City Connection

シティコネクション (Shiti Konekushon)NES, Arcade, MSX, ZX Spectrum +71985

  1. JP1985
  2. NA1985
  3. EU1989
  4. RU—

City Connection is シティコネクション (Shiti Konekushon) in Japan, and the North American arcade release was called Cruisin'. The Famicom version's heroine Clarice was replaced by an unnamed male driver on the North American NES.

City Connection is an arcade game that Jaleco released in Japan in July 1985; in North America the arcade version came out as Cruisin', published by Kitkorp. According to Jaleco president Yoshiaki Kanazawa, it was the first game the company developed itself.

The heroine Clarice drives a car modeled on the first Honda City around the world in search of the perfect man, painting elevated highways as she drives over them. Police cars give chase and can be stunned with oil cans, while flag-waving cats block the road and cannot be harmed. Much of the soundtrack arranges Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1, and hitting a cat plays "Der Flohwalzer", known in Japan as "Neko Funjatta".

The Famicom version drew attention as the first Famicom game with a female lead, but the North American NES release swapped Clarice for a male driver. The company City Connection, which has held the licenses to Jaleco's games since 2013, takes its name from the game.12

Names and releases

RegionTitle on the boxPlatformDatePublisherSrc
NA Cruisin' Arcade Sep 1, 1985 Kitkorp 1
NA City ConnectionJaleco's first NES release in North America NES May 1988 Jaleco 1
JP シティコネクションShiti Konekushon Arcade July 1985 Jaleco 1
JP シティコネクションShiti KonekushonFamicom; English Wikipedia gives 27 September 1985, the Japanese Wikipedia infobox gives July 1985 NES 1985 Jaleco 2
JP シティコネクションShiti KonekushonJapanese Wikipedia places the MSX version in 1985, the same year as the Famicom one MSX 1986 Jaleco 1
EU City ConnectionUK release ZX Spectrum 1989 — 1
JP ジャレココレクション vol.1Jareko Korekushon vol.1Compilation with the Famicom version PlayStation Oct 23, 2003 Jaleco 2
JP シティコネクションShiti KonekushonVirtual Console, Famicom version Wii Mar 11, 2008 Jaleco 2
JP シティコネクションShiti KonekushonProject EGG Windows Oct 26, 2010 — 2
JP シティコネクションShiti KonekushonVirtual Console Nintendo 3DS Jan 16, 2013 — 2
JP アーケードアーカイブス シティコネクションĀkēdo Ākaibusu Shiti KonekushonArcade Archives, arcade version PlayStation 4 Oct 2, 2014 Hamster 2
JP シティコネクションShiti KonekushonVirtual Console Wii U Mar 29, 2017 — 2
JP アーケードアーカイブス シティコネクションĀkēdo Ākaibusu Shiti KonekushonArcade Archives, arcade version Switch Jul 19, 2018 Hamster 2

Also known as: シティコネクション JP2Shiti Konekushon JP2Cruisin' NA1

Box art by region

  • City Connection box art, North America release
    NA City Connection
  • シティコネクション box art, Japan release
    JP シティコネクション

Box art © its publishers, shown to identify each release. Scans: libretro-thumbnails.

Version differences

  • ContentNES (NA)

    The North American NES version replaces the heroine Clarice with an unnamed male driver, while the Famicom version keeps Clarice and her portrait between stages.1

  • ContentFamicom

    The Famicom version has six stages, set in the USA, the UK, France, Germany, India and Japan.2

  • AudioFamicom

    On the Famicom two music tracks alternate from stage to stage, at a slower tempo than in the arcade game.2

All differences (4)

Reception

The game has a loyal following in Japan, where the Famicom version is considered a classic. North American critics found the NES version and its re-releases too simple, with awkward controls, though several liked its cute look and unusual concept; IGN and Nintendo Life each gave it 5/10.1

In lists

Sources

  1. 1en.wikipedia.org
  2. 2ja.wikipedia.org

Checked: 2026-10-13Text reviewed: 2026-10-13

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