Midway Arcade Treasures 3
| Company type | Video game compilation |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | 2005 |
| Products | Classic arcade racing games compilation |
Midway Arcade Treasures 3 represents the final installment in Midway's series of classic arcade game collections, released for the GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox platforms. This edition comprises eight racing titles that were not part of the previous compilations Midway Arcade Treasures (2003) and Midway Arcade Treasures 2 (2004). Unlike its predecessors, this volume concentrates solely on 3D racing games and carries an ESRB rating of E for Everyone. The Xbox edition uniquely supports online score submissions through Xbox Live, though official online services were discontinued on April 15, 2010. Nevertheless, online play has been revived using alternative Xbox Live servers known as Insignia.
Games
Included in Midway Arcade Treasures 3 are the following titles:
- Badlands (1989)
- Offroad Thunder (1999)
- Race Drivin' (1990)
- San Francisco Rush the Rock: Alcatraz Edition (1997)
- S.T.U.N. Runner (1989)
- Super Off Road along with its Super Off Road Track Pack (1989)
- Hydro Thunder (1999)
- San Francisco Rush 2049 (1999)
While the majority of these games are faithful reproductions of their arcade originals, both Hydro Thunder and Rush 2049 derive from their Dreamcast console adaptations. The version of San Francisco Rush: The Rock featured here was redeveloped with an updated physics engine and sound design, achieving a performance of 60 frames per second, surpassing the frame rate of the original arcade release.
Of particular note, Super Off Road and its accompanying Track Pack were created by the Leland Corporation, which later became Midway Studios San Diego following its acquisition through Tradewest in 1994. Due to licensing constraints, Ivan Stewart's likeness was modified—he now appears wearing sunglasses and a mustache—and the game titles were shortened to simply Super Off Road. Additionally, "Ironman's" Speed Shop was renamed to Off-Road Speed Shop, and the AI competitor originally named Ivan was changed to "Lightning" Kevin Lydy. Despite these alterations, Ivan Stewart's initials ("IVN") still appear in high score listings and credits.
Reception
The critical response to Midway Arcade Treasures 3 was mixed, with aggregate scores from GameRankings showing 66.05% for PlayStation 2, 67.29% for Xbox, and 65.61% for GameCube versions. Reviewers highlighted inconsistencies in the quality of included games as well as variations between platform-specific releases.