CAVE is best known for its legendary line-up of shmups like DonPachi and Mushihimesama. Back when the company formed out of the ashes of Toaplan, they also made a series of 3D drift racing games. Touge King the Spirits, a Sega Saturn exclusive, was the second game released by CAVE after DonPachi hit arcades.
Though it runs at a humble 20 frames per second, Touge King offers up excellent draw distance and polygonal artistry for being a third party Saturn game in 1995 — so early in the life span of this console. It can also be fun to play… if you can deal with its slightly unorthodox mechanics.
Through translated Japanese magazine articles, promotional videos and drift racing tapes, I shine a spotlight on this interesting piece of CAVE history. This video examines what makes Touge King fun, its issues with the gaming press, the loose connection to a Japanese pop star and a canceled game mode unearthed by hackers. It is all in my newest episode of PandaMonium Reviews Every U.S. Saturn Game: High Velocity / Touge King.
I can be supported on Patreon and Ko-fi at these links: