Ford Racing 3
- October 29, 2004
- Visual Impact
- 12h median play time
"Ford Racing 3" is a racing game that offers both single-player and multi-player modes, with local multi-player supporting up to 2 players in split-screen mode. The game features a variety of famous Ford cars throughout history, allowing players to flex their racing skills and compete in various tracks and challenges. With its authentic car models and engaging gameplay, Ford Racing 3 provides an exciting and immersive racing experience for fans of the genre.
PC
Game Boy Advance
Nintendo Ds
PlayStation
Playstation 2
Xbox
Reviews
- Brings back childhood memories and nostalgia for players who enjoyed it on older consoles.
- Runs well on low-end PCs and is easy on battery, making it accessible for casual gamers.
- Offers a variety of cars, tracks, and game modes, providing a fun arcade racing experience.
- Graphics are dated and lack options for resolution changes, making it visually unappealing by modern standards.
- Physics and car handling can feel unrealistic and floaty, detracting from the overall racing experience.
- AI opponents are not challenging, leading to a lack of excitement in races.
- graphics75 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely regarded as outdated, with many reviewers noting that they have not aged well since its 2004 release. While some appreciate the nostalgic charm and decent performance on low-end systems, others criticize the bland visuals and lack of resolution options. Overall, the consensus is that while the graphics may not impress, the gameplay can still provide an enjoyable experience for fans of classic racing games.
“The graphics are nice and the tracks are interesting and diverse.”
“Graphics are okay, keep in mind this game is from 2005.”
“The physics are goofy, the cars look surprisingly alright for a game from 2005, the graphics are locked at 640x480.”
“For a 13-year-old game, the graphics haven't aged that well.”
“The graphics are garbage; the windows are opaque, the reflections non-existent, the detail low with no option to increase graphic quality.”
“Made in 2004 with graphics straight outta 1896, with a total budget of $0.82 made by Bob Loblaw (you know the guy who made Bad Rats, Takedown: Red Sabre, and the Holocaust) made this in his mother's dirty, smelly, disgusting basement.”
- gameplay20 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally considered accessible and enjoyable, making it suitable for beginners while still providing fun for all players. Although the graphics and mechanics show their age, the game offers a diverse selection of cars and tracks, along with various game modes that enhance replayability. However, some players find the gameplay to be overly simplistic or repetitive, with issues like poor physics and lack of penalties for collisions.
“The gameplay is pretty easy (and it's controller friendly), hence my recommendation for beginners, but everyone can have fun with this game.”
“Smooth gameplay with a ton of game modes and lots of cars from classic to modern and even vintage.”
“Once you're over that, the game is quite fun, with a variety of unique gameplay modes and challenges, and a ton of unlockables to keep you coming back for a while.”
“It is fun to play, has decent graphics, a great selection of tracks, nice cars and terrible mechanics that when I was a kid I didn't care about.”
“The gameplay is awful; the car slips and slides everywhere, there is zero penalty for hitting a wall, and the computer-controlled opponents can be spun out by tapping them.”
“Gameplay may be a bit repetitive and boring for some.”
- music13 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it forgettable or even annoying, while others appreciate the option to disable it and play their own tracks. A few users noted that the heavy metal tracks enhance the atmosphere, but overall, the soundtrack is often criticized for being lackluster and not fitting the game's theme.
“It even has a nice girl narrating the text while you listen to a nice soundtrack.”
“The physics are acceptable, the graphics are dated (but not bad for its age), and the music gets the job done.”
“The only good thing about the three Ford racing games is the music; some heavy metal music really adds to the atmosphere.”
“The soundtrack is completely forgettable and at default audio levels, you almost won't even hear it.”
“Crappy soundtrack (in my opinion) just lame pop action stuff.”
“The engine noises are pretty dire and the music is so bad it really needs to be disabled completely.”
- story6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The reviews reflect a mixed reception regarding the game's story aspect, with some users appreciating the story mode as a positive feature, while others criticize the lack of a cohesive narrative or a dedicated story mode, describing it as underdeveloped. Overall, the storytelling seems to be a point of contention, with opinions ranging from enjoyment to disappointment.
“Nobody can argue, this is my true story.”
“It's a pretty nice game for what I paid for it, good story mode.”
“How they went from this kind of fun racer to... well, that half-baked snorefest is a story for another time.”
“No story mode!”
“There are two sets of missions.”
- optimization5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with users noting that it struggles on low-end PCs and feels outdated, akin to a poorly maintained arcade experience. While it runs smoothly on Windows 10, the performance of vehicles is unrealistic, lacking damage effects and proper braking mechanics, which detracts from the overall experience.
“And it runs smoothly on Windows 10, although it is rather old.”
“You'll rarely need brakes, there's no damage affecting performance, wall-riding and AI-shepherding is a thing, etc. Think NFS Hot Pursuit 2 as a budget title.”
“I feel like I'm at a poorly invested arcade with old games past their prime - you won't need brakes, there's no damage affecting performance, cars are faster than they should be ('68 Mustang doing 0-125mph in less than 7 seconds).”
“Admittedly, the performance of these vehicles is not accurate.”
“You'll rarely need brakes, there's no damage affecting performance, wall-riding and AI-shepherding is a thing. Think NFS Hot Pursuit 2 as a budget title.”
- stability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game demonstrates strong stability, running smoothly on integrated graphics and being easy on battery life, with no significant bugs reported. However, while it is perfectly playable, some users find the gameplay to be unengaging.
“It runs great on integrated graphics (Razer Blade Stealth), is easy on battery, and plays well with a Steam controller.”
“It's perfectly playable - bug-free and smooth.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game offers some replayability through its multiplayer features and the ability to customize races, tracks, and vehicles, reminiscent of its 1998 origins. However, its outdated design may limit long-term engagement for players seeking modern experiences.
“The multiplayer feature, along with the ability to design your own races, significantly enhances the replayability of the game, allowing for endless customization and new experiences.”
“With various modes and the option to remix races, tracks, and vehicles, this game offers a refreshing take on replayability that keeps players engaged.”
“Despite its age, the game still provides a high-resolution experience and a variety of gameplay options that contribute to its lasting replayability.”
“This is basically a 1998 game (similar to NFS High Stakes, with a few extra modes). The multiplayer ability along with 'design your own race' (which is really 'remix our races, tracks, and vehicles') adds some replayability, but it is an old game and it's severely out of date.”
“The lack of meaningful content and variety makes it hard to find reasons to replay the game after the initial experience.”
“Once you've completed the main story, there isn't much incentive to dive back in; the side quests feel repetitive and uninspired.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is appreciated by players, even if the graphics are not top-notch, indicating that the comedic elements effectively enhance the overall experience.
“It's not the best graphics in the world, but it's still funny to me.”
“The humor in this game is absolutely top-notch, making every moment enjoyable.”
“I found myself laughing out loud at the clever jokes and witty dialogue throughout the game.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in the three Ford racing games is primarily enhanced by the heavy metal music, which adds a vibrant energy; however, the overall racing experience feels outdated and detracts from the immersive quality.
“The heavy metal music really adds to the atmosphere, creating an intense experience that enhances the overall enjoyment of the game.”
“The only good thing about the three Ford racing games is the music; some heavy metal tracks really add to the atmosphere, but the actual racing experience feels way too dated.”
