Starsky & Hutch (2003)

Developer: Mind's Eye
Publisher: Empire Interactive
Platforms: Xbox, Nintendo GameCube, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 2
Genres: Racing
Rating: 3.5 of 5, 10 player ratings

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The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

A breezy, tongue-in-cheek cops-and-cars romp where you chase bad guys and chase TV ratings at the same time, keeping things fun and unpretentious rather than serious.

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About

Starsky & Hutch is an arcade racing game based on the popular TV series from the 70s, released to tie in with the film. The game includes 18 missions, each based on an episode of the TV show and introduced by Antonio 'Huggy Bear' Fargas. There is also a free roaming mode, in which the player explores the GTA-esque environment looking for action and trouble. Like the film, the game does not entirely play it straight. Starsky & Hutch are actually shooting a TV show, and the scoring for each mission reflects how ratings-friendly your driving is. You are awarded gold, silver or bronze medals for each mission depending on performance, and must get at least 1 gold and 2 silvers on season 1 for a second season to be commissioned, and 3 golds and 2 silvers in season 2 for there to be a third for you to play through. The overall goal in each mission is usually to chase and destroy a criminal's car. There is always a secondary target as well. In addition, the player will gain viewers by hitting the bad guy, pulling off elaborate jumps and skids, nearly hitting civilians, and hitting the bonus targets such as canisters which are strewn through the levels. Hitting civilians will lose viewers.

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More by Mind's Eye

This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.