After 2 decades in the shadows, the well-known classic arcade driving game “Tokyo Xtreme Racer” is set for a surprising return, as developer Genki has announced a new instalment slated for release in 2025 out of the blue. This is great news for all kinds of players from all ages and i bet you are shaken up as well with this sudden return.
For those unfamiliar with the series, which has a complex history of titles and regional names, it first emerged in 1994 as “Shutoko Battle ’94” on the Super Nintendo, drawing its inspiration from Tokyo’s Shuto Kosoku-doro highway. A later version, released in 1996 on the PlayStation, was localized in Europe and North America under the name “Tokyo Highway Battle.”
The series truly found its identity with 1999’s “Tokyo Xtreme Racer” on the Sega Dreamcast, although it continued to go by different names in Japan (“Shutoko Battle”) and Europe (“Tokyo Highway Challenge”). Despite the naming confusion, the game and its 2000 sequel developed a dedicated following for their authentic portrayal of Japan’s underground street-racing culture. The series expanded to the PlayStation 2 with “Tokyo Xtreme Racer: Zero” in 2001, followed by “Tokyo Xtreme Racer 3” in 2003, although the latter never saw a European release.
Regardless of the title, players could choose from a variety of Japanese cars, which were meticulously modeled but—due to licensing constraints—featured creative branding and chassis codes instead of real names until “TXR3.” The core gameplay revolved around upgrading these vehicles to dominate one-on-one highway battles, a hallmark of the series.
After the release of “Tokyo Xtreme Racer 3,” the franchise largely faded from the spotlight, with only a few related titles like the “Kaido Battle” subseries and “Wangan Midnight” making appearances. However, earlier this week, Genki began teasing a new “Tokyo Xtreme Racer” game, culminating in an official announcement via a video on a new YouTube channel and a Steam store listing for the upcoming title, simply called “Tokyo Xtreme Racer.”
Details about the new game are scarce, but the description on Steam suggests a return to the franchise’s roots, with gameplay reminiscent of the early 2000s entries. The teaser hints at a setting in “a sealed-off future Tokyo,” where players will race customized cars against rivals while weaving through traffic. Visuals from the teaser suggest that the Tokyo Expressway will once again be the main venue, with some sections appearing similar to those seen in “Gran Turismo 7.”
Currently, the game is slated for a 2025 release on PC via Steam, with the launch likely to occur towards the end of the year. Racing game reboots are enjoying a surge in popularity, and “Tokyo Xtreme Racer” is set to be the latest nostalgic title to make a return.
