Spelet är från Japan vilket kräver japansk NTSC-maskin.
Obs, du kan inte spela detta på en svensk spelkonsoll.

The main objective of the game is to pick up customers and take them to their chosen destination as fast as possible. Along the way, money can be earned (the game is primarily a score attack title) by performing outrageous stunts such as the Crazy Through (near-misses with other vehicles; both risk and reward are higher when driving against the flow of traffic) and Crazy Drift (extended, barely-controlled skidding).

When the destination is reached, that customers fare is added to the players total money earned, while Speedy, Normal or Slow ratings are awarded depending on how long the player took to complete the journey. If the player is too slow in reaching the objective and the customers timer runs out, a Bad rating is given before even reaching the destination, and the customer jumps from the taxi. There is no penalty for a Bad rating, but time will have been wasted attempting to deliver this customer. However, there is often sufficient time available on the main clock for the player to pick up another passenger with hope to make up for their loss. On the arcade version, if a player earns a Bad rating, the next fare starts at $0.00.

For each level, one can play under different time conditions: three-minute, five-minute or ten-minute settings, or the Arcade Rules used in the original coin-op version of the game but which was also included in the home versions. In the three time-limited settings, play continues for the designated period of time, after which the cab automatically stops and no more points can be scored.

Under Arcade Rules, the player starts with an initial time limit of around a minute (although in this first Crazy Taxi game it can be changed in the options screen), which can be extended through time bonuses earned for Speedy and Normal deliveries, as well as by making good use of whatever time is left over after making a delivery. Expert players, able to memorise the best route from pick-up to delivery, can thus continue playing for long periods of time - however, as time goes on, the best passengers will have been taken to their destinations, leaving fewer potential customers remaining, so as the game continues the challenge increase