Choro Q video games
Encyclopedia
The Choro Q video games are a series of console game
s based on Takara
's Choro Q toy cars (also known as Penny Racers in English
-speaking markets). The games have been localised for Western release under many different names, including Gadget Racers, Penny Racers and Road Trip.
Most of these games were developed by external companies, although they are usually credited to Takara since the developers' name rarely appears outside of the ending credits. Some of these developers include Tamsoft
(Choro Q, Choro Q 2 and Choro Q 3), Barnhouse Effect
(Shin Combat Choro Q, Choro Q HG and Choro Q HG 4
) and E-game (Choro Q Wonderful, Choro Q HG 2 and Choro Q HG 3). Most are auto racing
games with extensive opportunities for customisation, often including RPG-style elements such as towns and side-quests.
, which is unrelated to the later Choro Q titles) - Choro Q for the PlayStation
(released in Europe only as Penny Racers) and Choro Q 64 for the Nintendo 64
(released in North America and Europe as Penny Racers). However, since 2001 many of the titles have been released in the US and PAL regions as budget titles, by publishers including Conspiracy Entertainment, Midas Interactive Entertainment
and Play It!.
Console game
A console game is a form of interactive multimedia used for entertainment. The game consists of manipulable images generated by a video game console, and displayed on a television or similar audio-video system. The game itself is usually controlled and manipulated using a handheld device connected...
s based on Takara
Takara
Takara Co., Ltd. was a Japanese toy company founded in 1955, that merged with another prominent Japanese toy company, Tomy Co., Ltd., on March 1, 2006 to form Takara Tomy, also known in English as TOMY Company Ltd....
's Choro Q toy cars (also known as Penny Racers in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
-speaking markets). The games have been localised for Western release under many different names, including Gadget Racers, Penny Racers and Road Trip.
Most of these games were developed by external companies, although they are usually credited to Takara since the developers' name rarely appears outside of the ending credits. Some of these developers include Tamsoft
Tamsoft
is a Japanese video game developer, founded on 26 June 1992.Some of their most popular games were released for Sony's PlayStation console, including the Battle Arena Toshinden series, early Choro Q games and Guardian's Crusade...
(Choro Q, Choro Q 2 and Choro Q 3), Barnhouse Effect
Barnhouse Effect
Barnhouse Effect Co., Ltd , or BHE, is a Japanese video game developer and CG production company based in Tokyo. Most of their work has been for Takara, notably Choro Q games for the PlayStation and PlayStation 2 consoles.- Name origins :...
(Shin Combat Choro Q, Choro Q HG and Choro Q HG 4
Choro Q HG 4
ChoroQ is a PlayStation 2 game published by Atlus in the US, Zoo Digital Publishing in PAL regions and Takara in Japan. It was developed by Barnhouse Effect...
) and E-game (Choro Q Wonderful, Choro Q HG 2 and Choro Q HG 3). Most are auto racing
Auto racing
Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
games with extensive opportunities for customisation, often including RPG-style elements such as towns and side-quests.
Overseas releases
Only three games in the series were released outside of Japan prior to 2001 (including the 1984 MSX game by Taito CorporationTaito Corporation
The is a Japanese publisher of video game software and arcade hardware wholly owned by publisher Square Enix. Taito has their headquarters in the Shinjuku Bunka Quint Building in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo, sharing the facility with its parent company....
, which is unrelated to the later Choro Q titles) - Choro Q for the PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
(released in Europe only as Penny Racers) and Choro Q 64 for the Nintendo 64
Nintendo 64
The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...
(released in North America and Europe as Penny Racers). However, since 2001 many of the titles have been released in the US and PAL regions as budget titles, by publishers including Conspiracy Entertainment, Midas Interactive Entertainment
Midas Interactive Entertainment
Midas Interactive Entertainment is a European publisher based on the outskirts of Takely in Essex, England of computer, PDA, mobile phone and video games....
and Play It!.
Series history
- Choro Q (MSXMSXMSX was the name of a standardized home computer architecture in the 1980s conceived by Kazuhiko Nishi, then Vice-president at Microsoft Japan and Director at ASCII Corporation...
), 1984 - Developed by Taito CorporationTaito CorporationThe is a Japanese publisher of video game software and arcade hardware wholly owned by publisher Square Enix. Taito has their headquarters in the Shinjuku Bunka Quint Building in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo, sharing the facility with its parent company....
- Europe: Choro Q (Electric Software, 1984)
- Choro Q (PlayStationPlayStationThe is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
), 1996 - Developed by TamsoftTamsoftis a Japanese video game developer, founded on 26 June 1992.Some of their most popular games were released for Sony's PlayStation console, including the Battle Arena Toshinden series, early Choro Q games and Guardian's Crusade...
- Europe: Penny Racers (Sony Computer EntertainmentSony Computer EntertainmentSony Computer Entertainment, Inc. is a major video game company specializing in a variety of areas in the video game industry, and is a wholly owned subsidiary and part of the Consumer Products & Services Group of Sony...
, 1996)
- Europe: Penny Racers (Sony Computer Entertainment
- Choro Q 2 (PlayStationPlayStationThe is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
), 1997 - Developed by TamsoftTamsoftis a Japanese video game developer, founded on 26 June 1992.Some of their most popular games were released for Sony's PlayStation console, including the Battle Arena Toshinden series, early Choro Q games and Guardian's Crusade...
- Choro Q 3 (PlayStationPlayStationThe is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
), 1998 - Developed by TamsoftTamsoftis a Japanese video game developer, founded on 26 June 1992.Some of their most popular games were released for Sony's PlayStation console, including the Battle Arena Toshinden series, early Choro Q games and Guardian's Crusade...
- Choro Q Jet: Rainbow Wings (PlayStationPlayStationThe is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
), 1998 - Developer TakaraTomy/AtlusAtlusis a Japanese computer and video game developer, publisher, and distributor based in Tokyo, Japan, best known for developing the console role-playing game franchise Megami Tensei. The first Megami Tensei was a Nintendo Entertainment System video game published by Namco based on a trilogy of...
- Choro Q Jet (Sega SaturnSega SaturnThe is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
), 1998 - Developer unknown
- Choro Q Marine: Q-Boat (PlayStationPlayStationThe is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
), 1998 - Developed by Barnhouse EffectBarnhouse EffectBarnhouse Effect Co., Ltd , or BHE, is a Japanese video game developer and CG production company based in Tokyo. Most of their work has been for Takara, notably Choro Q games for the PlayStation and PlayStation 2 consoles.- Name origins :...
- Choro Q 64 (Nintendo 64Nintendo 64The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...
), 1998 - Developed by TakaraTakaraTakara Co., Ltd. was a Japanese toy company founded in 1955, that merged with another prominent Japanese toy company, Tomy Co., Ltd., on March 1, 2006 to form Takara Tomy, also known in English as TOMY Company Ltd....
- North America: Penny Racers (THQTHQTHQ Inc. is an American developer and publisher of video games. Founded in 1989 in the United States, the company develops products for video game consoles, handheld game systems, as well as for personal computers and wireless devices...
, 1998) - Europe: Penny Racers (THQTHQTHQ Inc. is an American developer and publisher of video games. Founded in 1989 in the United States, the company develops products for video game consoles, handheld game systems, as well as for personal computers and wireless devices...
, 1999)
- North America: Penny Racers (THQ
- Combat Choro Q (PlayStationPlayStationThe is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
), 1999 - Developed by Barnhouse EffectBarnhouse EffectBarnhouse Effect Co., Ltd , or BHE, is a Japanese video game developer and CG production company based in Tokyo. Most of their work has been for Takara, notably Choro Q games for the PlayStation and PlayStation 2 consoles.- Name origins :...
- Choro Q Park (Sega SaturnSega SaturnThe is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
), 1999 - Developer Nextech
- Choro Q Hyper Customable (Game Boy ColorGame Boy ColorThe is Nintendo's successor to the 8-bit Game Boy handheld game console, and was released on October 21, 1998 in Japan, November 19, 1998 in North America, November 23, 1998 in Europe and November 27, 1998 in the United Kingdom. It features a color screen and is slightly thicker and taller than...
), 1999 - Developer unknown
- Choro Q Wonderful (PlayStationPlayStationThe is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
), 1999 - Developed by E-game
- Choro Q 64 2 (Nintendo 64Nintendo 64The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...
), 1999 - Developer TakaraTakaraTakara Co., Ltd. was a Japanese toy company founded in 1955, that merged with another prominent Japanese toy company, Tomy Co., Ltd., on March 1, 2006 to form Takara Tomy, also known in English as TOMY Company Ltd....
- Perfect Choro Q (Game Boy ColorGame Boy ColorThe is Nintendo's successor to the 8-bit Game Boy handheld game console, and was released on October 21, 1998 in Japan, November 19, 1998 in North America, November 23, 1998 in Europe and November 27, 1998 in the United Kingdom. It features a color screen and is slightly thicker and taller than...
), 2000 - Developer unknown
- Choro Q HG (PlayStation 2PlayStation 2The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
), 2000 - Developed by Barnhouse EffectBarnhouse EffectBarnhouse Effect Co., Ltd , or BHE, is a Japanese video game developer and CG production company based in Tokyo. Most of their work has been for Takara, notably Choro Q games for the PlayStation and PlayStation 2 consoles.- Name origins :...
- North America: Gadget Racers (Conspiracy Entertainment, 2001)
- Europe: Penny Racers (Midas Interactive EntertainmentMidas Interactive EntertainmentMidas Interactive Entertainment is a European publisher based on the outskirts of Takely in Essex, England of computer, PDA, mobile phone and video games....
, 2002)
- Choro Q Advance (Game Boy AdvanceGame Boy AdvanceThe is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
), 2001 - Developed by TakaraTakaraTakara Co., Ltd. was a Japanese toy company founded in 1955, that merged with another prominent Japanese toy company, Tomy Co., Ltd., on March 1, 2006 to form Takara Tomy, also known in English as TOMY Company Ltd....
- North America: Gadget Racers (Conspiracy Entertainment, 2001)
- Europe: Penny Racers (Xicat Interactive, Inc., 2002)
- Choro Q HG 2Choro Q HG 2Road Trip Adventure, also known as Road Trip or Choro Q HG 2, is a video game for the PlayStation 2 developed by E-game...
(PlayStation 2PlayStation 2The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
), 2002 - Developed by E-game- North America: Road Trip (Conspiracy Entertainment, 2002)
- Europe: Road Trip Adventure (Play It!, 2003)
- Combat Choro Q: Advanced Daisakusen (Game Boy AdvanceGame Boy AdvanceThe is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
), 2002 - Developed by Takara
- Shin Combat Choro Q (PlayStation 2PlayStation 2The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
), 2002 - Developed by Barnhouse EffectBarnhouse EffectBarnhouse Effect Co., Ltd , or BHE, is a Japanese video game developer and CG production company based in Tokyo. Most of their work has been for Takara, notably Choro Q games for the PlayStation and PlayStation 2 consoles.- Name origins :...
- North America: Seek and Destroy (Conspiracy Entertainment, 2002)
- Europe: Seek and Destroy (Play It!, 2003)
- Boku no Choro Q (PlayStationPlayStationThe is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
), 2002 - Developer unknown
- Choro Q Advance 2 (Game Boy AdvanceGame Boy AdvanceThe is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
), 2002 - Developer unknown- Europe: Gadget Racers (Zoo Digital PublishingZoo Digital PublishingZushi Games is a British computer game publisher. Based in Sheffield, UK, Zushi is the owner of the multi-million selling Premier Manager series...
, 2003) - North America: Road Trip: Shifting Gears (Conspiracy Entertainment, 2004)
- Europe: Gadget Racers (Zoo Digital Publishing
- Choro Q HG 3 (PlayStation 2PlayStation 2The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
), 2002 - Developed by E-game- Europe: Gadget Racers (Zoo Digital PublishingZoo Digital PublishingZushi Games is a British computer game publisher. Based in Sheffield, UK, Zushi is the owner of the multi-million selling Premier Manager series...
, 2003) - North America: Road Trip: Adventure Avenue (Conspiracy Entertainment, canceled)
- Europe: Gadget Racers (Zoo Digital Publishing
- Choro Q!Road Trip: The Arcade EditionRoad Trip: The Arcade Edition, known as Gadget Racers in Europe and Choro Q! in Japan, is a racing video game released in 2002 by Takara. This 3D game is only available for the Nintendo GameCube. Road Trip: The Arcade Edition is based mainly upon Road Trip Adventure, a predecessor, however was only...
(Nintendo GameCubeNintendo GameCubeThe , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
), 2002 - Developed by Hudson SoftHudson Soft, formally known as , is a majority-owned subsidiary of Konami Corporation is a Japanese electronic entertainment publisher headquartered in the Midtown Tower in Tokyo Midtown, Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, with an additional office in the Hudson Building in Sapporo. It was founded on May 18, 1973...
- Europe: Gadget Racers (Zoo Digital PublishingZoo Digital PublishingZushi Games is a British computer game publisher. Based in Sheffield, UK, Zushi is the owner of the multi-million selling Premier Manager series...
, 2003) - North America: Road Trip: Arcade Edition (Conspiracy Entertainment, 2004)
- Europe: Gadget Racers (Zoo Digital Publishing
- Choro Q Byun Byun Racer (Stand-alone TV game), 2003 - Developed by SSD Company Limited
- Choro Q HG 4Choro Q HG 4ChoroQ is a PlayStation 2 game published by Atlus in the US, Zoo Digital Publishing in PAL regions and Takara in Japan. It was developed by Barnhouse Effect...
(PlayStation 2PlayStation 2The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
), 2003 - Developed by Barnhouse EffectBarnhouse EffectBarnhouse Effect Co., Ltd , or BHE, is a Japanese video game developer and CG production company based in Tokyo. Most of their work has been for Takara, notably Choro Q games for the PlayStation and PlayStation 2 consoles.- Name origins :...
- North America: ChoroQ (AtlusAtlusis a Japanese computer and video game developer, publisher, and distributor based in Tokyo, Japan, best known for developing the console role-playing game franchise Megami Tensei. The first Megami Tensei was a Nintendo Entertainment System video game published by Namco based on a trilogy of...
, 2004) - Europe: ChoroQ (Zoo Digital PublishingZoo Digital PublishingZushi Games is a British computer game publisher. Based in Sheffield, UK, Zushi is the owner of the multi-million selling Premier Manager series...
, 2005)
- North America: ChoroQ (Atlus
- Choro Q Works (PlayStation 2PlayStation 2The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
), 2005 - Developed by Barnhouse EffectBarnhouse EffectBarnhouse Effect Co., Ltd , or BHE, is a Japanese video game developer and CG production company based in Tokyo. Most of their work has been for Takara, notably Choro Q games for the PlayStation and PlayStation 2 consoles.- Name origins :...
- Choro Q DS (Nintendo DSNintendo DSThe is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
), Developer unknown, Delayed
- ChoroQ Wii (WiiWiiThe Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
}, 2008 - Developed by TakaraTomy- North America: Penny Racers Party: Turbo-Q Speedway (TakaraTomy, 2008)
- Europe: Penny Racers Party: Turbo-Q Speedway (TakaraTomy, TBATo be announcedTo be announced, To be confirmed, and To be determined are placeholder terms used very broadly to indicate that although something is scheduled or anticipated to happen, a particular aspect of that thing remains to be arranged...
)
- Kinect Penny Racers (Xbox 360Xbox 360The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
), TBA - Developed by TakaraTomy