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I picked up a very first Tokyo Xtreme Racer (TXR) for Dreamcast without having much anticipation. Result was stunning. I couldn't put down the controller, playing it for hours and hours. I get easily bored with games these days because they look good on surface with graphic, however, lacking the most important aspect; gameplay/fun factor. However, this wasn't the case with TXR. I couldn't wait for the TXR 2 for Dreamcast in the States and ended up getting import version of it. I bought PS2 version, Tokyo Xtreme Racer Zero, in order to obtain rival's profiles(you get rival's profiles once you beat them) since I can't read Japanese. You must be wondering why would I buy almost same game for different system just for stupid profiles, especially when it's just a driving game, right? Well, I vividly remember racing against this car in the first game. I raced literally 20 times and each race was so close, so close... After I beat that car, I couldn't help but smile when I read the profile;The rival was female, who goes to city college, borrowing her boy friend's car without his permission. Dang, I felt this 'bond' or 'tie' with her after having twenty close, close races. I almost, almost felt like asking her number... and she was just one of them.

Strangely, this game becomes personal and you get to relate to each rivals, especially ones who gave you hard time.

Tokyo Xtreme Racer 3... The very first thing I noticed was the graphic. The first impression was that it ACTUALLY LOOKED LIKE HIGHWAYS IN TOKYO. One of my Japanese coworkers took me to Japan couple years ago to show me Shutokou Highway after we were fervently discussing about the game(actual highway where game battle takes place). The funny thing is that I didn't think first two TXR games looked anything like actual highway, of course, it looked similar. However, when I was playing TXR 3, it just came to me naturally that this really does look like actual highway. Game looks very identical not only in details (now there's oncoming traffic) but most importantly the scale wise. Feels like actually racing in the highways of Tokyo.

Moreover, they have balanced whole battle system. You could sort of bump into walls and cars and still manage to maintain your speed, however, it wasn't the case with TXR3. Even if you are ahead of your rival, you could still lose EASILY, WHICH FORCES YOU TO MAINTAIN THAT INTENSITY, CONCENTRATON TILL THE END OF RACE. If you just scratch your car or bump into something, then not only you lose speed but also considerable amount of your 'health bar'. This game rewards those players who play with precision, taking game driving as if they were driving a real car. You wouldn't bump into anything if you were to drive your own car in real life while racing someone, would you? No, this game really rewards those who drive realistically. I think that was another great improvement over the previous games. Furthermore, they have tweaked whole physic, where you just can't blindly make a turn without being understeer, which could result in partial spinning..and there goes your victory. They have managed this 'up grade' aspect in a way it literally felt like playing a RPG. It was more like playing Dragon Warrior, where you are fighting to make money to buy better weapon/armor without feeling bored but rather anticipated for better equipment. I felt exactly same way as I was playing this game. One time I was racing against the ring leader, and when that leader was losing, the battle turned into this three-way battle; the leader was trying to drive away while the second team member tried to block me- Wow, I was just blown away!

Yes, this game does finally accommodate real licensing cars- however, they missed few crucial car makers like Honda/Accura. Having this license aspect does help with fun factor obviously despite of its short numbered licensing availability. This game also implemented weather change (raining) which seriously limit your visibility and that's another great addition.

You know, this game does have its own faults here and there.. but trust me, it does not interfere with your game in anyway because, for instance, you would be concentrating on driving, either trying go get ahead of your opponent or preventing them from gettting ahead of you, and I do not think you would notice any serious popups (and if you do, you must be a confident racer, not like me). One more thing I need to mention is that the difficulty has been lowered considerably in my opinion compare to previous two games. So if you were looking for something with more challenge, then this might not work for you. And for those who thought the previous games were way too hard, then this might be the one for you.

I guess if you are reading this game then you must be either new to the series or veterans who want to check out if they are buying another same old games- and rest asure because this is not a same game- (may be I could make a comparison between original Metroid and Metroid Zero Mission, which was the remake however it felt like a totally new game while attaining the original formula). Trust me, it's not about just having enhanced graphic here and there, changed menu and interface here and there.. they made substantial changes for you to not only enjoy the game but also appreciate the changes (especially for those who've played previous two games and were wondering if this is worth your money and time)...

AND YOU KNOW YOU ARE GOING TO BUY AND PLAY THIS GAME ANYWAY IF YOU'VE PLAYED THE FIRST TWO GAMES, RIGHT?

So if you are making comparison with games like Gran Turismo or other games and decide not to buy this game (for whatever unreasonable reason), HEY, IT'S YOUR LOSS, SERIOUSLY. Gran Turismo is a great game, no question about it. However, there's some aspects from Tokyo Xtreme Racer 3, WHICH CANNOT BE REPLICATED ANYWHERE, EVEN WITH GRAN TURISMO 3 (AND PROLUGUE OF GT4), BUT IN TXR ONLY, PERIOD.

Tremendously enjoy this game like I have.

This game does everything the first one does and more. If you don't have enough money for the Need For Speed Underground, then go with this one. You wont be disappointed. Especially if you liked the first one and Zero.

Before I start my review, I want to make one thing very clear. Anytime a racing game like TXR3 is compared to benchmarks like the Gran Turismo or Project Gotham series, it will almost always finish behind. Is that always fair? I think not! Any street-racing game should stand on its own merits and not the merits of others. A red apple should be based on its qualities as a red apple and not a green one, so TXR3 should also be based on what it is instead of what it isn't. With that, let's get started!

TXR3 is the latest in the TXR series that started with the original TXR game followed by TXR2 and TXR Zero. All are fun and addicting games to play with more than their share of annoying little quibbles but the charm lies in its unique game play and the ability to race a seemingly endless number of rivals. Those particular qualities remain intact with some new twist that surely makes TXR3 the best in the series so far.

One of the first things you'll notice is that all the vehicles no longer use thinly disguised manufacturer names. Genki, the producers of the game, managed to obtain licensing from the car companies to use actual model names. A very obvious omission from the ranks is Honda/Acura. From what I understand, either Honda did not allow Genki to use their designs and names or they couldn't get proper licensing in time so if you are a Honda/Acura fan, you're out of luck but TXR3 does have some new kids on the block like Gemballa, DeTomaso, Volkswagen, and Lotus to name a few as well as the usual cast of Asian regulars. And don't forget to check out the all-new Ford GT! Another major change is now you have 3 areas to race instead of one. Along with the highways of Tokyo, there is Osaka and Nagoya to race. Combine those area's 200+ miles of road with 600 rivals to compete against, you'll have a game that will keep you busy for awhile.

The premise of the game hasn't changed much since the beginning -find a rival, flash your lights, race, and win (or lose) depending on whose meter runs out first. Every rival is part of a gang that must be beaten before you can race the leader of the gang. This, in itself, doesn't sound particularly thrilling but there is an undeniable rush when beating your rivals and accumulating funds to buy better cars and modifications to try to beat even faster rivals. And it doesn't stop there! You can also do engine swaps from hi-revving inline-4's to brawny V-8's that go beyond the normal engine upgrades that can really give your ride some very serious power! If that isn't enough, you'll also have the chance to race two bosses at the same time in some situations! Double the pleasure when you win but double the defeat if you don't. Also new for this series is the weather-effects. You'll have many opportunities to race in the rain and snow, although the snow doesn't accumulate but those roads sure get icy! It adds a great dimension to the game that makes you prepare for every race you encounter.

Sound? Definitely better. All the variety of engines now make the appropriate noises from the buzzy 4's to the burbling V-8's and even the 'squish' of the tires on the rain-soaked roads are worth noting. I can't say much for the music, though. If you like the typical power-grunge rock, then this is right up your alley. Personally, I never listen to the music when I'm playing. With the new and proper engine sounds combined with gear-revving, tires squealing, and turbo waste gate whoosh-ing, that's the best music you can have! The music is just a distraction from that.

The graphics are certainly better and a little cleaner than the previous series and the graphics for the weather-effects are superb. The only drawback is that there seems to be an awful lot of pop-ups, especially on the weather-effects. It's not too noticeable when you are driving fast but it's easy to see the buildings and overpasses fill in as you move forward, even when viewing this from the rear-view mirror. This doesn't effect the game play but on some sections of the roads when traveling super fast on rainy days, the pop-ups aren't visible until it's too late and suddenly you find yourself having to make a micro- second decision on what path to take and by then you've crashed big time. Come to think of it, this would probably happen in real life.

Summary:

Hits
* More highways, more cars, more rivals, endless modifications.
* Better road feel, less 'floatiness'.
* Realistic weather-effects.
* Good graphics.

Misses
* Lots of pop-ups on rain/snow days.
* Some bosses start way in front of you before you race.
* WAY too many yellow "Official" vans on the road.
* Absence of Honda/Acura vehicles (which may not necessarily be a bad thing!) :-)

All in all, a first rate game with a tremendous replay value loaded with new options that make it even more fun to play. And that's why I give it 5 stars because it's just good old, bumper-to-bumper, winner-takes-all, fun! Bottom line, if you liked the previous series, go out and lay down your $20.00 for your own copy. It's that simple! If you didn't like it before, rent it and play it. You might be surprised!