Midway’s long and rich history in the industry of arcade games has been a very storied one indeed. Hit arcade staples like the Mortal Kombat series, Marble Madness, Joust, Defender, Smash TV and tons of others were published by Midway. Now, the company is realizing the third in their series of compilations of classic arcade games for modern consoles, Midway Arcade Treasures 3. However, in a slightly different direction, this compilation features a specific genre to adhere to, namely racing games. This collection has a focus on driving titles, featuring classic hits like Super Off Road and San Francisco Rush: Alcatraz Edition.

Most of the games are pretty dead-on in terms of their translations, although the collection falters a bit on a few fronts, namely some below direct translations of more recent racers like Hydro Thunder and Rush 2049 as well as the fact that there is only twenty games on this collection, more than half less than either of its predecessors. However, old school arcade racing fans should be in hog heaven with this title and being able to pick up Super Off Road again is worth the price of admission.

The eight titles in this compilation are San Francisco Rush: The Rock Alcatraz Edition, Hydro Thunder, Super Off-Road, Badlands, Race Drivin’, S.T.U.N. Runner, San Francisco Rush 2049 and Off Road Thunder. Some of the titles hit the mark in terms of gameplay, like the two Off-Road games, but others, like Race Drivin’ and S.T.U.N. Runner, simply aren’t as fun without the whole sit-down arcade experience. Race Drivin’, for example had a very intricate set-up, involving a key ignition and gear shifts, something that doesn’t quite make the trip to the standard controller.

Like the previous titles in the Arcade Treasures series, Midway Arcade Treasures 3 has some extra-added content, like histories, concept art and press releases for each game, although they do feel pretty scant when compared to the other collections.

Graphically, the collection is generally good. Most of the older titles look dead on, although some of the newer games like Hydro Thunder don’t have the overall quality of the originals.

The sound department is pretty spot on, representing the sound of the originals accurately without sounding tinny or compressed like last year’s game.

Midway Arcade Treasures 3 does a fine job of continuing the legacy of the series and bringing classic games to the nostalgic, old school fans who grew up on them as well as the younger audience that never experienced them in the first place. However, this entry is a little on the slim side, with only eight titles and a general lack of the original feel.

Gameplay: 7.5
The eight titles do a fine job of emulating their predecessors for the most part, and play very well (especially Super Off Road). Unfortunately, there are only eight games total in the collection, and the overall package can’t really deliver the true arcade experience.

Graphics: 8.0
The most of the games are impressive looking, while some of the newer titles lack the polish and detail of their arcade incarnations. Some of the games, like S.T.U.N. Gunner, haven’t aged well and others, like Race Drivin’, are downright ugly.

Sound: 8.5
An accurate presentation of the original sound without the tinny quality found in the previous collections.

Difficulty:  Medium

Concept: 8.0 
This collection has a nice focus that was absent in the previous versions, gearing more towards racing gamers than anyone else.

Multiplayer: 8.0
Each game has its own multiplayer options, with support for up to four players on one GameCube depending on the title. The four-player mayhem in Super Off-Road is something every hardcore racing fan should experience.

Overall: 7.9
Midway Arcade Treasures 3 is a nice entry to the series and brings a nice collection of arcade racers to the fray. However, it would’ve been cooler to see more in the package.