Burnout 3: Takedown - A Timeless Racing Classic

The 'Why I Love' series on GamesIndustry.biz showcases game developers' appreciation for each other's work. This editorial is contributed by Mladen Bošnjak, creative director at Misfit Village, who is currently working on the SCP-based thriller Go Home Annie for PC and consoles. Bošnjak's gaming journey began with a PlayStation 2 in his household, where he first encountered Burnout 3: Takedown, albeit through a pirated copy with a blank, white cover. Despite the guilt of playing a pirated game, Bošnjak was drawn to Burnout 3's unique blend of high-speed racing and crashing, which set it apart from other racing games. The game's pre-rendered intro, featuring cars racing and crashing to early 2000s punk music, established the tone for the rest of the experience. Burnout 3's differentiation from other racing games lies in its 'takedown' system, where players can wreck opponents to gain a boost and edge over rivals. The game's 'Aftertouch' feature allows players to slow down time after crashing and maneuver their wreck into opponents, causing them to crash in turn. This feature gave Bošnjak a sense of freedom in an unconventional way, as he could explore the game's environment without being restricted by invisible colliders. Crash Mode is another notable feature, where players drive into an intersection full of traffic and aim to cause as much mayhem as possible. While it may seem chaotic, Crash Mode is actually a trial-and-error puzzle game that requires strategy and skill. The game's environments, soundtrack, and DJ interruptions all come together to create an immersive experience. Bošnjak's obsession with the game led him to try and remake the trophies using toy cars, mugs, and gold spray. However, the sequels that followed Takedown failed to recapture its essence, with Burnout Revenge and Burnout Dominator feeling like reskins rather than full sequels. Burnout Paradise, which adopted an open-world design, also couldn't match the charm of Takedown. The technical wizardry behind Burnout 3 was made possible by Criterion's RenderWare suite of software, which enabled the game's sharp graphical presentation and smooth gameplay. Even when run through an emulator at 4K, Burnout 3's graphics hold up remarkably well, with detailed tracks, particles, and reflections. Bošnjak concludes that Burnout 3 was the perfect game for its time, and playing it now is like a time machine that transports him back to the carefree mid-2000s, when racing games were at their peak and Burnout 3 was at the top.