Crash Drive 3 (Xbox One) Review
Tons to unlock and earn
Online multiplayer is stupidly fun
The lower gravity physics strike a good balance between floaty (big air jumps) and controllability
Takes a little while to unlock some of the cooler things
Moments of lag and frame drops when playing online
Crash Drive 3 is an open world stunt racing game that never takes it foot off the accelerator and sort of mixes the chaos of Rocket League with the tricks of Tony Hawk. The single player offering is good enough on its own but the cross-play online multiplayer is where this title really shines. I never played the first two games (although a previous writer covered Crash Drive 2 here) but I did cover REKT! just a couple months ago. Crash Drive 3 is essentially REKT! only with much higher production values, online play, more variety, and carries a higher cost.
Taking control of one of the dozens of available vehicles, the player is dropped into a large arena filled with ramps, obstacles, hazards, loop-de-loops, and all sorts of ways to catch big air. Although you can simply drive around and have a blast pulling off huge tricks mindlessly boosting off ramps with light physics, the game rotates objectives every couple minutes so the focus constantly changes. One minute you might need to tag ramps (aka, jump off them to claim them), destroy a ridiculously large beach ball that randomly drops somewhere in the arena by ramming into it, or participate in a tank battle or cops and robbers chase. Each match is more ridiculous than the last and it always provides good fun when playing with a full party of players online.
The main draw is the stupid, high action fun of smashing into opponents, trying to complete the objectives before they do. Even if you lose, players still collect currency that can be used to unlock new features and each of the five playable environments have their own secrets to discover. There is always something to do, something to unlock, or something to smash. This keeps the action high and addicting.
Driving, smashing, and getting big air wouldn’t be what it is without the lenient boost feature. At the press of a button, the player can boost to instantly increase acceleration. This meter also refills quickly, encouraging players to go fast, hit those jumps, and reach that goal before your opponent.
Crash Drive 3 is that perfect game to play for twenty minutes after a long day at work, a game where you don’t really want to think and just have some mindless fun. Even when you don’t get first place, fall off that ramp, or just nailed by that train, you’re still having fun. The simple sandbox approach is easily appreciated.
Also available on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox Series X, Android, and iOS.
Also Try: Wreckfest
Better Than: Taxi Chaos
Don’t Forget About: Electro Ride: The Neon Racing
By: Zachary Gasiorowski, Editor in Chief myGamer.com
Twitter: @ZackGaz
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