Review
Played on: Xbox 360
Released: 2009
Forza Motorsport 3 was a big release for the series when it launched on Xbox 360 back in 2009. While FM2 was a solid entry, bringing the series up to its famous, rock solid, 60fps trademark, it played safely when it came down to the visuals. Landing somewhere between generations, aesthetically. FM3, however, was a massive leap forward, utilising the Xbox 360 hardware to its fullest.
The result was a visually stunning racer, smooth and responsive in 60fps, with impressive upgraded detail in car models, environments and physics. Featuring rich roadside detail all the way down to intricate stuff like tire deformation. Featuring 400 cars and substantial number of racetrack locations and variants, it was a large package to dig into for racing fans.
Back in the day, I played it with an Xbox 360 steering wheel, enjoying it immensely. Progressing through quite a few seasons in the campaign. However, I had an accidental deletion of my save file while transferring it between my Xbox 360 and a USB pen. As such, I couldn’t be bothered to restart my entire progress and ended up waiting for FM4.
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Last year, I decided to go back and finally get myself through it. At least to season five, playing it gradually right up until recently. Plus, it was a wonderful opportunity to race some older car models and racetracks not featured in newer Forza Motorsport titles.
I dug out my Limited Collector’s Edition, Forza branded key chain and USB pen included, and after an interesting installation spread across two discs, one with the game and the other with ton of content, I was ready.
My Xbox 360 steering wheel has long since been sold and the game isn't backwards compatible, as such, I just went to play it on my good old Xbox 360 Slim with a regular Xbox 360 controller. Reminiscing how the older Motorsport titles used to be.
While rough around the edges at 720p, it cleans up with a small 2x anti-aliasing and runs butter smooth in 60fps, never once dipping. The result is a truly responsive and satisfying racer to play, even so many years later. The way FM games are mapped to a controller makes them a pleasure to play and with so many cars and tracks, there’s a ton of content to dig into.
Sure enough, FM4 is a better package to go back to, if you’re curious about older FM titles that is. It features even more cars and tracks, the perfect swan song of Xbox 360 FM’s if you like, but FM3 was the game I wanted to finally complete.
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The campaign is dived into seasons, within a season you must complete a main championship event, but in between each main event race, you can choose smaller race cups to play. This offers up a lot of variety, both in car types and racetracks. The user interface is super slick and user friendly, looking extremely modern even today, 14 years later, with a satisfying ambient soundtrack accompanying it.
I still find the visuals impressive, especially the car models and the amount of detail along the roadsides. The lake and mountain tracks in Camino Viejo, the drift focused Japanese mountains of Fujimi Kaido or the sun-drenched seaside at Amalfi Coast, all come back to me as incredible pretty and unique locations. Sadly, they haven’t been featured in the FM games since FM4.
My Xbox 360 steering wheel has long since been sold and the game isn't backwards compatible, as such, I just went to play it on my good old Xbox 360 Slim with a regular Xbox 360 controller. Reminiscing how the older Motorsport titles used to be.
While rough around the edges at 720p, it cleans up with a small 2x anti-aliasing and runs butter smooth in 60fps, never once dipping. The result is a truly responsive and satisfying racer to play, even so many years later. The way FM games are mapped to a controller makes them a pleasure to play and with so many cars and tracks, there’s a ton of content to dig into.
Sure enough, FM4 is a better package to go back to, if you’re curious about older FM titles that is. It features even more cars and tracks, the perfect swan song of Xbox 360 FM’s if you like, but FM3 was the game I wanted to finally complete.
.jpg)
The campaign is dived into seasons, within a season you must complete a main championship event, but in between each main event race, you can choose smaller race cups to play. This offers up a lot of variety, both in car types and racetracks. The user interface is super slick and user friendly, looking extremely modern even today, 14 years later, with a satisfying ambient soundtrack accompanying it.
I still find the visuals impressive, especially the car models and the amount of detail along the roadsides. The lake and mountain tracks in Camino Viejo, the drift focused Japanese mountains of Fujimi Kaido or the sun-drenched seaside at Amalfi Coast, all come back to me as incredible pretty and unique locations. Sadly, they haven’t been featured in the FM games since FM4.
Classics like Maple Valley and New York also come to mind as enjoyable environments to speed past too. Then there’s a huge list of official race circuits, ranging from Twin Ring Motegi, Laguna Seca, the Nürburgring, Le Mans Circuit and the Sedona Raceway Park, the latter not featured since FM4 either.
Going back to 60fps titles has proved over and over to be satisfying. Sure, at first glance the old graphics look a little rough, but once you get into the flow of these old 60fps titles, they just work so well. It makes the gameplay stay responsive and satisfying, regardless of visuals being dated. After all, great gameplay stays great over the years.
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FM3 was an landmark title for the Motorsport series. I still remember the hype after it’s E3 reveal to this day. It put the series right up, and beyond, the competition like Gran Turismo 5 & 6. With massively improved visuals, tons of content, great controls and a rock solid 60fps driving experience.
So, while FM4 is a better place to jump back for an Xbox 360 race simulation these days, it contains everything FM3 does, with more cars in each race and even more content. However, FM3 was a more groundbreaking title for its time. They both stand tall even to this date and are extremely playable still, packed with content.
Going back to 60fps titles has proved over and over to be satisfying. Sure, at first glance the old graphics look a little rough, but once you get into the flow of these old 60fps titles, they just work so well. It makes the gameplay stay responsive and satisfying, regardless of visuals being dated. After all, great gameplay stays great over the years.
.jpg)
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FM3 was an landmark title for the Motorsport series. I still remember the hype after it’s E3 reveal to this day. It put the series right up, and beyond, the competition like Gran Turismo 5 & 6. With massively improved visuals, tons of content, great controls and a rock solid 60fps driving experience.
So, while FM4 is a better place to jump back for an Xbox 360 race simulation these days, it contains everything FM3 does, with more cars in each race and even more content. However, FM3 was a more groundbreaking title for its time. They both stand tall even to this date and are extremely playable still, packed with content.
