Tokyo Xtreme Racer 3

 PlayStation 2
  • Publisher: Crave
  • Release Date: Nov 18, 2003
User Score
8.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 33 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 33
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 33
  3. Negative: 4 out of 33
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  1. NewMoonGamingHD
    Nov 22, 2018
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. For this game, although not good enough against today's standards, shows it's strengths of what the games good. The AI's can be stupid at certain moments and certain sections from different locations (you can take advantage of it's strong exposure weakpoint). it has difficulty spikes that can make it difficult, yet exhilarating as if they offered you a real challenge of whether or not you're capable of winning from the current car you're driving. The main starter car you chose greatly impacts the gameplay and progression. And also, you, the player, need to find a good management throughout your progression or else, the game will consequently give you the disadvantage (not enough money for upgrades or a faster car to buy, car too underpowered for upcoming rivals/bosses, lack of skill growth, etc).

    The names can be quite goofy (one I had was Silent Teacher). The soundtrack is good and as for engine sound, it's ok. Though, the small attention to detail is quite good for an old game
    (turbo/supercharger whine, turbo blow-off valve, road sound will shift from one side to an another, etc.). After completing the quest, it feels rather empty. As if you reached the end of the road. While there are wanderers to beat, some of the requirements are downright silly. If you're buying a U.S copy, be warned as one of the wanders requires 1,000,000,000 CP and the game is limited to 999,999,990 CP. Besides of that, the game is truely a masterpiece that is kept under the radar.    … Expand
  2. Stealthgear
    Jun 23, 2015
    4
    This game is an empty experience. While the graphics are okay and the physics are quite good, its too boring. The gameplay consists of riding an empty highway and flashing other cars for a duel over and over. It is not hard to beat rivals. There is no car damage. There is not really any way to lose the game. Running into the side-rails emits no sparks. Wangan is a better game series and soThis game is an empty experience. While the graphics are okay and the physics are quite good, its too boring. The gameplay consists of riding an empty highway and flashing other cars for a duel over and over. It is not hard to beat rivals. There is no car damage. There is not really any way to lose the game. Running into the side-rails emits no sparks. Wangan is a better game series and so is NFS: Underground of course. The soundtrack sounds energetic until you realize the riffs are similar to White Zombie. You shouldn't spend any time with this one on PS2.… Expand
  3. JohnnieV.
    Dec 5, 2003
    10
    Wut else can I say but wow, the cars looks real in the cars menu, and the Graphic looks nicer than Zero now, even though I just got this game for $19.00 it's tight and I be taking turn playing this and NFS underground everyday. I love racing games, can't wait for Grand Turismo 4
  4. NostS.
    Jan 25, 2004
    10
    I cannot comprehend why all those magazine reviewers slam this game over, and over...complaining about it being 'old and rehashed' who cares, it's CHEAP. at least they only charge you a VERY LOW price for the game. it's true the the physics engine cannot compare to Gran Turismo, but compared with NFS:UG, it stacks up quite well, and in my opinion, far surpasses it.I cannot comprehend why all those magazine reviewers slam this game over, and over...complaining about it being 'old and rehashed' who cares, it's CHEAP. at least they only charge you a VERY LOW price for the game. it's true the the physics engine cannot compare to Gran Turismo, but compared with NFS:UG, it stacks up quite well, and in my opinion, far surpasses it. i'd rather play TXR3 over NFS:UG any given day, as TXR3 has a feel of authenticity to it...and NFS:UG reminds me too much of a crappy movie franchise which once featured an overly muscular bald guy piloting an RX-7(which was built by a Japanese fellow from SoCal). TXR3 gets a thumbs up from me...the reason i rated it with a 9 is because the soundtrack is lackluster.… Expand
  5. Jtangsw
    Dec 11, 2003
    6
    Looks good but there are plenty other racing games that top it many areas - graphics, gameplay, varieties of cars etc... I bought this game and it's a bit disappointing because it doesn't have Honda (not sure whether I will have it later in the game). However, I love driving in real Japan highways (I think it's really cool). Anyway, I recommend a rental before purchasing Looks good but there are plenty other racing games that top it many areas - graphics, gameplay, varieties of cars etc... I bought this game and it's a bit disappointing because it doesn't have Honda (not sure whether I will have it later in the game). However, I love driving in real Japan highways (I think it's really cool). Anyway, I recommend a rental before purchasing this game because it rocks for some but not for all. =)… Expand
  6. Bluedream
    Jan 11, 2004
    10
    The only racing game. i find it nice.
  7. idol
    Jan 22, 2004
    10
    Cheap and bad azz.
  8. PaulC.
    Jan 25, 2004
    10
    This game is more than exciting than need for speed underground. the way you race is so much better and you can emerse yourself in this racer world and customize way more cars so boo hoo to all you critics that think its not worth playing because its awesome.
  9. JoelC.
    Feb 21, 2004
    9
    Its such a realistic game. people who are into cars might not like it due to the high level of tuning that has to be done to the cars, but thats what makes it a great game. NFSU cars are all fast and you win no matter what. In TXR3 you actually have to set up the car to perform the way yo want it. The controls take a while to get used to but just perfect besides that,and I am a true car Its such a realistic game. people who are into cars might not like it due to the high level of tuning that has to be done to the cars, but thats what makes it a great game. NFSU cars are all fast and you win no matter what. In TXR3 you actually have to set up the car to perform the way yo want it. The controls take a while to get used to but just perfect besides that,and I am a true car enthusiast. If your really into street racing then this is a must have. (dont listen to the rest of the guys they dont know)… Expand
  10. [Anonymous]
    Mar 5, 2004
    10
    They must be on crack, I like this game better then UG. More realistic, more customizations and settings, more cars. Im not trying to dawg UG it is a very good game, but its just sorda boring now after beating it 2 times and I had this game for a shorter time and enjoy it more the UG.
  11. AnonymousMC
    Mar 27, 2009
    9
    This game was first i eva had and OMG i ws surprised by the detail of the car tuning and settings. if your a major gear head lik me then you will like this game. the customization is unbeilivable as well. the price and the quaility maybe a little bit low by its alota bang for your buck if your into cars. give it ashot you might like it as much as me lol
  12. MikeJ.
    Nov 21, 2003
    10
    I've played this game on my visit to Japan and got a taste of it. Me and my friends spend all night playing this game, and chances are, we would have played till next year, if we never got tired. This game is awesome, and believe me, its the closest thing to racing in Japan on your couch.
  13. FranciscoS
    Nov 22, 2003
    10
    I have not yet played NFS underground, but I don't think racing could get this fun to play! I'm into import cars and it's all there with all the mods you can think off, from hyper blue headlight, ground effects, spoilers, engine mods and swap, custom paint and decals, indiglow gauge, And I bought it at $19.95, I could not believe It, yeah this is a Racer fantasy.
  14. AlbertG.
    Nov 28, 2003
    10
    Wow what can i say.... BEST GAME EVER!!!!
  15. NoNeed
    Dec 11, 2003
    10
    I haven't even played it yet. I know its gona be great. I stressed over TXR0 and being so determined to beat it. Now I feel the ever so loving stress is back.
  16. ChrisM.
    Dec 11, 2003
    10
    Better than the last, This game is so much better thqan the last, I think the new highways and the new cars are the best!!!......
  17. RyanG.
    Dec 31, 2003
    9
    Ive been a fan of this series since the day i imported an obscure japanese game called shutoku battle 2 for dreamcast. The japanese version of tokyo extreme racer 2. There is just something about trying to accumulate as many wins as you can in order to have enough CP to purchase the high powered engine, then taking your car out for a spin for the first time with it installed, glowing with Ive been a fan of this series since the day i imported an obscure japanese game called shutoku battle 2 for dreamcast. The japanese version of tokyo extreme racer 2. There is just something about trying to accumulate as many wins as you can in order to have enough CP to purchase the high powered engine, then taking your car out for a spin for the first time with it installed, glowing with joy as you smoke competitors that you previously could not beat with the old part you had. The customizing is the game. The only thing this series has been missing is an online mode. How cool would it be to be able to race against other players custom cars and see who has the best cars and what not? I think NFS underground has this feature which is why i plan to check that out as well. But ill always hold a special place in my heart for this game..… Expand
  18. K.Chizao
    Jan 17, 2004
    10
    Good Game For the play Great Game For The Price...TXR 3 is the best out of the pac..and i enjoy playing it a lot.
  19. K.C.
    Jan 24, 2004
    9
    I dont kno y so many people aint feelin dis game... NFSU is only good for multi players, buh TXR 3 is more in depth, letting me take more control of my car's performance. i have been and always be true to the TXR games... peace.
  20. TysonB.
    Feb 12, 2004
    8
    This game is better than Tokyo Extreme Racer Zero.
  21. Zrewio
    Aug 22, 2022
    7
    Pretty amazing game , it really gives you the wangan midnight experience , with an amazing collection of JDM vehicles with the unfortunate absence of Honda , it’s still a pretty amazing collection for it’s time , the customization is pretty amazing , maybe better than some of today’s car games , the tuning is pretty detailed , the sticker system is pretty outdated and kinda of lame andPretty amazing game , it really gives you the wangan midnight experience , with an amazing collection of JDM vehicles with the unfortunate absence of Honda , it’s still a pretty amazing collection for it’s time , the customization is pretty amazing , maybe better than some of today’s car games , the tuning is pretty detailed , the sticker system is pretty outdated and kinda of lame and hard to use , the physics in the other hand are definitely worse than the past games , it feels floaty and many players describe it as “ driving on ice “ and I couldn’t agree more , tuning your car makes it slightly better but the feeling is still there , the graphics are pretty decent for it’s time and they still kinda of hold up today , I mean it’s a 2003 game ,one thing I’ve noticed are the NPC vehicles, there is no variety whatsoever it’s the same yellow bus everytime which kinda kills the immersion for me , the game progresses real slow , and honestly after finishing the 3 towns Tokyo Nagoya and Osaka they add new racers and new parts of Tokyo , and this is where it gets boring and repetitive, with the slow progression , it makes it slower and it just feels like chore playing , I like the little cutscenes , the ending was pretty dope as well and the game makes you feel that racing is more than just racing .… Expand
  22. VRH15
    May 1, 2023
    7
    This game is a lot of fun to be honest. The graphics have improved from Zero and there is more features this time around. For starters, there is a livery editor that is clunky but welcoming nonetheless. The car roster is also interesting as they are licensed this time around and had a lot of cool cars, though the downside is that the car count and variety has taken a slight step back.This game is a lot of fun to be honest. The graphics have improved from Zero and there is more features this time around. For starters, there is a livery editor that is clunky but welcoming nonetheless. The car roster is also interesting as they are licensed this time around and had a lot of cool cars, though the downside is that the car count and variety has taken a slight step back. Customization also improved upon Zero, giving the player more variety to choose form. There is also two more maps new to this game aside from Tokyo, which are Nagoya and Osaka. Each of them had their own unique chracteristics and challenges, which keeps the gameplay fresh for some time.

    Once the player goes onto each of the three cities, there is a lot to uncover. The new game engine that Genki introduced in TXR Drift, which has been actually released before TXR3 in Japan, brought along some new changes. There is now a new weather system, which can affect the grip and visibility on the road. Though this system is rudimentary, it does add complexity on racing through the highways and brought some nice visual effects from the bosses. Speaking of the rivals, there are now 600 rivals to challenge and each of them came with their own unique biographies. While some of them can be a bit generic, most of the rivals are a good enough challenge for the players throughout the game.

    However, there are some issues with this game that brought it down somewhat. The physics are lacking in grip and are quite floaty, which can lead to players smashing into the barriers quite often. This is exacerberated in the rainy conditions, where there is basically no grip and makes the races again certain rivals more frustrating than necessary. The A.I. is also flawed, seeing that they do wall grinding at certain corners and uneven with some rivals. Not helping matters is that the environment do look a bit flat and there is no variety in traffic vehicles, as well as the generic soundtrack. As a result, players will find the later stages of the game a bit repetitive and tedious. This is not helped by how some rivals have certain requirements that makes little sense, more so in the American version. The localisation is also not good, as the translation of the biographies are not faithful and making some rivals quite literally impossible to beat due to their requirements being money-related. Not helping matters is that progression in this game is surprisingly slow, as most players will spent most of their time grinding for enough cash to upgrade their vehicle and the payout from rivals being really small.

    Overall, TXR3 is a game that has potential, but was never capitalized. While the car roster and additional features are very good, this has been countered by a downgrade in physics, as well as other stuff that bring the game down. However, it is an underrated racing game that everyone should try at least once. Make sure to play the original Japanese version though.    … Expand
  23. ksardas0
    May 11, 2023
    8
    really good iteration of wangan street racing
    really good iteration of wangan street racing
  24. Aiden_69
    May 29, 2023
    10
    Almost the best on the series, 10/10 would recommend

    why this game isn't in the top 50 anyway?

Awards & Rankings

65
#65 Most Discussed PS2 Game of 2003

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
63

Mixed or average reviews - based on 15 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 15
  3. Negative: 3 out of 15
  1. PSM Magazine
    50
    Next to "Midnight Club 2," TRX3 looks dated and downright boring. [Jan 2004, p.48]
  2. Official U.S. Playstation Magazine
    40
    All the features added to Genki's long running game of after-dark street racing are cursory at best and cosmetic at worst. [Jan 2004, p.130]
  3. Sports Gaming Network
    85
    This is the best yet in the series. The addition of licensed cars, more rivals and highways, and a few new gameplay twists make this one fine racer.
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