Play Metro-Cross Online

Summary

Metro-Cross drops you into a frantic sprint where the character runs on his own and you only steer and throttle. The stick lets you dodge Slip Zones that sap speed, avoid Pitfalls that give you a sudden drop, and hop over Crackers that fling you onto your back. Along the way you can kick drink cans for points or a burst of speed, while jumping on them pauses the clock for a few seconds.

Each of the thirty‑two stages is timed, and any leftover seconds turn into bonus points. Every fourth round is a time‑bank round, borrowing the remaining seconds from the three previous stages to give you a longer window. Miss the deadline and the Runner is instantly electrocuted, ending the run.

Later levels throw in Jumbo Tires that bounce toward you, rising Walls, sliding Cubes, mischievous Mice, and even chess‑piece enemies that hop across the grid. Springboards can catapult you forward, and a clever chain of them lets you land directly on the next one. Skateboards grant temporary immunity to Slip Zones while boosting your pace.

The arcade version was a top‑ten hit in Japan’s June 1985 charts and later resurfaced in Namco Museum collections, the Xbox 360’s Virtual Arcade (as Retro‑Cross), and Hamster’s Arcade Archives for Switch and PS4 in 2022. A planned HD sequel, Aero‑Cross, was cancelled along with the Namco Generations line, but the game still pops up as DLC in Pac‑Man 99.