Crazy Cars III

Oh no, another Crazy Cars game?

Yep, and I must admit that I was a bit worried because the first game was rather crude and the second had infuriating mechanics that angered me a lot. So, as you can imagine, I was skeptical about the third. Okay, it's 1992 (I wish) and Titus appears to have redeemed themselves with something that actually looks rather good. What??

Yeah, it looks cool and the background story is funny and proves you should never look a gift horse in the mouth. Well, when somebody offers you a Lamborgini Diablo, at a rock-bottom price, take it and then drive it away as fast as you can!! Which is exactly what we're doing for Crazy Cars 3. Sure, we spent most of our life savings running it but we have a sexy sports car. More importantly, enough cash remaining to compete in America's Bull Run - the Saturday Night Races.

That might sound lame but this event is a huge event taking place throughout the lower 48 States against many rival drivers. There are four divisions and, of course, we begin right at the bottom of the fourth with a measly $6000 left in the pot. Thankfully, that's more than enough to get us racing through Miami, Denver, and Memphis. Each win increases your purse, thus opening up the possibility of competing in the more expensive races in other locations.

Enough yapping, I think it's time we viewed a few opening screenshots...

Put the pedal to the metal!

Before you rush off and waste precious cash, it makes sense to practice. So look at the map and take a stab at any location. Each is different with a varying degree of difficulty thanks to narrow, twisty lanes, obstacles, and other cars. Not to mention the cops who are looking to boost their Christmas party fund. Well, why bother arresting real criminals!

Anyhow, once you feel you've practiced enough, slap yourself and then practice some more. You won't regret it. Eventually, you will be ready and can head over to the Tournament with confidence. Pick yourself a character, I'm always the Mr T lookalike! It's now a good idea to start cheap with something you can afford, I advise Memphis. All "yellow" coloured places are initially open to you with details of fees, prizes, and details of those dreaded cops.

Prize money is awarded for coming 1st, 2nd, or 3rd but it's possible to boost that via your fellow rival drivers. These guys are always up for a flutter - might be a good opportunity to earn extra money? So long as you don't get too big for your boots and have bothered to practice on more than just a few tracks. Yes, you really should practice. Take the hint!

It sounds quite complex but it's not so let's take a gander at some more sexy pixels...

Titus 2:13

I'll say it now, I love Crazy Cars III which is thankfully nothing at all like the first two racers - in terms of gameplay and quality. In fact, it's quite a rush slamming down the road, zooming by the other cars, with the thrill of passing a dreaded rival. The controls are excellent with our joystick used to steer this red beast: push up or hit fire to accelerate and pull back breaks. You can choose between manual or auto gearboxes which means I always choose the latter!

This racer is fast and furious (sorry) and feels like Titus sneakily took inspiration from a number of others, like Lotus II for example. But that's okay, there are lots of examples of ripoffs being better than the originals. The gameplay here matters so play dirty if you need to but always keep an eye out for the cops. Those guys never give up and will try to chase you all the way through to the end. So whaddya gonna do? Flee or be a good citizen... FLEE, of course!!!

Rich rewards for good drivers so collect the bounty for winning and then grab what's owed to you by losing rivals. Now, it's time to think and decide just how you're gonna spend that cash. Car repairs, or enhancements like a better gearbox, turbo boost, tyres, etc. Perhaps another harder race which is now unlocked because you're the Million Dollar Man? This routine is continued until you earn enough dosh to enter into the Divisional Race for a possibility of promotion.

And finally, it's time to view some amazing in-game screenshots. Enjoy these...

A shiny red car and a roaring engine?

Yup, now we move onto the aesthetics - which never matter but is still nice to have. So what do we have?

Well, the graphics are ace. Simple as that. This is one of the most glamorous 16-bit racers with a decent framerate and good sprite scaling for everything that whizzes by. The weather effects are a nice addition but only if you've remembered to change the tyres. The palettes I adore as they use beautiful colours!

The audio is good with a neat tune and decent sound effects. Most effects are YM chippy and could have been better but there are some neat touches, like when going under a bridge. The best is the whirring sirens of the cop cars which are excellent. But this also highlights the Diablo's mundane engine sounds. Ah well, can't have it all?

Okay, here are some funny faces and the sweet smell of failure for the last few screenshots...

The CryptO'pinion?

Every game has a flaw or two and I thought my Diablo suffered lethargic cornering compared to the others. Also, I wasn't a fan of the - overly - narrow tracks with many stupid locals getting in my way! My driving skills suffered, as did my wallet paying for all the extra repairs! Possibly too many cars populate the roads? Or is that just me?

Crazy Cars III is fandabbydosey. It's the best in the series (hardly a revelation) with tons of thrills and excitement. Also, I love the freedom to enhance the car, gamble, race through superb locations, and the rush of being chased by the cops (who are relentless). Is this better than Lotus II? Possibly!! An enticing thought. So, set aside a couple of hours over the coming weekend for you and the kids. You won't regret playing this need for speedster - it's blummin' excellent!!

Download the floppies via Atarilegend