Sony’s ATV racing games may not have made as much noise as some of the
other extreme racing games out there, but they have delivered solid gameplay
that strikes a good balance between a simulation of the sport and the fun of
pulling off extreme (and in this case, realistic) tricks. ATV Offroad Fury 3
continues this trend and is a worthy addition to the series. ATV 3 comes
packed with game modes and tracks, so even if you’re not a big fan of the
sport you’re certain to find something that you like. If you love ATV racing,
though, you will be in four wheel heaven.
A part of the game’s success can be attributed to the fact that the game
makes it relatively easy to control your ATV and to pull of tricks. That’s not
to say the game itself is particularly easy – you’ll still need to time your
power slides right to get around a tight corner as fast as possible. The
controls are well laid-out and an extensive tutorial will give you all of the
time you’ll need to learn to race your ATV and go up against some competition.
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The main mode of ATV 3 is the ubiquitous career mode (here called
Championship Mode) in which you must place third or better through a series of
races to progress to the next race, unlocking additional circuits, tracks, and
ATVs along the way. You can choose to compete in several different types of
championships from the stadium style Supercross and Short Track circuits to
the cross-country Enduro races. You can play any of the races individually,
but not until you’ve unlocked them in the Championship Mode.
There is also a Freestyle mode that challenges you to collect pick-ups
while trying to rack up trick points by unleashing trick combos, but this mode
comes up a bit flat when compared to similar modes in other extreme skate and
bike games. The trick system in ATV 3 is simpler than and not nearly as
extensive as it is in those types of games, and so pulling off tricks on your
own in ATV 3 just doesn’t generate that much excitement. It’s more fun to
stick the tricks when racing against other drivers.
You’ll need to win races to advance in the championship and unlock tracks
for play, but it is important to do it in style by pulling off tricks whenever
you can. The reason is that the tricks will earn you points that you can spend
customizing your ATV and driver. There are three ground tricks available,
bicycle, wheelie, and nose stop, but most points will come from the aerial
stunts. The first step is to preload your shocks as you approach a jump.
Pulling back on the stick and then pushing it forward as you crest the jump
will give you a big burst of air and allow you to pull off multiple tricks and
combos. The tricks are performed by combining presses of the face and shoulder
buttons and as long as you are level and straight when you return to Earth
you’ll collect the points for your stunt.
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