Madness on Xbox Live

Multiplayer capabilities in racing games go back almost as far as the genre itself. It's no coincidence that racing carriages in arcades sit side by side and linked together for team or versus play. Midtown Madness 3 continues this tradition and takes the evolution of multiplayer racing games to the next level.

Racing multiplayer on consoles has traditionally been a split-screen affair (which Midtown Madness 3 supports), and while this can certainly be fun, it does have its drawbacks. You'll be glad to know that Midtown Madness 3 also supports System Link play, so all you LAN party gamers can satisfy your racing urges till the soda stops flowing and the bag of chips is a forgotten wad of oily paper.

System Link racing alone is quite an enticement, but let's not forget the sweet icing that makes the cake: Xbox Live® and all the extra goodies that come with it. This union should bring goofy grins to the faces of all you racing gamers out there, so get ready—it's coming!

We all know what Xbox Live is all about but what, pray tell, does Midtown Madness 3bring to the wide world of multiplayer gaming? How about six distinct game modes and loads of customization options strike your fancy? Well, it slaps a big fat smile on my face, I can tell you that! But, enough blabber. Let's get in there and break it down.

Set It Up!
What kind of game do you want to play? Do you want to host a game? Invite specific friends? Find an instantaneous match? search for specific skill levels, car classes, or game types? Change your online status? Pick a specific city? Or, look up recent players? Midtown Madness 3 has got you covered. It's all that and a bag of chips! There's a big fat grip of options available to really let you get into the nitty gritty of it and build a multiplayer game that suits you. Rarely has this level of customization been available for multiplayer games, racing or otherwise. Now, onto the multiplayer game modes.

Cruise Mode
Cruise mode simply opens up either city (Washington, D.C. or Paris) and lets you play in it as you will. There are no rules, time limits, or goals, and it's available in single or multiplayer mode. It's a great way to familiarize yourself with the ins and outs of either city, and more creative players can invent rules for their own car games.

Checkpoint
Checkpoint is a fast and fierce race that has you flying between glowing green gates to get to the end goal. This is the quickest, and probably the most intense, racing mode.

Capture the Gold
In Capture the Gold, a pile of gold spawns randomly in the city, and it's up to you to grab it quick and get it to your hideout before your competitors catch you. But, watch out: If you have the gold, other players can give your car a love tap and steal it from you.

Tag
We've all played it as kids (without cars, presumably), and the rules should need no explanation. One player is "it" and is out to tag the others. Last one not tagged wins. 'Nuff said.

Hunter
One player is designated as the Hunter and the others are Prey. As the Hunter tags the Prey, they, in turn, become Hunters. The last Prey captured wins all the marbles.

Stayaway
A player at the beginning of this game is assigned the "rabbit." You want the rabbit; the rabbit is good. If you've got it, keep it, but avoid being tagged by other cars because the player who racks up the most time with it wins.

One fear I had about the Live multiplayer experience is that the size of the cities would be too large for quick, intense games. Midtown Madness 3 put my fears to rest: the game lets you block off pre-selected parts of the city for more crazy and intense gaming.

Midtown Madness 3 and Xbox Live make for a perfect partnership. With options coming from all directions, the ability to talk smack to your fellow competitors, and a host of game modes, multiplayer racing fans are fully covered. Let the madness begin!

By Alex McLain