But the ever-expanding capabilities of the new hardware – which, to be fair, weren’t even scratched by V3 – presented constantly evolving possibilities for rival game makers, and V3 was soon forgotten in the franchise development frenzy of 1998. The drive to push boundaries forced even Codemasters to temporarily abandon its biggest hit to create completely new games to compete.

Watch The Miniature Mayhem Unfold in the First Micro Machines World Series Gameplay Trailer | Codemasters Blog". blog.codemasters.com . Retrieved 26 April 2007. A Sega Saturn version of the game was demonstrated at the 1996 Electronic Entertainment Expo, at which time Codemasters stated that they were hoping to release the PlayStation and Saturn versions simultaneously. [3] However, in mid-1997 they announced that development on the Saturn version had been halted. [4] a b c d "Micro Machines V3". Next Generation. No.39. Imagine Media. March 1998. p.111 . Retrieved 7 November 2020.The stage was, therefore, set for continuation, but a particular high standard still needed to be met to make it a true Micro Machines title. Something borrowed, something grew a b c Bad Hare (March 1998). "PlayStation ProReview: Micro Machines V3". GamePro. No.114. IDG. p.95. a b c d e Fielder, Joe (14 January 1998). "Micro Machines V3 Review [date mislabeled as "May 2, 2000"]". GameSpot. CBS Interactive . Retrieved 7 November 2020. Micro Machines V3 ( Micro Machines 64 Turbo for the Nintendo 64 port) is a racing video game developed by Codemasters and Novalicious for PlayStation, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo 64, and Game Boy Color. While fond memories of V3 remain, the true final nail in the Micro Machines coffin may come with the release of World Series in June 2017. It’s a release that seems to be an expanded version of a Chillingo-produced mobile game port – ironic, really, considering V3 itself runs with ease on a mobile emulator and delivers five times the enjoyment of its current money-grabbing counterpart available “for free!” on app stores.

It was a turning point for the PlayStation: racing, and to a wider extent gaming, really didn’t feel like it was for kids any more. Just a few weeks earlier, I was fannying around on a pool table and flattening my mates with comedy mallets. By the time I’d turned 13, I was racing for cash, selling countless Mazda Demios from Sunday Cup victories just to afford something better than a second-hand Mitsubishi FTO, and painfully scraping through licence tests just to have the privilege of driving something better than a car with a shagged engine that I couldn’t tune because, well, I was 13. Dr. Moo (April 1998). "Micro Machines V3 Review (PS)". GameRevolution. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on 5 February 2004 . Retrieved 8 November 2020. Hsu, Dan; Davison, John; Hager, Dean; Boyer, Crispin (April 1999). "Micro Machines 64 Turbo". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No.117. Ziff Davis. p.122 . Retrieved 8 November 2020. In the Studio". Next Generation. No.36. Imagine Media. December 1997. p.24 . Retrieved 30 March 2021. a b c d e f Rignall, Jaz (9 January 1998). "Micro Machines V3". IGN. Ziff Davis . Retrieved 7 November 2020.Using a script or add-on that scans GameFAQs for box and screen images (such as an emulator front-end), while overloading our search engine Micromachines V3 [sic] (GBC)". Consoles + (in French). No.109. February 2001. p.118 . Retrieved 8 November 2020. The absolute test of any Micro Machines game is in its multiplayer, and V3’s continued consistency in this department made it so great.

Super Teeter (May 1999). "Micro Machines 64 Turbo". GameFan. Vol.7, no.5. Shinno Media. p.41 . Retrieved 8 November 2020. Micro Machines is a series of video games featuring toy cars, developed by Codemasters and published on multiple platforms (including MS-DOS, Nintendo Entertainment System, Amiga, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy, PlayStation 2, Nintendo 64, GameCube, Xbox, Game Gear, and iOS). The series is based on the Micro Machines toy line of miniature vehicles.Schneider, Peer (24 March 1999). "Micro Machines 64 Turbo Review". IGN. Ziff Davis . Retrieved 7 November 2020. The 93% review in Mega described Micro Machines 2: Turbo Tournament as "multi-player fun at its best". [12] See also [ edit ] Four-Eyed Dragon (June 1999). "Micro Machines 64 Turbo". GamePro. No.129. IDG Entertainment. p.108. Archived from the original on 28 September 2004 . Retrieved 8 November 2020. Plagued with server and coding issues, Chillingo retired the game and closed the servers in August 2018.

Maybe it will. I hope it will. But maybe my (limited) maturity has made me cynical, and I’ll never be satisfied by it. Perhaps growing up, as a gamer, is largely irreversible – in the way that GoldenEye is basically unplayable now, or how I can’t bring myself to enjoy Oblivion because of just how poor and simplistic it is in comparison to even the original Skyrim, never mind its remaster for the current generation. I’m not saying it’s fair, I’m just saying it’s a fact of life for me. Harris, Craig (29 November 2000). "Micro Machines V3 (GBC)". IGN. Ziff Davis . Retrieved 7 November 2020. A remake of this game was later released in 2002. This version features advanced graphics as well as drivers having unique vehicles.

Overview

Gran Turismo’s PlayStation double-header in 1998 and 2000 wasn’t just bad for daft, multiplayer-oriented racing series like Micro Machines – more traditional arcade racers suffered, too. The ever-competing Need for Speed and Test Drive franchises, and even casual yet genuinely enjoyable start-ups like Total Drivin’, were obliterated by the simulation’s success. But it was still worse for lovable intellectual properties like Micro Machines; they’d always survived, even in the face of racing sims gone by (with admittedly poor, procedural graphics). Gran Turismo put an end to that. Codemasters conformed Micro Machines 64 Turbo". Nintendo Power. Vol.119. Nintendo of America. April 1999. p.119 . Retrieved 7 November 2020. All in all, MMV3 is frantic, brutal, and a lot of fun. It’s a nice diversion from typical racing games, with a unique take on the genre. Extensive multiplayer options and excellent 3D graphics should please beginners and experts alike. Two thumbs up!