Choro Q video games

The Choro Q video games are a series of console 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) 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.

Overseas releases

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

• Choro Q (MSX), 1984 - Developed by Taito Corporation
  • Europe: Choro Q (Electric Software, 1984)

• Choro Q (PlayStation), 1996 - Developed by Tamsoft
  • Europe: Penny Racers (Sony Computer Entertainment, 1996)

• Choro Q 2 (PlayStation), 1997 - Developed by Tamsoft

• Choro Q 3 (PlayStation), 1998 - Developed by Tamsoft

• Choro Q Jet: Rainbow Wings (PlayStation), 1998 - Developer TakaraTomy/Atlus

• Choro Q Jet (Sega Saturn), 1998 - Developer unknown

• Choro Q Marine: Q-Boat (PlayStation), 1998 - Developed by Barnhouse Effect

• Choro Q 64 (Nintendo 64), 1998 - Developed by Takara
  • North America: Penny Racers (THQ, 1998)
  • Europe: Penny Racers (THQ, 1999)

• Combat Choro Q (PlayStation), 1999 - Developed by Barnhouse Effect

• Choro Q Park (Sega Saturn), 1999 - Developer Takara

• Choro Q Hyper Customable (Game Boy Color), 1999 - Developer unknown

• Choro Q Wonderful (PlayStation), 1999 - Developed by E-game

• Choro Q 64 2 (Nintendo 64), 1999 - Developer Takara

• Perfect Choro Q (Game Boy Color), 2000 - Developer unknown

• Choro Q HG (PlayStation 2), 2000 - Developed by Barnhouse Effect
  • North America: Gadget Racers (Conspiracy Entertainment, 2001)
  • Europe: Penny Racers (Midas Interactive Entertainment, 2002)

• Choro Q Advance (Game Boy Advance), 2001 - Developed by Takara
  • North America: Gadget Racers (Conspiracy Entertainment, 2001)
  • Europe: Penny Racers (Xicat Interactive, Inc., 2002)

• Choro Q HG 2 (PlayStation 2), 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 Advance), 2002 - Developed by Takara

• Shin Combat Choro Q (PlayStation 2), 2002 - Developed by Barnhouse Effect
  • North America: Seek and Destroy (Conspiracy Entertainment, 2002)
  • Europe: Seek and Destroy (Play It!, 2003)

• Boku no Choro Q (PlayStation), 2002 - Developer unknown

• Choro Q Advance 2 (Game Boy Advance), 2002 - Developer unknown
  • Europe: Gadget Racers (Zoo Digital Publishing, 2003)
  • North America: Road Trip: Shifting Gears (Conspiracy Entertainment, 2004)

• Choro Q HG 3 (PlayStation 2), 2002 - Developed by E-game
  • Europe: Gadget Racers (Zoo Digital Publishing, 2003)
  • North America: Road Trip: Adventure Avenue (Conspiracy Entertainment, canceled)

• Choro Q! (Nintendo GameCube), 2002 - Developed by Hudson Soft
  • Europe: Gadget Racers (Zoo Digital Publishing, 2003)
  • North America: Road Trip: Arcade Edition (Conspiracy Entertainment, 2004)

• Choro Q Byun Byun Racer (Stand-alone TV game), 2003 - Developed by SSD Company Limited

• Choro Q HG 4 (PlayStation 2), 2003 - Developed by Barnhouse Effect
  • North America: ChoroQ (Atlus, 2004)
  • Europe: ChoroQ (Zoo Digital Publishing, 2005)

• Choro Q Works (PlayStation 2), 2005 - Developed by Barnhouse Effect

• Choro Q DS (Nintendo DS), Developer unknown, Delayed

• ChoroQ Wii (Wii), 2008 - Developed by TakaraTomy
  • North America: Penny Racers Party: Turbo-Q Speedway (TakaraTomy, 2008)
  • Europe: Penny Racers Party: Turbo-Q Speedway (TakaraTomy, TBA)

External links

• Barnhouse Effect
• E-Game
• Takara Games
• Official Choro Q Homepage
• Choro Q Playstation 2 game.

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