboarding, the PlayStation and PC game L.A. Rush, as well as various snowskate and wakeboard videos, and...
feat. RK1: "Make Some Noise" - MyGMyGMyG is an underground musical group. They have created 3 CDs to date: Sidewalk Symphony, Vito y Coco, and Politick'n. They have been featured in the Xbox games Amped and Amped 2, Transworld Snowboarding, the PlayStation and PC game L.A. Rush, as well as various snowskate and wakeboard videos, and...
: "It's A Party" - MyGMyGMyG is an underground musical group. They have created 3 CDs to date: Sidewalk Symphony, Vito y Coco, and Politick'n. They have been featured in the Xbox games Amped and Amped 2, Transworld Snowboarding, the PlayStation and PC game L.A. Rush, as well as various snowskate and wakeboard videos, and...
feat. Peplove of Hieroglyphics & Rose: "What's Goin' On?" - Damian Valentine: "Violate"
PSP version
The game has all-new missions and two all-new modes. Other new features include 50 new vehicles (with at least 36 of them being licensed), 30 new cruise missions (playable with another player using the PSP's Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...
), upgrades for cars (available from multiple top-line manufacturers and West Coast Customs
West Coast Customs
West Coast Customs is a car remodeling company started in 1993 by Ryan Friedlinghaus on a loan from his grandfather, Edward Cifranic. It was originally located in Orange County, then moved to Los Angeles, and now its current location is in Corona, California....
) and a new hip-hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
and rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
. Twista
Twista
Carl Terrell Mitchell , better known by his stage name Twista, is an American rapper. He is known for once holding the title of fastest rapper in the world according to Guinness World Records in 1992, being able to pronounce 598 syllables in 55 seconds...
and Lil' Kim
Lil' Kim
Kimberly Denise Jones , better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper and actress who was a member of the group Junior M.A.F.I.A.....
are featured in the soundtrack.
Modes
The "battle" race mode lets players go head-to-head with each other in a power-up-propelled race to the finish. This mode was also featured in the home version of Rush 2049.The "stunt arena" mode lets the player launch their car off ramps and fly through the air and performing different tricks. In order to keep up with points, the player must land their car safely on all four wheels. This feature was missing in L.A. Rush, but was in all other home Rush games. You also can unlock new cars and customize them in West Coast Customs.
Reception
Many reviewers have been critical of the game. One common criticism is that the option to customize the cars was poorly realised; you cannot modify them yourself, instead, the car is automatically upgraded by the West Coast CustomsWest Coast Customs
West Coast Customs is a car remodeling company started in 1993 by Ryan Friedlinghaus on a loan from his grandfather, Edward Cifranic. It was originally located in Orange County, then moved to Los Angeles, and now its current location is in Corona, California....
crew. GamesRadar
GamesRadar
GamesRadar is a multi-format video game website featuring regular news, previews, reviews, videos, and guides. It is owned and operated simultaneously in the UK and US by worldwide publisher Future Publishing...
says: "Roll your vehicle into the garage and they'll kit it out with what they feel like".
Not all reaction was negative. The realistic handling in the game was welcomed by some as being comparable to the handling in Juiced and Need for Speed: Underground 2
Need for Speed: Underground 2
Need for Speed: Underground 2 is a cross-platform racing video game published and developed by Electronic Arts. Released in 2004, it is the direct sequel to Need for Speed: Underground, and is part of the Need for Speed series, available on Nintendo GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Game Boy Advance,...
. L.A. Rush has also been criticised for not including every area of Los Angeles; for example, the San Fernando Valley
San Fernando Valley
The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area of southern California, United States, defined by the dramatic mountains of the Transverse Ranges circling it...
was excluded. A criticism among fans is that the game is too realistic in comparison to the earlier Rush games which featured exaggerated fantasy locations and game physics.
The game features many licensed cars such as the Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec-V, the Subaru Impreza WRX STI, the Nissan Skyline
Nissan Skyline
The first Skyline was introduced in April 1957, by the Prince Motor Company, and was marketed as a luxury car. It featured a 1.5 L GA-30 engine producing 44 kW @ 4400 rpm. It used a de Dion tube rear suspension and was capable of 140 km/h . The car weighed around 1300 kg...
GTR R34 and the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IV (among others). In total, up to 30 licensed cars are unlockable in the game.