The Choro Q video games are a series of video games 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), E-game (Choro Q Wonderful!, Choro Q HG 2 and Choro Q HG 3), Electronics Application (aka Eleca) (Choro Q Advance, Choro Q Advance 2, Choro Q: Hyper Customable GB and Perfect Choro Q). Most are auto racing games with extensive opportunities for customization, often including role-playing video game-style elements such as towns and side-quests.

Overseas releases

Only three games in the series were released outside Japan prior to 2001 (including the 1984 MSX game by Taito, 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!.

Series history

Title Date Platform Developer Publisher Media type
Choro Q
チョロQ

Buggy SPA

1984 MSX Taito Nidecom JP

Electric Software EU

Sony Spain SPA

Cartridge
Tape/Softcard
Cartridge
A puzzle game.
Choro Q JP
チョロQ

Penny Racers EU
Choro Q ver. 1.02 JP

March 1996
1996
December 1996
PlayStation Tamsoft Takara JP

Sony Computer Entertainment EU

CD
The first in the Choro Q racing series.
Choro Q 2
チョロQ2
February 1997 PlayStation Tamsoft Takara CD
Choro Q 3
チョロQ3
February 1998 PlayStation Tamsoft Takara CD
Choro Q Jet: Rainbow Wings
チョロQジェット レインボーウィングス
February 1998
"the best" January 2000
PlayStation Astro Vision Takara CD
Choro Q Marine: Q-Boat
チョロQマリン Qボート
June 1998 PlayStation Barnhouse Effect Takara CD
The first game in the series to be developed by Barnhouse Effect.
Choro Q 64 JP
チョロQ64

Penny Racers NA/EU

1998 JP

1999 NA/EU

Nintendo 64 Locomotive Corporation TakaraJP

THQ NA/EU

Cartridge
Combat Choro Q
コンバットチョロQ
February 1999 PlayStation Barnhouse Effect Takara CD
Choro Q Park
チョロQパーク
March 1998 Sega Saturn Nextech[1] Takara CD
Choro Q Hyper Customable GB
チョロQ ハイパーカスタマブルGB
July 1999 Game Boy Color Electronics Applications Takara Cartridge
The first entry in Electronics Applications' Game Boy series.
Choro Q Wonderful!
チョロQ ワンダフォー!
August 1999 PlayStation E-game Takara CD
Choro Q 64 2: Hachamecha Grand Prix Race
チョロQ64 2 ハチャメチャグランプリレース
1999 Nintendo 64 Locomotive Corporation Takara Cartridge
Perfect Choro Q
パーフェクトチョロQ
August 2000 Game Boy Color Electronics Applications Takara Cartridge
Choro Q HG JP
チョロQ HG

Gadget Racers NA
Penny Racers EU

December 2000 JP

2001 NA
2002 EU

PlayStation 2 Barnhouse Effect Takara JP

Conspiracy Entertainment NA
Midas Interactive Entertainment EU

DVD
"HG" is an abbreviation for "High Grade".
Choro Q Advance JP
チョロQアドバンス

Gadget Racers NA
Penny Racers EU

2001 JP/NA

2002 EU

Game Boy Advance Electronics Applications Takara JP

Conspiracy Entertainment NA
Xicat Interactive EU

Cartridge
Choro Q HG 2 JP
チョロQ HG2

Road Trip NA
Road Trip Adventure EU

2002 JA/NA

2003 EU

PlayStation 2 E-game Takara JP

Conspiracy Entertainment NA
Play It!

CD
Shin Combat Choro Q JP
新コンバットチョロQ

Seek and Destroy NA/EU

2002 JP/NA

2003 EU

PlayStation 2 Barnhouse Effect Takara JP

Conspiracy Entertainment NA
Play It! EU

DVD
CD
CD
Combat Choro Q: Advance Daisakusen
コンバットチョロQアドバンス大作戦
August 2002 Game Boy Advance Takara Cartridge
Boku no Choro Q March 2002 PlayStation Takara CD
Choro Q Advance 2 JP

Road Trip: Shifting Gears NA
Gadget Racers EU

2002 JP

2004 NA
2003 EU

Game Boy Advance Electronics Applications Takara JP

Conspiracy Entertainment NA
Zoo Digital Publishing EU

Cartridge
Choro Q HG 3 JP

Road Trip: Adventure Avenue NA
Gadget Racers EU

December 2002 JP

Cancelled NA
2003 EU

PlayStation 2 E-game Takara JP

Conspiracy Entertainment NA
Zoo Digital Publishing EU

CD
Choro Q! JP

Road Trip: The Arcade Edition NA
Gadget Racers EU

December 2002 JP

2004 NA
2003 EU

GameCube Electronics Applications Takara JP

Conspiracy Entertainment NA
Zoo Digital Publishing EU

GameCube Game Disc (MiniDVD)
Choro Q Byun Byun Racer 2003 Stand-alone TV game SSD Company Limited
Choro Q HG 4 JP

ChoroQ NA/EU

2003 JP

2004 NA
2005 EU

PlayStation 2 Barnhouse Effect Takara JP

Atlus NA
Zoo Digital Publishing EU

DVD
Choro Q Works 2005 PlayStation 2 Barnhouse Effect Atlus and Takara DVD
Choro Q DS Cancelled Nintendo DS Unknown Atlus Cartridge
ChoroQ Wii JP

Penny Racers Party: Turbo-Q Speedway NA

2008 Wii Barnhouse Effect Takara Tomy Wii Optical Disc (DVD)
Choro Q Grand PrixJP December 2012 Android Barnhouse Effect Takara Tomy
Choro Q Hyper Racing 5 1999 Arcade Unknown Unknown Cartridge

References

  1. "Nex Entertainment (formerly Nextech) Product List (under チョロQパーク)". Archived from the original on 15 March 2010. Retrieved 27 September 2011.
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