RGT

Explore the Arcade and Simulation modes of Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec. Learn about car dealerships, F1 cars, and gameplay differences from Gran Turismo 2.

Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec is a racing game for the PlayStation 2, developed by Polyphony Digital and published by Sony Computer Entertainment in 2001. It is the sequel to Gran Turismo 2 and was a critical and commercial success, selling over 14 million copies worldwide and achieving an average Metacritic score of 95%.

Gameplay:

The game features two primary modes: Arcade and Simulation.

Arcade Mode: This mode is divided into stages, each containing five to six tracks. Players must complete all tracks in a stage on Easy difficulty or higher to progress and unlock new stages. Completing stages on Normal or Difficult unlocks additional cars.

Simulation Mode: This mode offers a more structured progression of races and challenges, including short events and multi-hour endurance races, as well as dirt rally events. Car dealerships are organized by country and manufacturer. Compared to Gran Turismo 2, Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec features fewer cars (191 total) due to the increased focus on detailed graphics and car statistics, and its early release in the PlayStation 2's lifecycle.

Formula One (F1) cars are new to the franchise and can only be obtained by winning endurance races or specific championship events. The PAL version includes two F1 cars (Polyphony001, Polyphony002), while NTSC versions feature six (F094/H, F094/S, F686/M, F687/S, F090/S, F688/S). F1 cars offer superior performance but wear out tires quickly, and players cannot equip harder tire compounds.

Notably absent from GT3 are the ability to perform Racing Modifications on production cars, removal of suspension damage, and removal of power limits on race events.

Development:

Polyphony Digital collaborated with Logitech to create the GT Force steering wheel, featuring force feedback specifically for GT3. A demo version was showcased at the 2000 PlayStation Festival, allowing players to drive a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution V GSR '98 on the Seattle Circuit for 120 seconds.

The game's graphics were significantly improved due to the PlayStation 2 hardware, but the car count was reduced to accommodate the detailed graphics, car statistics, and the game's early release. Around 189 cars are featured depending on the disc region.

A giveaway at release offered Gran Turismo merchandise, branded clothing, a day at the Skip Barber Racing School, or car payments for a month in North America.

Several demos were released prior to launch, featuring unfinished content and an expiring timer. Most used a shortened version of Daiki Kasho's "Mirage" as background music.

Reception and Criticism:

Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec received widespread critical acclaim, with an aggregated score of 94.54% on GameRankings and 95/100 on Metacritic. It was ranked among the top 50 multi-platform games and top 10 PlayStation 2 titles. IGN praised it as the best in the series for its dedicated followers.

The game sold 1 million copies in its first three days and 3.8 million by July 2006 in the US, earning $120 million. It was the third highest-selling game for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, or GameCube in the US between January 2000 and July 2006. In the UK, it received a "Double Platinum" sales award from ELSPA for over 600,000 copies sold.

Soundtrack:

The soundtrack varies slightly by game region, similar to previous and subsequent titles in the franchise.