Put Pedal to the Metal in 'Forza Motorsport 3'

We test drive the latest installment in this hit car racing franchise.

ByABC News
November 27, 2009, 12:42 PM

Nov. 30, 2009 — -- Racing game enthusiasts of all types have something to be excited about with "Forza Motorsport 3." Whether you are into muscle cars, sports cars or Asian imports, the developer, Turn 10 Studios, has created a game that will suit everyone's racing needs.

Made exclusively for Xbox 360, "Forza Motorsport 3" features over 400 cars that can run on your choice of 100 real-world tracks from around the world. There are many game modes to choose from, including career mode, in which you will play hundreds of events that are set up in a racing calendar. Career mode is based on seasons that consist of different races that end every two weeks with a championship race.

The races range in styles which include drag, circuit and drift, among others. As you progress, the laps get longer and races become more difficult. Xbox Live provides another layer of fun for gamers with online multiplayer modes that can be customized for endless possibilities.

The use of all the great exotic cars in this game wouldn't mean a thing if they are not complimented by the good attention to detail Turn 10 employs in the graphics. They have made a game that is esthetically pleasing which also has accurate recreations of the real life cars and racetracks they represent.

Like the outside, the interiors of cars have also been exhaustively recreated. You will find yourself submerged into the game and feel like you are in the driver seat. You will almost forget it is not real.

Forza provides the user with many customizable features that can tweak the difficulty of the game in many ways. There are many driver assistant tools that can be turned on and off. There is also a feature in the game that lets you rewind the game at any time; whether you run into a wall or just want to perfect a certain turn, the rewind button provides an extra edge when a mistake can cost you the win in the race.

The cars themselves are also very customizable. Many options are available from paint colors, custom shapes for unique designs and fine tuning the car for optimal performance. You can bring your customized cars to Xbox Live where you will be able to show them off and also be able to auction them off for in-game credits.