Registration Type (PAL & US)

 * When driving in the PAL version, your car will have UK plates regardless of the city.  If you're doing Time Attack/Time Trial/Test Drive modes, the unsaved ghost will also have UK plates until you quit.

* CPU cars will have the plates of the city in question.  However CPU Lawnmowers have no number plates in Tokyo or San Francisco.

* If you save a ghost and then replay it (or quit and go back to the exact same course), the ghost car will have the plates from the city in question.

* The car showroom and current car display (before an event) will have the plates that are nearest to the manufacturer's headquarters.  For example, Fiat, Audi and Renault will show UK number plates and Toyota, Nissan and Mitsubishi have Tokyo plates.  Ford Mustang and the Mazda MX-5 Miata variation have California plates.  However the bonus vehicles all display UK numberplates  

The same applies to the US version except the first point which is now: when driving, your car will have California plates regardless of the city.  If you're doing Time Attack/Time Trial/Test Drive modes, the unsaved ghost will also have California plates until you quit.  However there is no registration visible when you drive the Lawnmower although if you save its ghost on a London course, the ghost will show a back UK registration.

MSR's US Chart Performance (January - February 2001)

 

US Weekly Dreamcast Chart ending 14 January 2001 (they may have meant 21 Janaury as MSR wasn't released stateside until 15 January 2001; a Monday)

1.  MSR: Metropolis Street Racer
2.  NBA 2K1
3.  NFL 2K1
4.  Crazy Taxi
5.  Sonic Adventure
6.  Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2
7.  Shenmue, Sega
8.  Sega Rally Championship 2
9.  Grandia II
10. NHL 2K


Week ending 30 January 2001

1.  MSR: Metropolis Street Racer

2.  NBA 2K1

3.  NFL 2K1

4.  Crazy Taxi

5.  Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2

6.  Shenmue

7.  Sonic Adventure

8.  Ready 2 Rumble Boxing 2

9.  Grandia II

10. Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation

Week ending 6 February 2001

1.  NBA 2K1

2.  Crazy Taxi

3.  NFL 2K1

4.  Metropolis Street Racer

5.  Speed Devils

6.  Sonic Adventure

7.  Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2

8.  Shenmue

9.  Tomb Raider: The Next Revelation

10. Evolution

While I have charts for the next 2 weeks, the dates seem to overlap so they may not be accurate.  However I can say that MSR dropped to No. 7 and then No.9 over the next two weeks.  It had left the Top 10 by the end of February. 

Early MSR: 'Metropolis' poster

 

Early MSR: Gang Mode (Pictures)

"The Gang Battle mode is a four player Olympic-like event that consists of players battling it out in several different games to see who the ultimate driver is. The idea is very innovative and could be a deciding factor in how well Metropolis does." 

Statement taken from the old Sega Zone website: https://web.archive.org/web/20000831030938/http://www.sega-zone.com:80/previews/dreamcast/metropolis.html

Pictures originate from the old 'Segaweb' site and 'Videogames.com' (predecessor of Gamespot).

MSR's UK Chart Performance (4 November 2000 - 23 November 2002)

I managed to find some news articles in the old Segaweb.com archives (a US based site) and a chart archive archive (https://retrogamecharts.blogspot.com/) that cover the UK chart performance of MSR during November 2000 and December 2002.  The first three dates include the all-format chart because those are the only time MSR makes an appearance.  All the other dates show Dreamcast charts only.      

Week ending 4 November 2000.  MSR had only been on sale for 1/2 days selling just over 13,000 units

All Format Chart

1.  Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? - PSone, PC, Dreamcast
2.  Championship Manager: Season 00/01 - PC
3.  FIFA 2001 - PSone, PC (New Entry)
4.  Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 - PC
5.  MSR: Metropolis Street Racer - Dreamcast (New Entry)
6.  Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 - PSone
7.  Pokemon Yellow - Game Boy
8.  Pokemon Pinball - Game Boy Color
9.  Gran Turismo 2 - PSone
10. Tomorrow Never Dies - PSone

Dreamcast Chart

1.  MSR: Metropolis Street Racer (New Entry)
2.  Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?
3.  Sonic Adventure
4.  F355 Challenge: Passione Rossa
5.  Virtua Tennis
6.  WWF: Royal Rumble
7.  Hidden & Dangerous
8.  Sega Bass Fishing
9.  Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation
10. UEFA Striker

5-11 November 2000 

All-Format

1.  Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? - PSone, PC, Dreamcast
2.  FIFA 2001 - PSone, PC
3.  Championship Manager: Season 00/01 - PC
4.  Pokemon Pinball - Game Boy Color
5.  Pokemon Yellow - Game Boy
6.  Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 - PC
7.  Tony Hawks Pro Skater 2 - PSone
8.  MSR: Metropolis Street Racer - Dreamcast
9.  Rayman - PSone, Game Boy Color
10. Gran Turismo 2 - PSone

Dreamcast Chart

1.  MSR: Metropolis Street Racer
2.  Sonic Adventure
3.  Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?
4.  Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2 [New Entry]
5.  Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation
6.  Virtua Tennis
7.  WWF: Royal Rumble
8.  UEFA Striker
9.  Rayman 2: The Great Escape
10. F355 Challenge: Passione Rossa


12 - 18 November 2000

All Format Chart

1. Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? - PSOne / Dreamcast / PC
2. Driver 2 - PSOne [New Entry]
3. FIFA 2001 - PSOne / PC
4. Legend Of Zelda: Majora's Mask - N64 [New Entry]
5. Pokemon Pinball - Game Boy Color
6. Pokemon Yellow - Game Boy
7. Championship Manager: Season 00/01 - PC
8. Tomb Raider Chronicles - PSOne [New Entry]
9. The World Is Not Enough - PSOne [New Entry]
10. Rayman - PSOne
11. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 - PSOne
12. Spyro: Year Of The Dragon - PSOne
13. Toy Story 2 - PSOne / Game Boy Color
14. Rugrats: Search For Reptar - PSOne
15. Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 - PC
16. Tomorrow Never Dies - PSOne
17. Gran Turismo 2 - PSOne
18. Pokemon Blue - Game Boy
19. Pokemon Red - Game Boy
20. Driver - PSOne
21. Escape From Monkey Island - PC [New Entry]
22. Disney's Dinosaur - PSOne / Game Boy Color
23. Spiderman - PSOne / Game Boy Color
24. Tarzan Action Game - PSOne
25. Rayman 2: The Great Escape - PSOne / Dreamcast / N64 / PC
26. Super Mario Bros - Game Boy Color
27. Army Men: Land, Sea, Air - PSOne
28. Metropolis Street Racer - Dreamcast (previous No. 8)
29. Star Wars Episode One: The Phantom Menace - PSOne / PC
30. Theme Park World - PSOne / PC

Dreamcast Chart

1.  MSR: Metropolis Street Racer (Sega Europe)
2.  Sonic Adventure (Sega)
3.  Silent Scope (Konami) [New Entry]
4.  Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? (Eidos Interactive)
5.  Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2 (Sega) 
6.  Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation (Eidos Interactive)
7.  Soul Fighter (Mindscape)
8.  Virtua Tennis (Sega)
9.  Le Mans 24 Hours (Infogrames) [New Entry]
10. WWF: Royal Rumble (THQ)


26 November - 2 December 2000

MSR had dropped out of the All-Format Top 40 by this point.  You can see that particular chart for this week here: https://web.archive.org/web/20011222121349/http://www.segaweb.com/news/1200/019.html.  So UK charts from this point onwards are Dreamcast only.

1.  Shenmue (Sega) [New Entry]
2.  Sonic Adventure (Sega)
3.  MSR: Metropolis Street Racer (Sega Europe)
4.  Jet Set Radio (Sega)
5.  Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation (Eidos Interactive)
6.  Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? (Eidos Interactive)
7.  Sega Bass Fishing (Sega)
8.  Sega GT (Sega) [New Entry]
9.  Soul Fighter (Mindscape)
10. Silent Scope (Konami)

3-9 December 2000

1.  Shenmue - Sega
2.  Quake III: Arena - Sega [New Entry]
3.  Sonic Adventure - Sega
4.  Tomb Raider 4 - The Last Revelation - Eidos
5.  MSR: Metropolis Street Racer - Sega
6.  Sega Bass Fishing - Sega
7.  Who Want To Be A Millionaire - Eidos
8.  Ultimate Fighting Championship - Ubi Soft
9.  Jet Set Radio - Sega
10. UEFA Dream Soccer - Sega


10 - 16 December 2000

1. Shenmue (Sega)
2. Sonic Adventure (Sega)
3. Quake III: Arena (Sega)
4. Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation (Eidos Interactive)
5. Sega Bass Fishing (Sega)
6. MSR: Metropolis Street Racer (Sega Europe)
7. Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? (Eidos Interactive)
8. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 (Activision) [New Entry]
9. Ultimate Fighting Championship (Ubi Soft)
10. Jet Set Radio (Sega)

17-23 December 2000

1.  Shenmue (Sega)
2.  Sonic Adventure (Sega)
3.  Toy Racer Sega [New Entry] (Sega Europe)
4.  Tomb Raider 4: The Last Revelation (Eidos)
5.  Sega Bass Fishing (Sega)
6.  Quake III: Arena (Sega)
7.   Who Wants To Be A Millionaire (Eidos Interactive)
8.   MSR: Metropolis Street Racer (Sega Europe)
9.   Tony Hawk'S Pro Skater 2 (Activision)
10. Jet Set Radio (Sega)

24 - 30 December 2000

1. Toy Racer (Sega Europe)
2. Shenmue (Sega)
3. Sonic Adventure (Sega)
4. Quake III Arena (Sega)
5. MSR: Metropolis Street Racer (Sega Europe)
6. Sega Bass Fishing (Sega)
7. Tomb Raider 4 - The Last Revelation (Eidos)
8. Ready 2 Rumble Boxing Round 2 (Midway)
9. Tony Hawk'S Pro Skater 2 (Activision)
10. Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? (Eidos)

31 December 2000 - 6 January 2001

1. Toy Racer (Sega Europe)
2  Sonic Adventure (Sega)
3. Shenmue (Sega)
4. Quake III Arena (Sega)
5. Tomb Raider 4 - The Last Revelation (Eidos)
6. Sega Bass Fishing (Sega)
7. Sega Rally 2 (Sega)
8. Ready 2 Rumble Boxing Round 2 (Midway)
9. MSR: Metropolis Street Racer (Sega Europe)
10. Hidden & Dangerous (Take 2)

7- 13 January 2001

1.  Toy Racer (Sega)
2.  Sonic Adventure (Sega)
3.  Tomb Raider 4 - The Last Revelation (Eidos Interactive)
4.  Sega Rally 2 (Sega)
5.  Shenmue (Sega)
6.  Sega Bass Fishing (Sega)
7.  Tony Hawk'S Pro Skater 2 (Activision)
8.  Quake III Arena (Sega)
9.  F355 Challenge (Acclaim)
10. MSR: Metropolis Street Racer (Sega Europe)

14- 20 January 2001

1.   Toy Racer (Sega Europe)
2.   Sonic Adventure (Sega)
3.   Tomb Raider 4 - The Last Revelation (Eidos)
4.   Sega Rally 2 (Sega)
5.   Shenmue (Sega)
6.   Sega Bass Fishing (Sega)
7.   Quake III Arena (Sega)
8.   Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 (Activision)
9.   MSR: Metropolis Street Racer (Sega Europe)
10. WWF Attitude (Acclaim) 

21 - 27 Jan 2001

1.  Toy Racer (Sega Europe)
2.  Sonic Adventure (Sega)
3.  Shenmue (Sega)
4.  Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation (Eidos Interactive)
5.  Sega Rally 2 (Sega)
6.  Virtua Tennis (Sega)
7.  Sega Bass Fishing (Sega)
8.  Tony Hawk'S Pro Skater 2 (Activision)
9.  Quake III: Arena (Sega)
10. MSR: Metropolis Street Racer (Sega)

Week ending 3 February 2001: No. 11

Week ending 10 February 2001: No. 15

Week ending 17 February 2001: No info but not in Top 10

Week ending  24 February 2001: No. 19

Week ending 10 March 2001: No. 10

Week ending 17 March 2001: No. 5

Week ending 24 March 2001: No. 5

Week ending 31 March 2001: No.  5 

Week ending 7 April 2001: No. 8

Week ending 14 April 2001: No info but not in Top 10

Week ending 21 April 2001: No. 7

Week ending 29 April 2001: No. 10

Week ending 5 May 2001: No. 6

Week ending 12 May 2001: No info but not in Top 10

Week ending 19 May 2001: No. 12 

Week ending 26 May 2001: No. 12

There are no Top 20 charts until October, only Top 10.  MSR is not in the Top 10 during this period.

Week ending 6 October 2001: No. 16

Limited info between 7 October - 24 November 2001 however MSR is not in the Top 10 during this period.

Week ending 24 November 2001: No.10

Week ending 1 December 2001: No. 12

Limited info between 2 December - 16 February however MSR is not in the Top 10.

Week ending 23 February 2002: No. 8

Limited info between 17 February - 7 September 2002 however MSR is not in the Top 10.

Week ending 14 September 2002: No. 8 

Week ending 21 September 2002: No. 5

No info for week ending 29 September 2002

Week ending 5 October 2002: No. 6

Week ending 12 October 2002: No. 3

Week ending 19 October 2002: No. 10

Week ending 26 October 2002: No. 10

Week ending 2 November 2002: No. 8

Week ending 9 November 2002: No. 8

Week ending 16 November 2002: No. 6

Week ending 23 November 2002: No. 6

Asakusa Eki-Iriguchi and Koen Minami 0.00 bug solved by hexediting

I finally solved my problem with the 0.00 'Miata' time bug on the Asakusa Eki-Iriguchi and Koen Minami courses!  I downloaded a hacked saved with all the events opened but nothing completed.  I then set laps on each course, saved the game and then looked at that main save file via a hexeditor.

I managed to identify the addresses for each of these courses and then edit the code on my main save so it made the game think they still need to be unlocked (see picture below).  Unfortunately for a number of hours, I was editing the wrong addresses that only affect the 'Record Time' not the actual 'Time' that remained at 0.00.  That is why you see the record lap time at 6 hours+!  Eventually I was able to find the right address and get the 0.00 times removed by copying a 'blank' hexidecimal code somewhere else in the save, hence the greyed out times.

I then switched on the 'Open All Cheat' via the Cheat menu (see 1st picture below) and this allowed said courses to be selectable (see 2nd picture below).  I then set a basic lap on both and saved (see 3rd picture below).  As a result the game wiped the record times with my basic lap.  Successful hexedit complete! 

I think this problem originated back in 2007 when I first completed the game.  I was using a bugged PAL copy (SS code) and somewhere the VMU must have corrupted slightly when saving.  So more a VMU save error than a coding error; if it was the latter, it would not have been fixable.

Courses from MSR that appear in Project Gotham Racing 1 [Corrections likely]

I've stated before that the only thing Metropolis Street Racer and Project Gotham Racing 1 (PGR1) really have in common is sharing some of the same courses.  Therefore I've compiled a list of said shared courses that can be viewed in the pictures below.  Some courses have the same name over both games but most of them have been renamed in PGR1.  Corrections to this post are likely, particularly for the very small tracks as they are more a 'best guess' at this point in time.

I should state that I was wrong about PGR1 having all its London, San Francisco and Tokyo tracks from MSR.  There are some unique variations in PGR1 although they still use the same basic city layouts (no new areas/roads).

 LONDON

TOKYO

SAN FRANCISCO