ToCA Race Driver 3

Third time's the charm for ToCA.

There's no shortage of modern racers, but most of the current crop seem obsessed with the atittude of tuner culture more than racing itself. ToCA Racer Driver 3 has no truck with that: it's all about the driving experience.

The Wide World of Motor Sports
There's a World Tour mode that takes you through a tiered system of racing championships, guided by a coach with a brogue so thick you'll occasionally wish for subtitles. It's good fun, especially for less savvy racers, but the true calling of the ToCA series is variety, and this third entry is no exception.

Fully 35 racing disciplines, and more than 80 international circuits, are explored in ToCA Race Driver 3, from off-road trucks to open-wheel karts, touring sedans to sprint cars. This jack of all trades breadth could've made ToCA master of none, but the truth is that every car and track feels remarkably nuanced and real.

Put Your Ear to the Ground
The graphics are gorgeous, despite a few inexplicable rough spots, but the sound effects are truly a marvel. No racing game has ever sounded this convincing. Every twist of the chassis, every grinded gear, comes to vibrant life, such that playing with headphones might even improve your racing. The only complaint to level is that road noise is too low in the mix. Thankfully, the subtle rumble programming gives a good feel for the grain of any surface.

Handling can be tailored for feels ranging from arcade-like to realistic by toying with the various options, but in truth the high-end simulation is where ToCA is weakest. Physics handling still seems to lag ever so slightly behind, and the advanced racer will be irritated that dragging a tire on the grass is so easily forgiven. For the rest of us mortals, ToCA delivers an enveloping and breathtakingly deep experience.

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