Gran Turismo 3 A-spec

Customer Rating:
Summary: A Classic Race Car game.
Comment: Ok, it's 2008 at the time of this review and this game is super old. So why did I just buy it a few months ago? I got it for my PS3, and yes it works fine on a PS3. But the comparison between this game and the new GT5 prologue is amazing. The graphics seemed so amazing when GT3 came out, and now you almost feel bad for the game as you watch the pixelated cars make their way around the track. Still, the game is fun and if you have an old PS2 unit, you need to own this game as well as GT4.

GT4 doesn't work well on PS3, which is why I bought this one, by the way.

Customer Rating:
Summary: Best in series.
Comment: This was my favorite racing game of all time until I played Project Gotham Racing 3, but that's another review. The graphics are great and still hold up to this day. The soundtrack is pretty good, and the car related sounds effects are good for the most part. The race tracks are all great and diverse. This a simulator so the physics engine is pretty realistic, but not to the extent of gran turismo 4 where it gets to the point where its not even fun. The game packs quite a challenge so be prepared. The car selection is immense and they are all very customizable. You can play this game for hours on end, its the best game in the gran turismo series plain and simple, and a contender for the best racing game ever depending on your playing style preferences. If you love racing games you probably already own this, but if not, go and pick it up now for cheap.

Customer Rating:
Summary: UTTERLY BORING, UNEVENTFUL, TERRIBLE, WORST RACER I'VE EVER PLAYED 2.75 OUT OF 10
Comment: Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec tries to hide its craptacular and atrocious gameplay with the looks of a gorgeous racer. But then it's like when you look at a movie star on an HDTV, and you see its appalling horrors that lie within it. To start off the controls suck greatly. For example; when turning a corner you will notice how you can't seem to keep your vehicle on the road, and it constantly slips and swerves like you're driving in snow. Another problem; the absence of a sense of speed. When I was driving I never felt the sense of speed that should be in racers. Instead, it felt like I was maybe only going about 40mph or less. Problem #3; the lack of interesting tracks to race on. When going through the various tracks I never felt compelled to look at the environments around me solely for the fact that they were so boring. Problem #4; crappy career mode. Never, in my years of playing various racers did I ever go through a career mode that was so dull and made me feel so unwanting to complete it one day. Problem #5; crappy multiplayer. Wow, what a horribly dull and unexciting way to challenge a friend to a race! Here's how it went; we raced around the boring tracks, swerved like we were driving in snow, and we were totally bored. So, then he took the game out of his PS2 and put in Kingdom Hearts... that is how bad the multiplayer is. The only positive thing; the amazing graphics, that was it.

Customer Rating:
Summary: About Arcade mode
Comment: Not much has been said about Arcade Mode in the reviews of GT3 and GT4.
I started out in simulation mode and very quickly rediscovered my obsessive/compulsive side--worried about winning races to get more credits to get more and better cars--lots of tension...not exactly my favorite. I'm in my 50s now, and prefer a more zenlike fun in life.
So this brings me to the arcade side. The feeling of racing is pretty much the same as simulation, and a great deal more relaxing, silly fun. If you start out in easy mode, it is not too hard to win races and unlock all the tracks in GT3 in a short time. You also get to try out a lot of different cars without having to win them first. To get all this in simulation mode takes a long time and quite a lot of frustration.
I'm into having fun with video games, and GT3 is fabulous fun. For those who enjoy really getting into the challenge, and working hard to get their fun, simulation mode is fabulously deep...but for those of you who just want to try out a car and a new track and enjoy the fun of driving that you will never get on our congested streets, arcade mode is your answer.
Marvel at the beautiful scenery and laugh at the silly mistakes you make...relax and enjoy the ride!!! Burnout 3 is also fun, but does not have the realistic driving that makes the GT series so great.
To really enjoy the game, get a Driving force EX or Driving Force Pro.
I use a Black and Decker WM225 Workmate with a 3/4"x10"x40" board clamped to it as a stand for the wheel. The pedals conveniently rest against the workmate on the floor and don't slide around. Sitting comfortably in an office chair with my legs stretched out in an ideal position, I can play for hours and not spend $300 on a racing chair. The workmate is very handy around the house or garage as well.
Don't be intimidated by the difficulty of GT3. Get to know the Arcade mode...fun and fairly easy.

Customer Rating:
Summary: Fair
Comment: You have a ton of cars to choose from which is awesome! But they made it way to difficult to get them. You find yourself just running the same races over and over and over and over for hours just to build your cash up so you can move on. EXTREMELY BORING!
After playing Need For Speed Underground, the action in this game seems so slow like the cars are barelly crawling along.
I also didn't like that in the game you had to do little drivers exam courses to move up to the next class of drivers license. I thought it was pretty lame, boring and a waste of time. They tried to make this game as realistic as possible, which is good to a point, but somewhere along the lines they forgot it was a game.
This game does have one of the best soundtracks out there for a ps2 game.