Guide Note

Jet Grind Radio is a 2000 roller-blading action game developed by Smilebit and published by SEGA for the Dreamcast. The game is the prequel to 2002's Jet Set Radio Future.

Fast Facts

1. Developer: Smilebit
2. Publisher: SEGA
3. Platform: Dreamcast, Game Boy Advance
4. Genre: Action, Platformer
5. Was originally titled Jet Set Radio, but was renamed for the US market
6. Mode: Single-player
7. ESRB Rating: Teen (T)
8. Release Date:
   1. Dreamcast: November 1, 2001
   2. GBA: June 23, 2003

Jet Grind Radio takes place in a futuristic Tokyo, where a number of street gangs compete for territory. You start the game as Beat, who is eventually joined by members Gum and Tab. The three form a roller-blading gang together, and proceed to skate around the city's three districts, tagging walls and rails with their signature colors while avoiding gang members and the police.

Jet Grind Radio gained immediate popularity from its use of a particular style of video game graphics referred to as “cel-shading.” The technique has several notable effects on the art style: characters and objects all have a thick, black comic book-style outline; colors appear vibrant and bright; the models appear hand-drawn, like a cartoon, and in general the images appear “flat,” due to coloring large “cels” all one color. Other games that use the cel-shading technique include The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and Viewtiful Joe.