TIME Names Gran Turismo 3 One of The 50 Best Video Games of All Time

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yVgpRaTvws

Earlier this year Gran Turismo 3 celebrated its 15th anniversary, and we commemorated the occasion. The first entry in the franchise to debut on the then-new PlayStation 2, it is handily considered by many to be the benchmark for the series as it moved forward.

There’s little doubt of GT3 being one of the more complete and nostalgic entries in the franchise. It introduced a number of firsts for the franchise: open-wheel racing, rain-soaked tracks (only one of which could be raced on), and the nerve-wracking prize carousel to name just a few. As a starting point for many — myself included — it should come as no surprise when Polyphony Digital’s 2001 racer is recognized as one of the best ever.

Gran-Turismo-3-Toyota-GT-One-(TS020)-Road-Car

TIME has done just that, recognizing Gran Turismo 3: A Spec as one of the 50 best video games of all time. Placing in at number 45 on the list, the game is recognized as a “madly ambitious encyclopedia,” and rightfully so. Despite the smaller car count, GT3 still offered a broad selection of available metal, even giving players early access to vehicles that had only just gone on sale in the real-world.

“As Microsoft Flight Simulator [is] to the flight sim genre, so Polyphony Digital’s Gran Turismo series [is] to hi-fi motorsport hot-rodding. Of all the Gran Turismo games, 2001’s Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec for the PlayStation 2 remains the series’ apotheosis, a madly ambitious encyclopedia of lovingly modeled vehicles and vistas surpassing the wildest gear nut fantasies.

Here was a racing game to rule all others, that on its surface promised endless championship events framed by thrillingly realistic physics and painstakingly replicated visuals, but that also catered to armchair grease monkeys, who might spend hours fine-tuning then gawking at their drop-dead gorgeous rides.”

Naturally, Gran Turismo 3 proved to be a technological showpiece, displaying an incredible amount of progress in the series. With the game setting such a strong foundation with features the likes of the massive career mode dwarfing those that came before it, and of course the physics engine featuring a significantly improved car handling model, it leaves little wonder why the game has shipped nearly 15 million units, and remains the best-selling entry in the GT franchise to date.

While it’s certainly a shame its predecessor didn’t make the list, there’s no better way to continue celebrating Gran Turismo 3’s 15th anniversary — so here’s to it.

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Comments (48)

  1. SZRT Ice

    No Chrono Trigger? No Marvel Vs Capcom 2? Not a single NFS or Midnight Club? No GTAV? Really? Not one Sonic game? And no Twilight Princess or Skyward Sword Zelda game? Bruh… Time needs so more versed gamers.

  2. VBR

    GT3 was the game that got me into sim racing, Project BUGS was the one that ruined it for me. Well, that & all the vile licensing deals from Sony with various wheel manufacturers.

  3. TomBrady

    I don’t get why anyone would be putting an older GT title on this list instead of a newer one. Just because when they came out they were more impressive for the time doesn’t change the fact that they are far more lacking than GT6 in many different areas. Nostalgia shouldn’t be a factor in rating games. Some old games stand the test of time, Metal Gear Solid 1 is still one of the best games of all time and the best MGS game, Final Fantasy 7, Zelda Ocarina of Time, not the case for GT3, GT4, or GT1/2.

    1. Master Weasel

      It’s not nostalgia. Out of all the “classic” GT games, GT3 was the one I grew up with the least. I got it when it first came out, but it was traded away and I didn’t own it again until 2010. And yet, it’s my favorite game in the series.

      Unlike GT6, GT3 is enjoyable with a controller, doesn’t have a dull atmosphere and tries to make cars and racing seem fun, has a long career mode and lengthy races with tire wear that aren’t short 2-5 laps sprints, and has ACTUAL endurance races. Not to mention, GT3 introduced F1 cars to the series and has a big championship dedicated to them, a tradition that GT6 broke. I can go on all day why I’d rather play GT3 than GT6, and GT5, for that matter.

    2. karelpipa

      i can play gt/ with a controller just fine. Try setting everything to the most responsive settings.
      pssh, ds3 is way better than ds2. I cannot control gt3/4 nowadays like i was able years ago.

    3. GrumpyGrumps

      GT3 was also much more influential to the genre than GT5 or GT6. GT3 set the benchmark for what racing games could be at the time and, if we’re honest, GT5 and GT6 have effectively played a good deal of catch-up in their time.

      Additionally, a different group of people would have come up with a different list. That said, I agree with them, and if they brought GT3 (graphics included) to the PS4 and bring the framerate to 60 fps, I would play it all the time, because it was a fun game to play.

    1. TomBrady

      I really want Jordan to ask Kaz about this next time he gets to interview him.

      It’s mind blowing that GT1-4 still somehow has not ended up as a PS1/PS2 classics on the Playstation Store. GT1 is PS1’s best selling game period, and GT3 is PS2’s best selling exclusive game EVER.

      It is such a no brainer, yet Sony or PD is proving that they have no brain by ignoring it for all this time.

  4. Samsonknight

    Congratulations are in order for Polyphony Digital. I have to say it’s well deserved after the lengthy history Gran Turismo has had in terms of the racing genre. Although, I would have picked GT2 or GT4 personally. But it makes sense. After all, It’s PD’s best selling game and Snoop Dogg made a song specifically for it;)

  5. RodolphoPNeto

    I have huge respect for GT3 and i’m aware it’s brilliant. But GT4 is unbeatable for me, because opinions. I mean, GT4 has everything from the other games and then quite some more. Well, as i said, opinions.

    1. QBpres

      I’m dead serious. It was such a massive game and is still being played and supported since release and I’ve pie 1300 hours in it and still haven’t discovered everything

  6. bloodyboyblue

    Never been a fan of GT3, probably because I didn’t have a PS2 when it came out so I bought it when it was a few years old, but I bought the original, GT2, and GT4 as soon as they were released, and they all felt like complete games, GT3 felt more like a prologue. I’d only put it ahead of GT5 on the ranking of GT titles.

  7. Robin.

    It’s a pity that GT3 is pretty much where the series’ innovation stalled and they have been making the same basic game ever since. The competition however took huge steps to embrace things like community functionality and customization etc through the 00’s. GT3 was the pinnacle and the sales reflected that. I spent more hours on GT3 than any other game in the series.

  8. Benny44

    For me it goes 2 then 4 then 1 then 3. I understand why 3 is there though. I personally had more fun on the other 3 though

  9. Master Weasel

    GT3 is my favorite game in the series. Nice to see that it’s still getting recognition 15 years later.

  10. MrWaflz55

    The actual list is pretty screwed imo. Somehow GT3 beat GT4 (not the end of the world), but pay no attention to the fact that MINECRAFT, freakin Minecraft beat out Smash Bros, Portal, Mario Kart, Fallout, Pokemon and Halo? What?! Do the people at time even play video games?

    1. Obelisk

      I think they’re judging the games based on their impact on the genres they compete in. I.E. GT3 was huge for its time in the racing genre. Minecraft had a huge impact on both the indie and sandbox genres. Didn’t look at the other 48 games, but my gut tells me that Doom or Half-Life might be on there. Both of those massively changed gaming. Doom defined the FPS genre. Half-Life was the first to create a truly immersive and interactive world, and it was cited by several magazines as a definitive singleplayer game.

      tl;dr, TIME has weird metrics based on my guess.

    2. Imari

      I think you underestimate just how massive Minecraft is, and what a huge effect it has had in spawning a multitude of voxel based games.

  11. celtiscorpion73

    Personally, I preferred GT4, but GT3 comes in as a close second. Wish I could go back and play an enhanced version of these classics.

    1. TomBrady

      It’s very difficult to get either of them running on PCSX2 at any resolution. Emulators aren’t exactly consistent.

    2. Imari

      It’s not really that hard if you’ve got a halfway decent computer these days and have some basic computer knowledge. Once you’re set up it’s very near plug and play.

    3. Magic Ayrton

      Absolutely, I am running my PS4 dual shock too with rumble. GT4 is ISO so just load up the ds4windows program then click on the PCSX2 icon then click system bootcdvd.. Next thing the game is running and looks brilliant. I just can’t believe what a good experience it is on PC, GT4 even saves the game automatically.

    4. Magic Ayrton

      Only it looks total crap on a TV. We don’t have HD version in the UK. That’s the whole point. To run it in high resolution lol!

    5. karelpipa

      I just used a normal PAL GT4 with PS2 and component cable and it looks just fabulous on my 30 inch screen. Cars look the same as the standard cars in GT5/6 (what a surprise lol)

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