05/02/06 - Dan Tochen, GameSpot

Japanese Xbox 360 street racer speeds to market

Shutokou Battle X crashes into retail on July 27 in Japan--no word yet on US release.

Japanese game developer Genki has announced the launch date and pricing for its Xbox 360 racer Shutokou Battle X. First unveiled at the 2005 Tokyo Game Show, the game goes to shelves in Japan on July 27 for 7,140 yen ($63). Genki has not yet announced any US release plans for Shutokou Battle X.

This game is the latest installment of a long-running franchise that's known in the US as Tokyo Xtreme Racer. Over the series' life span, it has burned rubber on everything from the Super NES up to the PSP, but the Xbox 360 is the only next-gen console for which it's currently announced. Genki has said that the game will feature extensive car-customization capabilities, and if the series' gameplay stays true to past form, drifting will play a big role in the racing. Unfortunately, the game only supports a maximum of two players for head-to-head racing.