Burnout 3: Takedown

 Xbox
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 214 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 162 out of 214
  2. Mixed: 20 out of 214
  3. Negative: 32 out of 214
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  1. Buried-In-The-Box
    Sep 10, 2004
    8
    This game is soooo fun, for about 2 days. This game is good but lacks any sort of depth do it shouldn't get better reviews than a game like SRS that at least has more depth even though it isn't perfect. Once you see a few of the crashes you've seen the entire game. If Juiced ever comes out it will be more fun and live longer than this, at least until Forza, NFSU2 and MC3 This game is soooo fun, for about 2 days. This game is good but lacks any sort of depth do it shouldn't get better reviews than a game like SRS that at least has more depth even though it isn't perfect. Once you see a few of the crashes you've seen the entire game. If Juiced ever comes out it will be more fun and live longer than this, at least until Forza, NFSU2 and MC3 come out. Rent it, but don't spend $50 on it. Companies should take a look at Sega and see how much short lived or updates should cost. $20 would be a better deal.… Expand
  2. ArtherA.
    Sep 9, 2004
    10
    best racing game ever.
  3. loganbutler
    Dec 27, 2013
    10
    Best racing experince on the the oringal xbox.

    This game is filled with tons of content. It has a classic racing mode, time trials, and crash mode which is my personal favorate). In crash mode you just crash your car and try to cause the most damage possible. In this game there are hundreds of unlockables to go for, The graphics for this game would be considered dencent in decnct    Best racing experince on the the oringal xbox.

    This game is filled with tons of content. It has a classic racing mode, time trials, and crash mode which is my personal favorate). In crash mode you just crash your car and try to cause the most damage possible. In this game there are hundreds of unlockables to go for, The graphics for this game would be considered dencent in decnct 2013. That is amzing considering it's nearly 10 years old. If you have a xbox or a ps2 this is a must buy.    … Expand
  4. TehBwitzie
    Feb 2, 2014
    10
    A beautifully made game. The takedown is flawlessly implemented with endless variations, addictive gameplay with controls that try to be the opposite of NFSU2 (and does it well), Tons and tons of different car choices, and crash mode, in which take out entire freeways of cars with only your own. It's hard to describe how fun this is, just play it yourself. 10/10
  5. high_gamer
    Apr 3, 2015
    9
    17 hours it took me to finish this(didn't care about the golds). Dang that's good. The world tour is split into 2 parts: Race events and crash events. Crash is simple and fast and you're give a small intersection of part of road where you gotta drive up as fast as possible and crash into traffic causing the most collateral damage and picking multipliers. Very fun stuff. You also get you're17 hours it took me to finish this(didn't care about the golds). Dang that's good. The world tour is split into 2 parts: Race events and crash events. Crash is simple and fast and you're give a small intersection of part of road where you gotta drive up as fast as possible and crash into traffic causing the most collateral damage and picking multipliers. Very fun stuff. You also get you're race events going from simple races to trying to takedown tohe most racers in the alloted time.

    Good sense of progression with cars mostly being unlocked in categories such as musle, sport, super classes. But at the end of the day it's all about speed and the ragdoll car physics. The game rewards you by driving dangerously and crashing in this game is a thing of glory. Your car will simply flip out sometimes 30 feet in the air and with a press of a button you can control your fall in slo-mo.

    Seriously it's hard to beat this franchises for a rotation game in between more serious fare. It's perfect escapist and fully worth any price given what it gives back. I will review the other titles in the franchises so look'em up to see which the best in the end.    … Expand
  6. storygamer
    Oct 21, 2020
    9
    Burnout 3: Takedown is still one of the best racing experience ever. The big difference between the Burnout series and games like NFS or Gran Turismo is the craziness. You can feel the incredible speed and the crashes are pure fun! This game is filled with great content and the multiplayer is just incredible. This is what I call a great quality game!
  7. Dakidski
    Sep 9, 2004
    7
    I agree with 'uter'. This game has the worst soundtrack ever. If you live in the 90's and love grunge/heavy music; then I suppose its tolerable. Having instructions movies that are un-skipable before the actual gameplay is unforgiving. The DJ/narrator is from hell and I deeply despise him and his 'cool' attitude. The graphics haven't been updated much since I agree with 'uter'. This game has the worst soundtrack ever. If you live in the 90's and love grunge/heavy music; then I suppose its tolerable. Having instructions movies that are un-skipable before the actual gameplay is unforgiving. The DJ/narrator is from hell and I deeply despise him and his 'cool' attitude. The graphics haven't been updated much since Burnout2, and the color scheme/palette is worse than Burnout 2. Burnout2 was an amazing game, and perhaps the best arcade racer ever plus it had a kicking soundtrack. It is a shame they couldnt keep up with the prequel. This game is a rental at best.… Expand
  8. Intellavisor
    Sep 20, 2004
    4
    Nice smooth graphics but that doesn't make up for it's short life span (almost finished the game in 5 days), too much crap to unlock (everything you do seems to unlock something), bad bg music, the hard levels are near impossible and ultra-frustrating, too many menus to scroll through to get to a race...I'm sure Burnout 4 will be better.
  9. [Anonymous]
    Sep 9, 2004
    5
    So repetitive. Boring. Overhyped!!
  10. FatzDomino
    Oct 3, 2022
    1
    I had to create an account on here to warn anyone that thinks about playing this game.

    DON'T! Don't be blinded by fanboys on their nostalgia trip because this game is truly sh*t. 1. The camera. Half of the time your car blocks the view (especially on a steep road) of what's in front of you which results in unnecessary crashes. But the worst thing about the camera is when it NEEDS    I had to create an account on here to warn anyone that thinks about playing this game.

    DON'T!

    Don't be blinded by fanboys on their nostalgia trip because this game is truly sh*t.

    1. The camera. Half of the time your car blocks the view (especially on a steep road) of what's in front of you which results in unnecessary crashes. But the worst thing about the camera is when it NEEDS to show you absolutely every f*cking useless, mundane takedown in slow motion while your car continues driving off into god knows where (because you can't see it). So it basically results in you getting crashed 50% of the time because your car drove off into a wall or into some random car in the traffic, which brings me to my second point.

    2. The traffic. I don't know if the game designers intentionally programmed it to be this way, but it seems that every time you hit a curve there is always some bus or random car right in the center of the trajectory of the path of your turn. Half of the time you can't even see the cars in the distance because they all get mixed up with the game's background graphics. You can especially see that on Europe's snow maps. Everything is white and all of a sudden you got crashed into a car because you didn't see the head lights.

    3. Graphics. Anything that's beyond 10 feet is unrecognizable... kinda problematic for a fast-paced racing game where you NEED to see the upcoming traffic but can't even differentiate the cars from the street so in practice you're crashing into a car that seems to have appeared out of thin air because they had the same color as the tarmac.

    4. AI. Now I know how unfair racing games' rubberband AI can be but this game seriously takes the cake.
    Let me describe the AI with one word: brutal.
    Especally evident in the second half of the game where a lap takes 2-3 mins to complete and god forbid you crash only once or twice during the race. You have a better chance of restarting it than catching up to the enemies. Let me put this straight: you can drive the fastest car of your class while the enemy drives a lesser car and he's still gonna be faster than you. Oh and while the enemy only needs to chafe you for you to crash, you will need to batista bomb his *ss in order for him to crash because otherwise they'll drive on like you were just some annoying mosquito.
    But the worst thing about the god awfully unbalanced AI is: You can take them down 4 times in a row and they'll still be back on your *ss in a split-second. BUT if you crash just twice, do you know how far behind you're gonna be? 7-10 seconds (about 3 seconds if you crash once). Have fun catching up to that sh*t with a car that's statistically faster but slower in practice than your enemies' cars.

    5. Controls. I'll keep it short. Have fun steering as soon as you press the boost button.

    I've said enough. If you've read it all - thank you for taking the time to read my rant.
    To the game desgners: A royal f*ck you from me for creating this abomination of a "racing" game.

    TLDR: Worst camera in a racing game. Brutal AI that leaves absolutely 0 room for error in races that last for 6 mins. You can't recognize sh*t from a short distance because the graphics suck. And the traffic is programmed to always take appear in your trajectory in order to take you out but never the enemies.

    Verdict: 1/10 because the music is kick *ss. But I'd recommend to listen to the music on spotify rather than playing this pile of steamin' sh*t.    … Expand
  11. JanK.
    Sep 7, 2004
    9
    Its the most adredaline pumping racing game ive played in a while.. its not only the single-player but also the multi-player that makes it worth a lot of your precious time :) ..
  12. ArmandoD.
    Sep 5, 2005
    9
    You can rate this game in 2 words... Fun & Fast This maybe isn't the deepest racing game... but it's lots of fun, and that is what matters.
  13. Nathan
    Oct 30, 2004
    10
    The speed is abosolutely astounding, and the crashes make you cringe as your car loses wheels, blows up tankers, and flips up mountains, all at 200+ mph.
  14. DaneK.
    Oct 4, 2004
    10
    AMAZING!!!!!
  15. XCritic
    Oct 6, 2004
    9
    Beautiful game only flawed by the choice of music in the soundtrack. If they could have only added some tracks in a different musical genre, it would have been acceptable - but all this guitar-violence is not my cup of tea. Graphics are very nice - both scenery and animation. Gameplay is what this game is all about and it is close to perfect. Too bad EA had to implement their new Beautiful game only flawed by the choice of music in the soundtrack. If they could have only added some tracks in a different musical genre, it would have been acceptable - but all this guitar-violence is not my cup of tea. Graphics are very nice - both scenery and animation. Gameplay is what this game is all about and it is close to perfect. Too bad EA had to implement their new copyright-protection thing on the discs - my second original is giving me "disc could be dirty or damaged" errors.… Expand
  16. MikeF.
    Oct 9, 2004
    9
    Other companies will find it completely disadventageous to release another racing game, unless the addicting element is something other than feeling of speed, control, cars physics, replay value. The only reason I give this a 9 instead of a 10 is because i would have liked to see more brand cars. But, that being said, with the superb gameplay, replay value and graphics, as Gamespot said, Other companies will find it completely disadventageous to release another racing game, unless the addicting element is something other than feeling of speed, control, cars physics, replay value. The only reason I give this a 9 instead of a 10 is because i would have liked to see more brand cars. But, that being said, with the superb gameplay, replay value and graphics, as Gamespot said, even if you aren't into racing games normally , "ANYONE WITH A PULSE WILL LOVE THIS GAME"!… Expand
  17. JamesE.
    Sep 9, 2004
    10
    I am in pain... the pain in my eyes is unbearable... why you might wonder? Its because my eyes were glued to the screen for the past 10 hours of nonstop BURNOUT 3 action. First, the EA TRAX are of my liking, but if it isnt really your cup of tea you can always put in your own soundtrack. The Graphics are Splendid... and all of the effects run smoothly and really shine. The addicting I am in pain... the pain in my eyes is unbearable... why you might wonder? Its because my eyes were glued to the screen for the past 10 hours of nonstop BURNOUT 3 action. First, the EA TRAX are of my liking, but if it isnt really your cup of tea you can always put in your own soundtrack. The Graphics are Splendid... and all of the effects run smoothly and really shine. The addicting factor is definetely 10/10 as with this game once you pop you just cant stop. If you didn't get the game go ahead... even if you dont like racing games in general you'll like this one... XBOX Live is not working at the moment but I can gurantee that it would be fun to have 6 player road rages! bottom line: Get The Game... Its really worth it.… Expand
  18. ConnorM.
    Jul 5, 2005
    10
    Amazing game! I don't know why some people don't like it *cough* Uter and FooAtari *cough* because it is amazing. The gameplay is awesome, custom soundtrack feature rocks, graphics are kickass, multiplayer is perfect, and the list goes on... wow... this game is amazing!!!
  19. ApocalypseB.
    Sep 30, 2005
    7
    Oh what could of been! Yes its fast, yes its fun but just like your first crush it doesn't last! I found myself wanting more and getting less in the end. In the end fun but short and flawed. A shame really and online? Poor poor bears spring to mind.
  20. SuperRater
    Jan 5, 2010
    10
    This game takes the racing to a whole new level. With the new added gameplay like Road Rash this game really delivers. You take a fast, high paced game and add crashing to the mix then you get an amazing game. Defenitly worth the money!
  21. TedD.
    Oct 7, 2004
    10
    I'm not exactly a big racing game fan but this has got to be the most addictive game I've bought in the last year! Road Rage RULES!
  22. SashaM.
    Oct 9, 2004
    7
    The slo-mo crash feature is one of the coolest innovations I've seen in a racer to date. The arcade physics make for a super-fast and forgiving racing experience. HOWEVER, there are some terrible inconsistency's within the game modes. For example, what happened to the race replays? The crash mode has them. Why not the race mode? I wanna see my takedowns! The race mode has music, The slo-mo crash feature is one of the coolest innovations I've seen in a racer to date. The arcade physics make for a super-fast and forgiving racing experience. HOWEVER, there are some terrible inconsistency's within the game modes. For example, what happened to the race replays? The crash mode has them. Why not the race mode? I wanna see my takedowns! The race mode has music, the crash mode does not, and where's the bgm volume boost during "boosting." Not that the licensed music is any good anyway, I actually prefer the soundtracks from the first two games(not included this time). EA has also left out an option to turn off specific songs in the play list. I love this game I just wish I hadn't traded in my copy of Burnout 2. At least they fixed the multiplayer split screen. It is now horizontal instead of vertical when played on a wide-screen TV. … Expand
  23. MikeY.
    Aug 30, 2004
    10
    This game is so exiting.
  24. Daz
    Sep 10, 2004
    10
    Fantastic. Extremely fast with gorgeous graphics. The single player section is enormous (i've played for about 12 hours and done about 25%). I haven't tried the online section yet but everything i've heard about that is good also - i can't wait. My 5 year old son particularly like the road rage section where you get to bash cars from the track. Highly recommended.
  25. BradH.
    Sep 22, 2004
    10
    This game has the best replay value i have ever seen. AMAZING.
  26. TheMulletofGod
    Sep 20, 2004
    6
    Yet another average racer, I played it for about 5 minutes and dismissed it due to boredom, I only gave it a second look to make sure all the hype I was reading was for the same game, websites and magazines that are giving this rave reviews should be ashamed of themselves, as they are only helping EA to flog yet another average game to millions of people who are stupid enough to buy the Yet another average racer, I played it for about 5 minutes and dismissed it due to boredom, I only gave it a second look to make sure all the hype I was reading was for the same game, websites and magazines that are giving this rave reviews should be ashamed of themselves, as they are only helping EA to flog yet another average game to millions of people who are stupid enough to buy the hype, as someone else said rent it but don't waste your money buying it.… Expand
  27. RikoD.
    Sep 5, 2004
    10
    The best arcade racer game! It's amazing!!
  28. Uter
    Sep 5, 2004
    6
    I'm not very impressed. The graphics in the distance are blurred, so it's more difficult than in burnout 2, to see oncoming obstacles. I also hate how this got an EA makeover. It reminds me more of need for speed underground than burnout 2. the ea trax are terrible, and you can't turn them off unless you enter options every single time you play and change to custom I'm not very impressed. The graphics in the distance are blurred, so it's more difficult than in burnout 2, to see oncoming obstacles. I also hate how this got an EA makeover. It reminds me more of need for speed underground than burnout 2. the ea trax are terrible, and you can't turn them off unless you enter options every single time you play and change to custom soundtrack (it reverts back to the ea trax every time you boot up the game). Now the interface is mental. There's about 10 different screens before you get to the gameplay, and they actually forgot to include a top score list on one of those screens. So figuring out how much crash damage you need to advance to the next stage is difficult. Now you can't compete for a high score in crash mode either since it doesn't even track names. Competing with friends in crash mode was the highlite of burnout 2 for me, and they took it away for 3. … Expand
  29. JonJ.
    Sep 5, 2004
    10
    Truly amazing racing gaming.
  30. TIM
    Sep 7, 2004
    10
    So quick your eyes will bleed.
  31. DuncanM.
    Sep 9, 2004
    10
    This game is is insane!! crash junctions are the most fun and taking down other cars rocks!! i can't see another racer beating this for a while.
  32. JackO.
    Sep 9, 2004
    10
    Excellent game! There's so many people that don't realise how good this game is and are too busy waiting for over-hyped games that turn out to be crap. One of the best games of the year is already here.
  33. JohnL.
    Jan 9, 2005
    10
    These fools who gave this game a low score dont know what theyre talking about this game is the best racer ive ever played.....The number one factor when it comes to racers should be the fun factor and this was just that, it was the most fun Ive had since fzero on nes systems....I was disappointed that it didnt have system link capabilities.
  34. MarkM.
    Mar 14, 2005
    9
    The only thing that keeps this game from getting a 10 is the soundtrack -- it's freaking HORRENDOUS. The Ramones is the only decent song; the rest suck. Thank god for the custom soundtrack. The gameplay is fun, and sense of speed crazy and the crashes too much fun. For those that say it's too short -- sorry, but not all of us get to sit in our parent's basement and play The only thing that keeps this game from getting a 10 is the soundtrack -- it's freaking HORRENDOUS. The Ramones is the only decent song; the rest suck. Thank god for the custom soundtrack. The gameplay is fun, and sense of speed crazy and the crashes too much fun. For those that say it's too short -- sorry, but not all of us get to sit in our parent's basement and play games for 12 hours a day. Some of us have jobs and kids and families, so we play an hour here and an hour there. So, IMHO, it's more than long enough.… Expand
  35. BlueFalcon
    Jul 14, 2005
    7
    This is a great game that's somewhat wasted with terrible elastic band ai. The single player races are completely unrewarding because the ai will wait for you if they're ahead, and cheat to catch up if they're behind. EA also took out the crash scoreboard which was the best part of burnout 2. Also of note, the soundtrack is all trendy (read crappy) pop bands. If you change This is a great game that's somewhat wasted with terrible elastic band ai. The single player races are completely unrewarding because the ai will wait for you if they're ahead, and cheat to catch up if they're behind. EA also took out the crash scoreboard which was the best part of burnout 2. Also of note, the soundtrack is all trendy (read crappy) pop bands. If you change to your own custom soundtrack, it will change back to the pop bands if you reset. this might have been a 10 out of 10 game, if it wasn't for these 3 major oversights. For now, Burnout 2 is the best game in this series.… Expand
  36. JonnyB.
    Jul 25, 2006
    10
    This is my favorite racing game ever made. What can I say I'm addicted!
  37. TonyT.
    Jul 4, 2006
    10
    I feel as though this game didn't get enough credit for how amazing it really is. This game keeps you occupied for hours upon hours even after everything is completed. I'm still tryin for to more cars.
  38. SteveP.
    Aug 4, 2006
    10
    This game is just fun, pure fun. I hate racing simulators, why would anyone want there racing games mind numbingly hard and frustrating, when you can have it fast and destructive. This is by far the greatest racing game ever, the graphics look like they should be on a 360, the cars are beautiful. Heck even the sound track isn
  39. MIKE
    Oct 14, 2004
    10
    AWESOME........SO COOL.
  40. MikeS.
    Dec 3, 2004
    10
    Wow holy crap this game is the best racer ive ever played.
  41. Jim
    Oct 3, 2004
    10
    This game is in my opinion the best arcade racing game ever! It has got all the elements to make it fun and competitive: 67 cars, 40 tracks, best crash engine ever, insane sense of speed and recklessness, and take downs rock. This is by far the most fun xbox game I have played. It is very polished and packed with content. If this isn't a A list game, I don't what is. Sure, this This game is in my opinion the best arcade racing game ever! It has got all the elements to make it fun and competitive: 67 cars, 40 tracks, best crash engine ever, insane sense of speed and recklessness, and take downs rock. This is by far the most fun xbox game I have played. It is very polished and packed with content. If this isn't a A list game, I don't what is. Sure, this game would feel different to new comers, but after the initial learning curve, there isn't much not to like about the game. This marks the first time I've paid full price for a xbox game, and it is worth every penny. Short life span? 170+ events not enough for you? And since when is unlocking thing for almost event a bad thing? Only negative I see is that fact you'll want to try some of the stunts when driving in the real world. - DO try this at home, not on the road... -… Expand
  42. AaronA.
    Oct 3, 2004
    10
    This game is flawless! i knew that upon purchasing this game that it was going to be good but its much better than i could ever have imagined!!! the amount of cars and tracks is like 5x the amount of burnout 2 and the graphics are suburb especialy when u take out an opponent or crash. i could sit here all day and try to fault this game and maybe just say that the d.j is a t**t lol niceThis game is flawless! i knew that upon purchasing this game that it was going to be good but its much better than i could ever have imagined!!! the amount of cars and tracks is like 5x the amount of burnout 2 and the graphics are suburb especialy when u take out an opponent or crash. i could sit here all day and try to fault this game and maybe just say that the d.j is a t**t lol nice ones criterion!!!!!!!… Expand
  43. SimonT.
    Sep 15, 2004
    9
    Burnout once again delivers a grounbreaking racer which combines a brilliant racing element with destructive crashes. Best racing game this year.
  44. Wetwebwork
    Sep 16, 2004
    8
    Great game, although it doesn't feel that different from the last one, it is still an essential purchase - especially if play with friends. But the soundtrack and 'DJ' are appalling. There is some great grungy music out there - none of it appears in this game. The 'DJ' would me up right from the start and got turned off.
  45. KyleK.
    Sep 19, 2004
    10
    Wat a game, this is so awesome and fun while it's really big and has good online and multiplayer options. Best racing game by far.
  46. RepeatOffender
    Sep 20, 2004
    9
    Not generally a huge fan of recing games, but this one is simply incredible. The speed is phenomenal, the crashes are beautiful, and the competition is as determined to win the race as you are! the only gripe I have with the game, is the lack of replay's. With such beautiful crash sequences why not allow a user to save their most spactaular and share among friends?
  47. DerekZ.
    Sep 24, 2004
    10
    Very very impressive soundtrack, race and crash physics, track variety, and theme. 10/10!
  48. Richard
    Jan 22, 2005
    10
    Absolute must have. My 5 year old son and i were thrilled by this one. Hands down the best game i think i have ever owned.
  49. FooAtari
    Jan 23, 2005
    6
    Good graphics, fantastic sensation of speed. Boring gameplay that requires little skill, the Takedown feature is pretty rubbish, probably EA's influence to appeal to the masses, they have ruined yet another franchise. Game is too easy really,andt soon looses its appeal, being fast just isn't enough. And get rid of the damn ej's, although you can turn him off Pick up Burnout Good graphics, fantastic sensation of speed. Boring gameplay that requires little skill, the Takedown feature is pretty rubbish, probably EA's influence to appeal to the masses, they have ruined yet another franchise. Game is too easy really,andt soon looses its appeal, being fast just isn't enough. And get rid of the damn ej's, although you can turn him off Pick up Burnout 2 for a fraction of the price and get a superior game.… Expand
  50. Spybreak
    Apr 7, 2005
    9
    By far the best arcade racer on the Xbox to date. The pace is incredibly fast and the crashes are spectacular. Definitely worth buying.
  51. TC
    Jul 31, 2005
    10
    I'm confused... this soundtrack has some forgettable punk tracks, but seriously, The Futureheads, Atrayu, The Von Bondies and Franz Ferdinand are all on this soundtrack too. EA is branching out with the music selection, so unlike the last game not ALL the damn songs are crappy nu-metal. Take a friggin second to make a custom soundtrack and enjoy the best racing game ever made, ya losers.
  52. PaulM.
    Feb 22, 2007
    10
    Absolutely amazing. Best soundtrack for a game in many years. Intense gameplay, nearly 200 events, and never-ending car destroying fun, make this game the best to hit shelves in a loooong time.
  53. JamesS.
    Aug 17, 2007
    10
    This it the best game i have seen in my life the crashes are nice so are the explosins music is good if u like rock so overall the best game.
  54. MickT.
    Dec 28, 2004
    10
    Absolutely kicka$$, far better than pgr2 and all otha racers apart from maybe midtown madness 3.
  55. DJSpaz
    Sep 15, 2004
    6
    Very repetitive, soundtrack is terrible, I won 98% of the game in less than 2 days. Boooooo..
  56. Chase
    Sep 16, 2004
    10
    I never reall liked racing games untill i played this one. this game is amazing. its not even all about the racing; its about bashing the other cars and watching them fly back and hit other cars putting u in first.
  57. NeilV.
    Feb 18, 2005
    10
    The single most addictive, incredible racing experience that I've ever had. I was a big Grand Turismo fan (and still am), but this game is definitely more fun (to me) than ANY other racing game. Believe the hype folks, it's that good.
  58. Andrew
    Dec 1, 2007
    10
    My friend and i often tire of first person shooters so we switch to this, and we end up playing for 4 hours. The best racing game money can buy.
  59. NatashiandB.
    Jul 24, 2007
    8
    WHY this game is worthy, is bec of HOW IT CRASHES. during and after crashes, you are always alive and well, and your car may lose important bits and pcs , but you go on at FULL SPEED. this is pure comedy in black humor action man.
  60. BaikO.
    Nov 26, 2004
    5
    The design looks very dump to me, very simple, repetitive without any sence of imagination and the whole game has no meaning at all.it is a very bad game.
  61. msg78
    Dec 7, 2016
    10
    This is one of the greatest racing games of all time without a doubt. The crash mose is genius and I've spent more time playing that than actual racing.
  62. toonsem
    Jan 4, 2023
    10
    With an emphasis on reckless fun at insane speeds, no other game makes player aggression feel this good. It is easily the greatest arcade-style racer of all time, and it’s a shame nothing has topped it since.
  63. Ppontes64
    Dec 7, 2019
    9
    The sense of speed and adrenaline-charged spectacle hasn't aged a day. The AI can be bone-crushingly rubber-bandy, but every last moment is engaging to the highest extent possible.
  64. amenic
    Jan 11, 2013
    9
    6.5 user score? You are kidding right? This game is hands down the BEST arcade racing game to ever grace a console!

    Risk = Reward Music score is perfect for this kind of game and seems to have been very well thought out. The game immediately grabs you and is hard to put down. It's exactly what an "arcade" style racing game should be.. FUN! The game isn't without flaws but    6.5 user score? You are kidding right? This game is hands down the BEST arcade racing game to ever grace a console!

    Risk = Reward
    Music score is perfect for this kind of game and seems to have been very well thought out.

    The game immediately grabs you and is hard to put down. It's exactly what an "arcade" style racing game should be.. FUN!

    The game isn't without flaws but most of them are very minor.

    I tried to buy this game on XBLA (re buy) and unfortunately my save game slots became corrupt and are now unrecoverable and there's no support :(

    So now I cannot even get the game to load up despite my best efforts so I'm stuck so I guess I'll have to look to playing it on my PC some how in order to relive the awesome.

    Seriously though if you are looking for a fun no so serious racing game that is FAST and a lot of fun - this is it - I still haven't found anything to replace it.....    … Expand
  65. sergiomach5
    Aug 6, 2013
    10
    great, simple concepts executed perfectly, with little in the way of unnecessary additions. Race with an insane sense of speed to the finish, but not before your opponents crash into pieces, while your custom soundtrack plays in the background. Arcade racers dont get better than this
  66. RealGameReviews
    Dec 30, 2013
    10
    Best racer ever seriously just buy it. buy it now. So much destruction but i wonder if people in other cars die that would be sad but i like racing the car and there are a lot of variety in them
  67. Steeliosis
    Jan 2, 2014
    8
    Burnout has come a long way since the good ol' era of "racing around a track with little else to do other than avoid totaling yourself". Burnout 3 was the turning point, and the true evolution between what Burnout used to be, and what it would become for years onward.

    Burnout 3 introduces new mechanics, the main being the new "takedown" feature, in which you may smash opponents to    Burnout has come a long way since the good ol' era of "racing around a track with little else to do other than avoid totaling yourself". Burnout 3 was the turning point, and the true evolution between what Burnout used to be, and what it would become for years onward.

    Burnout 3 introduces new mechanics, the main being the new "takedown" feature, in which you may smash opponents to pieces in order to score a takedown. This also spurred up the new and interesting way of steering your car once you have crashed, through a slow motion view. Known as aftertouch, these allow you to score "aftertouch takedowns", effectively steering your wreck into other racers to batter them up.

    The involvement of aftertouch also seeped it's way into the new and improved crash mode, where you must damage as much traffic as possible. This game mode makes it's way from Burnout 2, where it originated, and manages to add upon it, with pickups and, of course, aftertouch being the main improvements. Whether this game mode is better than it's predecessor is down to opinion, but I found that the original crash mode was more raw, and felt more devastating when you hit down upon the traffic. Also, having no control made it feel like a true crash, rather than one that seems as though it was just designed to be as arcade style as possible.

    In terms of collectibles, the game is plentiful; lots of postcards, signature takedowns and vehicles to be earned. This game has a lot to do, and the crash mode is just as expansive as the race mode.

    Ultimately, this game is legendary; it seems to have been widely considered as the best Burnout game, and has earned itself a large following. I, however, still prefer the raw feel of burning along the road, dodging traffic, and hoping to stay as far ahead as possible. Some of the new features just take this full adrenaline rush away from me, and unfortunately, I can't give this game a perfect score. Very respectable, but far from perfect.    … Expand
  68. RacN
    Oct 17, 2015
    10
    Burnout 3: Takedown is a masterpiece, even though it's eleven years old (in 2015.) Its so fun and racing is fast and furious (pun not intended.) But the Crash events really stand out. Plowing you're expensive supercar into trucks and buses intentionally to cause as much damage as possible is good fun, quite funny and even challenging at some points. Play this game if you love arcadeBurnout 3: Takedown is a masterpiece, even though it's eleven years old (in 2015.) Its so fun and racing is fast and furious (pun not intended.) But the Crash events really stand out. Plowing you're expensive supercar into trucks and buses intentionally to cause as much damage as possible is good fun, quite funny and even challenging at some points. Play this game if you love arcade racers, it's a blast to play!… Expand
  69. RobertTheGreat
    Jun 1, 2017
    9
    Just A Nice Racing Game Full Of Destruction! And The Game Feature The Perfect Opportunity Of Road Rage, And A Lot Of Action, I Have To Get It, But I Do Not Have An Xbox.
  70. Untitled94
    Jul 15, 2021
    7
    I like Burnout 3, but I kind of prefer Burnout Revenge more. Burnout 3 is considered the best in the series, but I guess I might feel the same way if I had grown up with it. Don't get me wrong on all this, I still like the game. it's one of the best Burnout games, but even though Revenge was just an expansion of this game, I still like it just a bit more.
  71. bilbyc0m
    Mar 8, 2017
    10
    One of, if not - the most innovative racing game of all time. The burnout series introduced a fun, fast paced game engine with the introduction of the takedown - ability to takedown your rivals with various car maneuvers. As well as a refined career mode, crash mode and online mode. This is the definitive racing game of the 6th generation. Fun, fast, smooth, intense and cool are allOne of, if not - the most innovative racing game of all time. The burnout series introduced a fun, fast paced game engine with the introduction of the takedown - ability to takedown your rivals with various car maneuvers. As well as a refined career mode, crash mode and online mode. This is the definitive racing game of the 6th generation. Fun, fast, smooth, intense and cool are all feelings and vibes I got from Burnout 3: Takedown. I also discovered some of my favourite bands from the soundtrack of the game. Burnout 3 is by far the most beautiful looking game of the 6th generation and should be looked to as the benchmark for pure fun. The online community continued until the close of the xbox original servers and holds a special place in the hearts of Burnout fans.… Expand
  72. evolution98
    Sep 17, 2018
    9
    THE best racing game ever. The original Burnout was a decent attempt for Acclaim to challenge the Gran Turismo series but didn't age well. Burnout 2: Point of Impact improved on everything over the original but then Burnout 3: Takedown was the magnum opus.

    The graphics for the environment and the courses looks astounding and pitch perfect to their counterparts. I loved many songs from    THE best racing game ever. The original Burnout was a decent attempt for Acclaim to challenge the Gran Turismo series but didn't age well. Burnout 2: Point of Impact improved on everything over the original but then Burnout 3: Takedown was the magnum opus.

    The graphics for the environment and the courses looks astounding and pitch perfect to their counterparts. I loved many songs from the soundtrack. I love the realistic car models and the takedown/crash physics. The gameplay was amazing. Crash mode was somewhat fun.

    The only problems were that the soundtrack wasn't really that great and that the game could be beaten within a few hours or days.

    A must buy.    … Expand
  73. erp01
    Dec 29, 2017
    10
    It has been over 13 years since this game has been released, and it has stood the test of time. It remains one of my favorite games throughout my entire life. I did take a break from it, what with the new consoles and such coming out and me not having room for my old Xbox, but I finally bought a monitor, AV to HDMI converter, and some speakers, and now I'm back into it. To sum it all up,It has been over 13 years since this game has been released, and it has stood the test of time. It remains one of my favorite games throughout my entire life. I did take a break from it, what with the new consoles and such coming out and me not having room for my old Xbox, but I finally bought a monitor, AV to HDMI converter, and some speakers, and now I'm back into it. To sum it all up, this game is fast, fun, and will remain unrivaled for years to come.… Expand
  74. baztakedown
    Jun 1, 2019
    10
    favourite game from childhood. soundtrack is one of the best in any game. man, the memories of this.
  75. RBLX750
    Jul 1, 2019
    10
    After 15 years since release, this is still by far my favourite racing game ever. Everything about the game is done so well, the way career mode progresses, the racing itself, the detail, you name it. It's impossible to get bored of it, and if you fancy a break from racing, you can just go onto crash mode and launch your car into varying amounts of traffic for fun. The soundtrack is alsoAfter 15 years since release, this is still by far my favourite racing game ever. Everything about the game is done so well, the way career mode progresses, the racing itself, the detail, you name it. It's impossible to get bored of it, and if you fancy a break from racing, you can just go onto crash mode and launch your car into varying amounts of traffic for fun. The soundtrack is also fantastic, it will forever be an absolute must play. If you haven't, get hold of an original xbox, and get this game.… Expand
  76. vGuy
    Apr 6, 2021
    10
    this game is amazing with well-aged yet still old-school graphics, amazing music and now-classic race tracks. 10/10
  77. DiegoGamboa
    Oct 4, 2020
    10
    For me this game will always be the best racing game ever. No other racing game has ever given me as much fun as Burnout 3. That's it 10/10
  78. RTCWFAN
    May 10, 2023
    9
    One of the best racing games ever released. It's fast, crazy and has a cool soundtrack. Only the difficulty is a bit too high. Overall rating: 9.0.
  79. SideOrderoLemon
    Dec 15, 2022
    8
    Burnout 3 is a racing game that is fun for fun's sake. It's extremely addicting and has better control that most modern day racing games. There are so many challenges to do in this game that you begin to simply fade away into the carnage of mashing cars into each other. Crash mode is one of the most fun and cathartic modes in a game, trying to get as many points by crashing into other carsBurnout 3 is a racing game that is fun for fun's sake. It's extremely addicting and has better control that most modern day racing games. There are so many challenges to do in this game that you begin to simply fade away into the carnage of mashing cars into each other. Crash mode is one of the most fun and cathartic modes in a game, trying to get as many points by crashing into other cars and exploding. Soundtrack is a bop also, but in later races, the quality starts to stagnate, and borders into unfair territory, but still a perfect game to play with friends.… Expand
  80. Yojimbo2015
    Jun 17, 2023
    10
    Super fast, gorgeous to look at and thrilling to play. The ultimate arcade racer on the Xbox.

Awards & Rankings

2
#2 Best Xbox Game of 2004
5
#5 Most Discussed Xbox Game of 2004
3
#3 Most Shared Xbox Game of 2004

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
94

Universal acclaim - based on 76 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 76 out of 76
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 76
  3. Negative: 0 out of 76
  1. VGPub
    95
    My jaw also hit the floor when I had my first crash. In many racers cars just get a ding or probably no scratches at all. In Burnout 3 your car comes out looking like one of those high school driver's education videos.
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  2. Next Level Gaming
    94
    This game does for the arcade racing genre what "Rallisport Challenge 2" does for the rally section. It's just that good.
    Read full review
  3. Xequted
    94
    Perhaps one of the most enjoyable racing games we've ever been given the chance to play, mainly owing to the immense rush you get from the sheer velocity of game play.
    Read full review
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