The Crazy Taxi: World Tour Network Test is taking applications for one more day. Hurry if you want in.
If you’d like to join in on the Crazy Taxi: World Tour Closed Network Test, then it’s time to go. Sign-up officially ends tomorrow night.
Crazy Taxi was one of my, if not the top, favorite games on the Dreamcast. So, I had considered joining in, having had some familiarity being part of a couple of Battletech and Mechwarrior open betas. But, looking at how it works, they’re going to select a limited number of people from their applicants, weighing them based on Discord and other “community engagement” activities. Though it’d be cool to get an early glimpse of the game… this seems like a major hassle. I don’t think “Local Ditch Gaming webmaster” carries enough weight here.
Personally, I’ll wait until release and check out the reviews. Well, unless another opportunity more easily presents itself. If you’re interested, give it a shot! What’s the worst that could happen? You get to play a bit?
Q&A: Whilst getting some paint inspiration, the Virtual On page brings back memories of ’08. And, does the contact form work?
Hi, Just wanted to say hi. I was taking a break from painting some Warhammer 40k models and while my airbrush cooled down I thought I’d grab a tub of paints and figure out how to paint a battlesuit on the base of the model I’m currently working on. I’ve always wanted to paint some Tau in the style of some of the Virtuaroids from Virtual On and while looking for the artwork for Belgdor to try to colour-match with my paints I saw a crazy screenshot of a big head mode Apharmd. Following that link brought me to your website and it is peak 2008 web design. Sure, it looks dated by today’s standards but I had a lot of fun reading your review of the Sega Ages version of Virtual On: Operation Moongate. I owned that game on the Saturn and played it once or twice in the the arcades, but you don’t see that one in the wild anymore! Your article was a wonderful time capsule and I just wanted to offer some feedback. I wasn’t sure if you’ve even be able to receive this message after all this time but it looks like you’ve got an up-to-date Youtube page so I’d give it a go.
Hey, thanks for reaching out! Good news: The contact form still works and the site is still occasionally updated. (Well… the Sega section is pretty much frozen in a time warp at this point.) I kind of like the old-school ’08 look now that it’s reached a vintage age.
When you finish painting, be sure to send some pics. I’d love to see how they turn out!
Nitro updates are complete. Local Ditch takes a look back at the Interstate ’76 Nitro Pack and what it means for the series.
As I’m wrapping up playing and working through all of the Nitro parts of the site, I’m left with some mixed and nostalgia-influenced thoughts.
If Interstate ’76 is the movie, then Nitro’s the weekly TV series that inspired the movie. Nitro comes with both the good and the bad of having a new episode every week.
Overall, I’ve got mixed feelings on the I ’76 Nitro Pack. While later-sequel I ’82 would be different game and a different feel, it’s great to have another round of classic-I ’76-style auto-combat here. It’s also good to revisit the original characters and story, even if the tone seems to have shifted slightly out of dramatic and to comedy. A look back
The Interstate ’76 Nitro Pack updates continue. The Nitro Pack cars page is complete with screenshots of every car and paint job.
Check out the Interstate ’76 Nitro Pack Cars page. You’ll find screenshots of every car and paintjob in the pack, their weapon mounts, and their real-life counterparts.
Oh, and while I was at it, I figured I’d take some high-resolution (and better-textured) screenshots of all of the standard I ’76 cars, too.
One the one hand, it doesn’t seem like much. On the other hand, this was a lot of work, especially tracking down and verifying the real-life counterparts of these things. Future Plans and Updates
Dream Pod 9 in conjunction with developer Flameborn Games have officially announced Heavy Gear III.
Another game video game in the Heavy Gear series has been announced: Heavy Gear III (3). This time around, developer Flameborn Games will be at the helm. The game’s described as a “next generation of mech combat and open-world RPGs.” Most importantly, there’s no block-chain involved. At the moment, the game is focused on a single player experience.
Though announced nearly a year ago on July 30, 2025, it’s news to me. I’m not sure how I missed it, other than ignoring anything fighting robot related while in my post Heavy Gear II walkthrough burnout phase.
At this point in time, there’s not been an awful lot of coverage on the game, even a year later. You can check the Heavy Gear III Discord to find a bit more. My verdict: Have patience, wait, and we’ll see what’s around the corner.
Of course, no relation to the cancelled Savage Entertainment title of the same name.
Watch the Heavy Gear 3 Trailer on YouTube.
Read the Dream Pod 9 Heavy Gear III Press Release.
Read the Heavy Gear III: Pre-Emptively Answered Questions at DP9 Community.
Heavy Gear III Discord