Welcome to Snapshot! In a nutshell – Snapshot is a little feature that provides a snapshot of information on a game that we have checked out or have been playing recently. The article will feature screenshots, and a general overview of our opinion of the game without a review score.

There are plenty of titles that involve being downright ridiculous in vehicles. Whether it is smashing each other to pieces in the recent Wreckfest or attempting to score goals in Rocket League, several games take cars off the circuit and into unique scenarios. One of my favourite games from the Playstation era in the ’90s was a game called Vigilante 8. This was an arena game involving cars, trucks, buses, and more using the in-game elements to be the last man standing. There has always been a niggle of hope that a fresh game can echo the greatness of some of the best arena-driving games of all time. Crash Drive 3 is now available on the Xbox family of consoles and boasts a playground full of fun and frolics and throws cross-platform play into the mix.

Prepare for Absolute Carnage!

Developed and published by M2H Studios, Crash Drive 3 is an arcade cross-platform driving game spread across several areas. Whilst players can engage in offline play, where the game really excels is playing online multiplayer with human players. Now I will hold my hand up and state that I haven’t played the previous instalments of Crash Drive, so I went in with low expectations. You may ask why my expectations weren’t high and this was simply because I learned that it features cross-platform play across various spaces including mobile devices. My previous experiences with games that bring across mobile telephone players to console ported titles have generally been poor.

Easing in Gently!

I was pleasantly surprised that Crash Drive 3 blends in the cross-platform element fantastically and this doesn’t hamper the gameplay whatsoever. When you first drop into the game world you’ll be introduced to the tutorial. This will drip-feed you the simple control system and how to perform stunts and more. You will notice that as you get to grips with the basics that in-game events will be taking place around you. Choose to join in with these or go about your day doing your own thing. You can use a nitro boost, drift, and propel yourself off various ramps and loop de loops. These playground objects are scattered throughout the map and add real variance to how the game plays.

Join in With the Ongoing Fun!

There are ten rotating game modes within Crash Drive 3. Coin Collect, King of the hill, tag objects, score, checkpoint race, King’s crown, find the ring, damage the beach ball, cops and robbers, and finally a tank battle mode. These experiences are constantly on the go and it is your choice whether to join the crowd or venture off on a tangent and do your own thing. The benefit of taking some time to yourself to explore is the fact there are collectable items, rings to try and drive through, and hidden areas.

The control scheme is super simple and if you’re familiar with driving game mechanics, you’ll be right at home here. Right trigger to drive and left to reverse, utilizing the other buttons for a quick blast of nitro and braking sharply. The sticks will be used to guide your car along the ground or to perform stunts whilst airborne. Even the most casual of gamers will be able to pick up and play this.

Vehicles Galore and Plenty of Customisation!

There are a whopping 47 vehicles to unlock and play within Crash Drive 3. Four functions can be upgraded with each car. Acceleration, top speed, boost, and handling can be souped up with in-game currency. As you max out each ride, another one will then become available to be selected for use and to be worked on. Maxing out the statistics on everything in the game will give you the option to turn all vehicles solid gold. This will give you bragging rights when it comes to engaging with other players online.

I found the real addiction here was harvesting as much in-game currency as possible and buying and maxing as much as possible. Short bursts of gameplay are rewarded with daily login bonuses. Before I knew it, what seemed like twenty minutes turned into two hours and I was having way more fun with this game than I anticipated. With so much to unlock and the variance in the rotating playlist, Crash Drive 3 oozes replayability and longevity.

Graphics & Sound

Visually Crash Drive 3 is quite poor in comparison to the graphics of today. But you have to remember the old motto that graphics don’t make a game. Also, the fact that this particular title caters to gamers on mobile devices makes sense that it isn’t the most aesthetically pleasing. What the game lacks in visuals, it makes up for with its enthralling gameplay.

In terms of sound, things are also a little lacklustre here. Whilst there is a difference in engine sounds and volume and a small selection of music tracks, there isn’t much more than this on offer. Camera angles are probably the most frustrating and infuriating element during your time with the overall experience. Occasionally it will be really difficult to focus on a certain collectable or ring you need to drive through. Some more flexibility from camera control would be useful as it is a minor annoyance that only hampers things now and then.

In Conclusion

Crash Drive 3 ticks many boxes which I wasn’t expecting. A game of this calibre teaches you that something doesn’t have to always look the part to be a wholesome package. With its huge array of modes, vehicles, cosmetics, hidden objects, and more, there is plenty to keep players coming back for more. Whether you are looking for a quick ten-minute session or a few hours of madness, then I highly recommend picking this one up.