I remember seeing 18 Wheeler in the arcades but I never played it. I bought the Dreamcast version maybe a year later. Even though the game is short it's really fun to play because Sega programmed the truck physics really well and the cab view is nicely done too. I feel like Sega had to get the truck handling right because 18 Wheeler is a very slow compared to other racing games so it would have been an instant failure if they messed it up.
I played alot of this game on my Dreamcast in early 2000s..this and the first Crazy Taxi were/are lots of fun ,even for someone like me who doesn't like racing games too much.
Although I don't remember playing 18 Wheeler: American Pro Trucker, I do remember reading a strategy article for the Nintendo GameCube home version in Nintendo Power magazine when I was a kid.
I remember playing the cabinet of 18 Wheeler and it was huge VGE. I felt like you were really driving a truck. I loved it that I want to buy one for myself. But sadly, I have no room for it bro. 8^( Anthony..
Yū Suzuki’s genius again, one of its best for me and so one of the best arcade racer. You’ve properly described the density of the gameplay, great video. I’ve got the GC version.
@@VideoGameEsoterica 💡 Someone should program a cement truck stunt racing game with sharp u-turns, serpentines and the concrete filling turning hard when not delivered in time. Full cement trucks are absurdly topheavy and tend to tip over when steering too vigorously. The simulated concrete filling may be mathematically approximated as a pendulum weight mounted at a friction clutch on a rotor. The clutch gradually couples stronger when that concrete turns harder, causing nasty excentric unbalance while the drum keeps spinning, so the truck dances through curves and becomes harder and harder to control. Fast acceleration may also spill concrete out of the drum to form puddles on the road (those become obstacles when hard, or fill potholes for bonus points) or directly hit opponent cars. Possibly gameplay makes more sense in rear view than cockpit view, but cement truck driving physics would be fun to play.
I played a fair bit of 18 Wheeler in the arcades. They had a sit-down cab in the lobby at a local theater-which I worked at for a bit as a high school senior-as well as a big deluxe cab at the mall's arcade. I really enjoyed it though I don't think about it very much compared to it's Sega contemporaries like Crazy Taxi and F355. That doesn't mean it's not amazingly fun though. In fact, I think it's one of my sister's favorite games of all time. She loved playing this game in the arcades, and she had my parents buy me the DC port on my birthday (which, my 40th, is in 2 days). I think that was mostly for her benefit, but I wasn't complaining since it's a lot of fun! We had a lot of fun with this and Unreal Tournament and Daytona 2001 that summer before I headed off to college. Good times. Even though the game itself isn't long, we played quite a few hours of the splitscreen versus mode. King of Route 66 on the other hand, I only played on the PS2; I haven't played a cab of it. Stuff like Big Mutha Truckers was okay-ish but doesn't hold a candle to 18 Wheeler or KoR66.
Yes this one seems to fade from peoples memories unlike everything else Sega did back then. Not sure why as it’s a ton of fun but I get it. It’s not Daytona or Crazy Taxi
Good job for finishing the game! Route 66 definitely had a much deeper story and was a lot less linear than this game, but I find it mildly fascinating how this game made local Herald-Journal news in Upstate SC from the Denny's license, since Denny's has been headquartered in Spartanburg since 1990. I do have this for my Naomi 2 and you can actually use the Daytona shifter to play 18 Wheeler properly (to get the gears to stay in position and reverse). The reverse gear uses two microswitches on the JVS I/O board and it is impossible to score high without it. On a normal Naomi driving cab, the shifter has to be held all the time to get it out of low gear, and turning will be more difficult unless you calibrate, since the game had a large 360+ degree wheel that was based on an optical encoder instead of a potentiometer. It is still an incredibly fun game to this day. Don't expect to hear thriving rock with Takenobu Mitsuyoshi's vocals, but the OST definitely suits the game.
I mean big rigs DO have a lot of gears but its still impressive Sega translated all that to an arcade shifter. Deep gameplay in a game that seems so simple at face value
Even though it is short I wasn't too disappointed at all when this came out. The only thing that put me off, I was expecting something like Crazy Taxi but ended up with this linear experience. Still very cool and I wish someone would pick up on this style of title and expand it into something more. Something like Big Mutha Truckers (Ps2/Xbox) but with this kind of handling and style would have been brilliant!
I remember playing 18 wheeler at my cousin's house back when I was like 5 years old and everything in this video is completely alien to me. I recognize nothing about this, but its the only dreamcast game with 18 wheeler in the title so this must be it. I must have just played the entire game in 1st gear because I don't remember ever changing gears.
I had it for Dreamcast back in the day. With the extreme rubber-banding of Lizard Tail (the AI rival), I started thinking of it almost like an action puzzle/strategy game where you are trying to find ways to block him at the same time you're trying to line up hitting time bonus vans and avoid obstacles.
Not sure how the ps2 compares to Dreamcast but for $5 I picked it up a few days ago and looking to get into it . Yeah got the GameCube one to 🤣 little bit more expensive but both for $20 I’m happy
I own the crazy taxi arcade and have made a small conversion to play 18 wheeler( you need to have an extra switch for changing gears at least,but still trying to find the cable for reverse). Anyways,as crazy taxi is so difficult but after time you will get the hang of it,18 wheeler even in very easy mode will always be almost impossible to beat..and that's the reason that i do not have it plugged in for much time.And as for how kids like it,crazy taxi will not even try it as they see me how i am playing it,but 18 wheeler that seems more straightforward really gets on their nerves with the difficulty. They prefer xtreme rally or cruisn exotica by far.
Man, I still haven't played the second game. I wish SEGA rereleased these games via GOG/Steam, and any other online store... Such great arcade fun that only SEGA can make, it appears. PS, are you actually gonna get a CDL endorsement? Good luck!!!
Love this game, played with my son when he was 5 and he loved driving the big trucks. A wheel makes this really accessible for kids
I remember seeing 18 Wheeler in the arcades but I never played it. I bought the Dreamcast version maybe a year later. Even though the game is short it's really fun to play because Sega programmed the truck physics really well and the cab view is nicely done too. I feel like Sega had to get the truck handling right because 18 Wheeler is a very slow compared to other racing games so it would have been an instant failure if they messed it up.
Yes it’s one of those 20 minute games where it’s super short but it’s also the perfect length
I played alot of this game on my Dreamcast in early 2000s..this and the first Crazy Taxi were/are lots of fun ,even for someone like me who doesn't like racing games too much.
Yes it’s a fun diversion from a capital R racing game
Your series are so good. Quickly becoming my favorite channel!
Aww thanks
Although I don't remember playing 18 Wheeler: American Pro Trucker, I do remember reading a strategy article for the Nintendo GameCube home version in Nintendo Power magazine when I was a kid.
Gotta play it. Its legit that good
I remember playing the cabinet of 18 Wheeler and it was huge VGE. I felt like you were really driving a truck. I loved it that I want to buy one for myself. But sadly, I have no room for it bro. 8^(
Anthony..
Having no room is the curse. Another arcade board arrived today and I haven’t figured out where it’s gonna live yet…and I have two more on the way 😂
Yū Suzuki’s genius again, one of its best for me and so one of the best arcade racer. You’ve properly described the density of the gameplay, great video.
I’ve got the GC version.
Glad you enjoyed the vid
Hi my friend. I have it on a Sega Racing collection for PS2, it is pretty cool😊
Such a fun time!
@@VideoGameEsoterica :) it is
There are so many vehicles that could have had the crazy race treatment, like a milk truck, penny farthing ...
Play Cool Riders :)
@@VideoGameEsoterica 💡 Someone should program a cement truck stunt racing game with sharp u-turns, serpentines and the concrete filling turning hard when not delivered in time.
Full cement trucks are absurdly topheavy and tend to tip over when steering too vigorously. The simulated concrete filling may be mathematically approximated as a pendulum weight mounted at a friction clutch on a rotor. The clutch gradually couples stronger when that concrete turns harder, causing nasty excentric unbalance while the drum keeps spinning, so the truck dances through curves and becomes harder and harder to control. Fast acceleration may also spill concrete out of the drum to form puddles on the road (those become obstacles when hard, or fill potholes for bonus points) or directly hit opponent cars. Possibly gameplay makes more sense in rear view than cockpit view, but cement truck driving physics would be fun to play.
Haha I’d buy that
I played a fair bit of 18 Wheeler in the arcades. They had a sit-down cab in the lobby at a local theater-which I worked at for a bit as a high school senior-as well as a big deluxe cab at the mall's arcade. I really enjoyed it though I don't think about it very much compared to it's Sega contemporaries like Crazy Taxi and F355. That doesn't mean it's not amazingly fun though. In fact, I think it's one of my sister's favorite games of all time. She loved playing this game in the arcades, and she had my parents buy me the DC port on my birthday (which, my 40th, is in 2 days). I think that was mostly for her benefit, but I wasn't complaining since it's a lot of fun! We had a lot of fun with this and Unreal Tournament and Daytona 2001 that summer before I headed off to college. Good times. Even though the game itself isn't long, we played quite a few hours of the splitscreen versus mode. King of Route 66 on the other hand, I only played on the PS2; I haven't played a cab of it. Stuff like Big Mutha Truckers was okay-ish but doesn't hold a candle to 18 Wheeler or KoR66.
Yes this one seems to fade from peoples memories unlike everything else Sega did back then. Not sure why as it’s a ton of fun but I get it. It’s not Daytona or Crazy Taxi
Great video, well done on finishing the game.
Its not the easiest game to see the end of!
The mother of all trucker games!
Mother trucker 😂
Good job for finishing the game! Route 66 definitely had a much deeper story and was a lot less linear than this game, but I find it mildly fascinating how this game made local Herald-Journal news in Upstate SC from the Denny's license, since Denny's has been headquartered in Spartanburg since 1990.
I do have this for my Naomi 2 and you can actually use the Daytona shifter to play 18 Wheeler properly (to get the gears to stay in position and reverse). The reverse gear uses two microswitches on the JVS I/O board and it is impossible to score high without it. On a normal Naomi driving cab, the shifter has to be held all the time to get it out of low gear, and turning will be more difficult unless you calibrate, since the game had a large 360+ degree wheel that was based on an optical encoder instead of a potentiometer.
It is still an incredibly fun game to this day. Don't expect to hear thriving rock with Takenobu Mitsuyoshi's vocals, but the OST definitely suits the game.
I mean big rigs DO have a lot of gears but its still impressive Sega translated all that to an arcade shifter. Deep gameplay in a game that seems so simple at face value
I'm considering getting the stand up cabinet of 18 Wheeler and thanks for this extra info i can see it's better to get the dedicated one.
Dedicated would be fun for sure
I'M LIZARD TAIL
I don't play it as much as I play Crazy Taxi it needed more Fast food stops to really nail that trucker experience.
Plus some no doze power ups and lot lizards
Even though it is short I wasn't too disappointed at all when this came out. The only thing that put me off, I was expecting something like Crazy Taxi but ended up with this linear experience. Still very cool and I wish someone would pick up on this style of title and expand it into something more. Something like Big Mutha Truckers (Ps2/Xbox) but with this kind of handling and style would have been brilliant!
Yes its its own genre compared to Crazy Taxi but it def works
I haven't played this one in a long time but I remember it being pretty fun on Dreamcast
Gotta play it again. Still holds up
I remember playing 18 wheeler at my cousin's house back when I was like 5 years old and everything in this video is completely alien to me. I recognize nothing about this, but its the only dreamcast game with 18 wheeler in the title so this must be it.
I must have just played the entire game in 1st gear because I don't remember ever changing gears.
Haha sometimes memory is like that
I got the Gamecube version, It's a fun game
Its a shot game but its just pure fun from start to finish
@@VideoGameEsoterica makes me wish I could play the arcade version with force feedback on my pc,
You can. Demul or Flycast
I had it for Dreamcast back in the day. With the extreme rubber-banding of Lizard Tail (the AI rival), I started thinking of it almost like an action puzzle/strategy game where you are trying to find ways to block him at the same time you're trying to line up hitting time bonus vans and avoid obstacles.
It def has depth. Gotta box your opponent out and really think about your racing line. Which is unique in a game with big rigs
How many times did you say "King of route 66"? I counted 14 !!!!
Lol did I say that? I did these back to back
What could I play today that's similar to this
Ummm…nothing? I can’t think of a thing
Here's some irony I played this in a truck stop when my dad was out of hours he could drive that week.
Lolol very meta
Not sure how the ps2 compares to Dreamcast but for $5 I picked it up a few days ago and looking to get into it . Yeah got the GameCube one to 🤣 little bit more expensive but both for $20 I’m happy
Nothing wrong with multiple copies
Takes me back to my big rig days. I hit reverse accidentally a few times myself- pancaked a civic once.
Sir you were in a Datsun
@@VideoGameEsoterica Ah yes nothing like the glorious open road in my Datsun 620, hauling chickens from state to state.
I mostly move beer from Texarkana to Atlanta
is it on model 2 or 3 or mame?
NAOMI
Really good and really fun game 🙂👍
Its just fun from start to finish
I own the crazy taxi arcade and have made a small conversion to play 18 wheeler( you need to have an extra switch for changing gears at least,but still trying to find the cable for reverse). Anyways,as crazy taxi is so difficult but after time you will get the hang of it,18 wheeler even in very easy mode will always be almost impossible to beat..and that's the reason that i do not have it plugged in for much time.And as for how kids like it,crazy taxi will not even try it as they see me how i am playing it,but 18 wheeler that seems more straightforward really gets on their nerves with the difficulty. They prefer xtreme rally or cruisn exotica by far.
It’s def stingy with its time bonuses that’s for sure
The arcade is had with the big massive steering wheel.
The wheel is awesome
Did you not do a video on this one recently?
I did it on the sequel; The King of Route 66
I have nothing to say this time 😂
haha thats fair
@@VideoGameEsoterica I played this a lot on GameCube
I have never played that version. Decent?
@@VideoGameEsoterica I honestly don't know, that's the only version I ever played but I sure remember it was a lot of fun!
I’ll have to try it some time
its no big rigs but its ok i guess
lol nothing is Big Rigs...thankfully
Man, I still haven't played the second game. I wish SEGA rereleased these games via GOG/Steam, and any other online store... Such great arcade fun that only SEGA can make, it appears. PS, are you actually gonna get a CDL endorsement? Good luck!!!
Haha no truck driving for me
Haha, fair enough @@VideoGameEsoterica