Underground 3

It’s not always a requirement for racing games to feature realistic physics, because sometimes you just want to have some fun and push the cars to their limits without worrying about repercussions. Thankfully, there are plenty of arcade racing games out there to choose from, including a few that allow you to customize your vehicles with fancy spoilers and other cosmetic parts.

Underground 3 is an arcade racing game with retro graphics and simple controls, in which the only goal is to overtake the opponents and make it to the finish line first. You lose the race if you get there second or third, on the other hand, so it can be a bit of a bother, given the fact that you have to start the race from the beginning and try harder.

Even more annoying is the fact that the other cars seem to be going a lot faster than you, mainly because the controls are very imprecise and jumpy, making it difficult to take a turn without losing a lot of speed. The tracks are very short, which means that the races only last for a minute or two, making it even more difficult to get in front.

The game allows you to modify bits of your car, although none of these components have too much of an impact on its performance. Paintjobs, neons and rims can make the vehicles look prettier, but only the NOS component allows them to gain an advantage. You can also see the stats for each car as you are tuning its appearance.

The graphics are very basic and downright ugly in certain regards, since the “retro” excuse doesn’t work in this case. The game looks like it was released three decades ago, and it’s a shame to see such a lack of effort in the level design department. The cars barely look like their real counterparts, especially since they are little more than empty polygons with a few details drawn on top.

In the end, Underground 3 could have offered a lot more than it currently does, especially if the mechanics were easier to get used to. Unfortunately, the game at hand is very unpolished and annoying, not to mention ugly and repetitive.