Smashing Drive announced for the GameCube

Namco has confirmed recent rumors by announcing that it will release a home conversion of its arcade driving game Smashing Drive for the North American GameCube console. In the game players assumes the role of a cab driver, who must deliver fare to the their destination in the shortest time possible. A variety of powerups such as buzzsaws, turbo rockets, and battering rams are available, as the player must use any means necessary, including running vehicles off the road and jumping over traffic jams, to reach their destination.

The game features four shifts, which essentially equates to different environments and time of day. They are early bird, rush hour, night owl, and dusk and wired. A wide variety of shortcuts are available in these environments and they are crucial to success in the game. A two-player head-to-head racing mode is also available.

Smashing Drive will be released in early 2002 for the GameCube. Namco is also rumored to be developing Klonoa 2 and Dead to Rights for Nintendo's console.