29.10.2003

Many games making the transitional change between the PSX and PS2 platforms have received criticism for merely being “glossed over” with nice new graphics and enhanced sound. In most cases, this is a weakness of any new title, but in the case of GT3, the result is, in a word, stunning. This achievement places GT3 in the position of best driving game in all history, bar none. Other gamers may argue that the many categories of driving game in existence render this moot; there being Ridge Racer, Colin McRae Rally and EA’s Formula 1 range to name a few of gaming history‘s gems. However, none equally extol what a driving simulation is really all about - the feel of reality. From the very opening scenes of GT3,the simply unbelievable graphics of GT3 exposes this truth; too quick a glance and you might believe you are watching live action video. No sir; these are the GAME graphics.Once into the game, and everything is simply and straightforwardly arranged for the player’s delectation. The very thing which made earlier GT versions so enticing - the addiction of winning - is promoted here. The player starts out with a limited choice of underpowered cars according to budget, but very soon new cars can be won and prize money built up by winning races in various classes from beginner up to professional level. The creators have been far more generous than in previous GTs by allowing cars to be won after every competition has been completed - some can only be won once, but others can be repeatedly won. And the fun doesn’t end there. Start out with a measly few bhp under the bonnet, but win more prize money and further enhancements can be made via the excellent Tune Shop facility.The races themselves are superbly structured. Competition takes place in beautifully rendered locations, with outstanding weather effects, well-matched rivals and brilliant realism. Break-neck speed racing can be achieved by the tuning of your chosen car to it’s limits, and a rudimentary knowledge of the mechanics of racing can be gained by gradual tinkering with the car’s parameters such as suspension, gear ratios and down force.Competition gets tougher as the player progresses through the races, but the rewards are well worth the increased lap count and the skill required to compete - namely, the prize cars. It must be most people’s dream to own a garage of top line cars, and it is all possible in GT3. The game, by virtue of it’s title, excludes cars with lesser potential which were available in GT 1 & 2, and focuses instead on top racing models. And how these vehicles provoke emotion! The Toyota Trueno is laborious, the Nissan Z is slick, the Altezza LM robust, the R390 Road Car is smooth, the Pagani Zonda C12 is outrageous; one could go on with adjectives to describe the stunningly rendered vehicles in the game. Cars such as the Gillet Vertigo, the Subaru Impreza Rally Car prototype, the Toyota GT-One and the Mazda 787B are the stuff that dreams are made of. The player could collect the entire range of Mitsubishu Evolutions; better still, build an entire army of rally cars from the 10 rally competitions included in the game. Watch the sun glint off the bonnet of your Tommy Kaira ZZII, listen as your Shelby Cobra rumbles its bhp at the start line, hear the tyres of your Arta NSX screech at top speed as you take the corner towards the finish. This game does what a true simulation should do - it assaults the senses.And even after all this - that’s not all! There are test tracks, cleaning facilities, wheel shops, licences to take, and a vast dealer base to purchase from. Simply watching your car sail around a chosen course in the automatic replay section is tremendously satisfying. Achieving the race wins and increasing the completion percentage is also highly addictive. The knowledge that better and faster cars will be unlocked as the game progresses is enough to make even the most resilient participant have “just one more try . . .”Can there be any criticisms of GT3? As in all life, nothing is perfect. The arcade mode allows the player to race accrued cars at an un-tuned level and is not perhaps as involved as the GT version, but is still good fun with friends. The inability to damage cars in the GT3 games has always been a stout complaint and is again the case here. However, if a player has just spent up to a million in prize money adapting their dream car to it’s maximum potential, would it’s immediate de-beautification be satisfying? Surely not. There are graphic flaws evident, if only slight - watch the rear view mirror in cockpit mode and objects and buildings suddenly jump out of existence. Fortunately, this flaw does not occur with foreground loading. The endurance races are monotonous at times depending on the circuit involved. The automatic replay can be a pain as it repeats after every race, with no obvious ways to turn it off. The Japanese-English translation of race titles is also somewhat comical.But really these are all only minor criticisms. The graphics alone could support the claim that this is the most realistic game ever created, and the race experience, combined with the unnerving jolts from the vibration joy-pad cement the game’s claim to be a true simulation. The menu access is so user-friendly other games should sit up and take note. And the true satisfaction of achieving the difficult and time-consuming professional prizes is second to none. If it’s destruction derby you want, steer well clear. If it’s repetitive and pointless quick-fix arcading you’re after, no can do. But if you want to live a dream and spend, race and tune your car of choice, look no further than GT3.

16.12.2003

GT3 is the definitive racing/driving simulator and no other game in the genre even comes close. As such, GT3 represents the benchmark by which all other racing games should be judged, and even the developers of non-racing games should be taking a good look at this game to see how much work they should be putting in to their titles.Many other reviews will tell you how brilliant the graphics are and debate the finer points of the gameplay, so I won't go into that too much. The only thing I will say about those aspects of the game are that the 5 star rating seems too low to do justice.The main aspect of this game that makes it the greatest racing game available to humanity (until GT4 that is...)

26.5.2006

There is a great progression from the slower cars into the super cars. Admittedly it's hard at the start to get good cars and to improve their specs but once you get past a certain level (probably around 30-40%) the money you earn for races and tournaments will give plenty of credit to buy cars and parts.To get loads of money you do have to repeatedly enter races you've won but that only improves your knowledge around the track and make it easier further on in the game. Plus you can try different cars around different tracks to see how they are for handling, speed and turning corners. By the time you're 50% everything should come to you naturally eg. natural racing line speed,

15.8.2003

THE GOOD:The graphics is the thing that stands out most in my opinion. If I were to play GT2, then I would put it back and or throw it in the bin. On Gt3, no pixelated cars, all smooth, and perfected. Light just rolls on and off the car and it looks fantastic.There is certainly a lot more cars then in the previous 2 Gran Turismos. 300, if I remember correctly. All reserched, and perfected to the screw. The noise from the cars are exceptionally like their real life models, another added feature to make it realistic. There are newer cars, some concept, some vintage. Some you must win, some you can just simply buy from the dealer. It is that easy. Like the tuning. You can buy alot more in the way of mods.

8.3.2002

The first games in the GT two were masterpieces in their own right, and it would've taken some ham-fistedness to really mess things up. This is, in most senses, a great game too, although it's not as good as GT2, which easily takes 5 stars.Respect is due for the vast improvement to the previously useless Rally mode, it's not Colin McRae but it's very good. But for the most part it's a triumph of style over substance; the graphics are undoubtedly great but the game doesn't run quite as fast as it should. GT2 showed that good (though not perfect) graphicswere OK so long as the game played fast and delivered thrills. GT3 could do with a less polygons and more mph.

11.9.2004

This is an amazing game. There are hundreds of cars on here and many tournaments. Graphics: The graphics is the best thing about the game. They look amazing on the car and surround area. Everything looks so 3D and realistic. When your racing at night the graphics on the cars lights look good and so do all the other lights. The sparkle on your car wehen your in the sun looks terrific. The graphics are definitly 10/10. Audio: There's not much to say though it just sounds right. The reving of the engine sounds great and so does everthing else aswell. There's music in the background for when your racing. Audio is 10/10. Gameplay: There's lots to do on this game. Loads of tournaments.

26.1.2003

GT3 is, simply, the best racing game ever.I own GT2 as well, a superb game in its own right, and as soon as I heard there was to a be a GT3 coming out, I literally went wild with excitment. I actually bought a PS2 (still £300 at the time) just so I could play GT3. I played it near solidly for a month, without ever getting bored, and since I got it, I've completed it 3 times, each time with different cars. If you like cars and racing games, this game will keep you glued to your sofa for hours, even days on end without ever getting boring.The gameplay is incredible, the graphics mindblowing, and the AI powering the rival cars is about as realistic as it could be. Though it does take a long time to complete,

9.7.2003

This is the game which made me want to buy a PS2, it's excellent, but there are a couple of things that bug me about it which I hope they fix for Version 4....1st problem, and also the biggest problem, is that you can't save mid-way through a championship. I've completed 90% of this game, and don't have the time to finish the rest as the championships in the later stages of the game take too long to play. The ability to save mid-way through a championship and start where you left off another time, the game would be almost perfect.Another complaint is with the AI cars. They seem to be pre-programmed to run set times, whereas many other games which aren't as good as this one have AI cars which run differently according to how things happen is the race.

4.6.2003

July 2001, and I look on teletext. To my utter disbelief there was an unbelievable sentence on-screen - Gran Turismo 3 out today! A week earlier! I cack myself and hurriedly rush to the bank to get some moolah. I take one hundred pounds out so I can get the GT3 steering wheel as well. Oh the excitement!After the hectic rush I slapped the disc in my PS2, almost breaking it, and it loads up. I choose my car and enter a race...........WOW! The graphics blew me away! We're talking 100% accurate car models, beautifully complimented with heat haze, sparks, and tracks so luscious you want to graze on their green, green grass.So how's it play? Flawlessly. The cars handle so realistically you are fully immersed within the experience.

19.3.2003

As a Platinum game, which can be purchased new for as little as £15, this game is essential.Ok, the gameplay is basically the same as GT2 for PS1. And yes, the music is NOT as good as the last (unless you like the student rock sounds of Feeder and Ash - I'd personally go with Chemical Brothers remix of The Manics (as per GT2 anytime). Oh, and less cars appear than before.To start with it seems with the cash you're given, you only have an option of a couple of cars - one being a little Suzuki, the other a Mazda soft-top.Although only a few more tracks than before, they do appear in reverse too. There's tonnes more competitions to enter, but the cars you win are worth less at the early stages,

25.3.2002

GT3, like the previous games, can take a little getting into. This is especially true of the Gran Turismo mode, where you start off with a pitiful amount of money and spend hours upgrading your rubbish car and entering races over and over to get some cash together and buy a new one.But once you do, the game finds it's, er, gear (sorry). You are soon winning megabucks and can invest in some serious cars, tuning them to witin an inch of their life. Highly addictive.Couple this with the astonishing graphics (try playing the original GT afterwards, it's awful) and generally spot-on car handling and it's a great game.There is still no collision damage as cars bounce off walls at 150kph and if you

10.5.2002

Ok, there's several games out now to *try* and get close to GT3, but imho nothing does. To be honest its a game you will love or hate, I've owned the previous 2 games in the series and played them to death and now i'm doing the same to this! But if what you want is a mindless arcadey racer then go checkout burnout or something. This is for those people out there who like the realsim, and it uses the PS2's capabilities brilliantly. The one thing that everyone will complain about is the lack of damage effects, but the Gran Turismo series has never had them, so that's not something that bothers me too much. Maybe we'll see them in GT4, maybe we won't, but you can rest assured it is coming.

3.10.2004

GT4 will no doubt be great but GT3 is still well worth getting and you will not finish it until long after GT4 arrives.This is quite a hard game. Sure, if you spec up your car so it's faster than all the others, you can use brute force to win the races, but this only works early on in the game. Get beyond the beginner series (which takes weeks) and you'll be up against some serious competition.The cars feel realistic to drive, though you could say that they understeer excessively and it's not easy to adjust the attitude using the throttle. Despite using manual gearchange, they sometimes get 'bogged down' if you slide sideways and there's nothing you can do about that.The most annoying thing is that the other cars crash into you all the time.

30.12.2003

Awesome game.With Driving licences to aquire, along with Cars and cash awarded for winning events or completing solo events, the game has plenty of opportunities to play it over and over again without having the same game twice.Tune your car up to the max in the racing shop, buy slick tyres or racing simulation tyres, exhaust systems and air cleaners, turbo enhancements brakes and suspension.There are endurance races and short races too, along with 10 race meeting championships, the harder the race the higher the prizes and the better the car you win.This game is so addictive in Gran Turismo mode it is worth every penny, and now it's on platinum release it's even more value for money.Best advice for you BUY it!!

18.5.2012

Bought this for a dose of nostalgia, and remembered it was a blast to race.This definitely hasn't disappointed so far, and was one of the major reasons for being such a fan of the series.The range of cars is diverse, and caters for whether you want to face a good challenge trying to hustle every last ounce of speed out of a Micra, or just to blast the competition away in the Escudo.It rewards good driving, rather than an arcade style, with each car showing its unique handling traits.Graphics are good when you accept the age of the game, and compare them to GT2.The main thing that I noticed this time was the music. There is a great soundtrack behind it,

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