Gran Turismo 3
About Gran Turismo 3
From the archive
This is the original PS2Home fact sheet for Gran Turismo 3, preserved from the early-2000s archive. Details reflect the PAL release as catalogued at the time.
Official fact sheet
ome say there’s nothing finer than a well-crafted automobile. But with over 150 of the world’s top performing sports cars, luxury autos, modified street runners, rally racers, and prototype evolutionary automobiles, the finer driving experience may be in Gran Turismo? 3: A-spec. The flawless third edition of the racing series that is studied by all other racing game designers creates a new paragon of graphic and handling distinction. Recreating racing excellence to the last detail of physics and automotive engineering with the assistance of the manufacturers such as Aston Martin, Lotus, Nissan, and Ford Motors, the evolution of racing realism is unmatched by any other game. And with undeniably stunning visuals set in glinting cityscapes and on swirling rally tracks, no game approaches its beauty. Come around a corner at dusk, and blinding sunlight will blaze across your windshield. Whip through country roads and marvel as the reflection of nearby trees gleams off of your sedan. Skid across slick wet roads and watch the spray of your wake douse your opponent in a wall of mist. From the perfect lines of real automobiles settling on their shocks to unprecedented effects only possible with the PlayStation 2, this is the pinnacle of racing.
- Broadcast-quality visuals that blur the line between game and reality 4,000 polygons per vehicle for exceptional detail, right down to the disc brakes behind the wheels
- Amazing special effects: impairing sun-glare, shimmering heat waves, real-time reflections, and much more!
- 2 modes of play: Arcade, for those who love the thrill of speed, and Simulation, for the hardcore gamer who longs for the complete racing experience
- Rally racing with a refined physics model to challenge your off-road driving skills
- Advanced opponent behavior and calculated physics; ?emotion? physics where players sense other cars reacting to sneering passes and jarring cut-offs
- Each car carefully designed according to the exact specifications of its real-life counterpart
- Analog controls and pressure-sensitive buttons on the DUALSHOCK? 2 analog controller to ensure precision steering, braking, and acceleration
- Intense 2-player racing plus, i.LINK compatibility that allow up to 6 players to race simultaneously
- An amazing soundtrack featuring 20 of yesterday’s, today’s, and tomorrow’s biggest bands including exclusive original songs and remixes Enhanced Replay mode that allows players to create their own dynamic replays
Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec was Polyphony Digital’s first Gran Turismo for PlayStation 2 and the third mainline game in Sony’s driving series. It reached British shops on Friday, 20 July 2001, published in the UK by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. Rather than offering a story or named protagonist, it put the player behind the wheel of a growing collection of licensed road and racing cars, combining patient career progression with highly detailed simulation. It was one of the defining early demonstrations of what the PlayStation 2 could do, although its multiplayer was local rather than internet-based.
What it was
The main attraction was Gran Turismo Mode, the career section in which the player began with limited funds, bought a modest car and worked upwards through licence tests, race events, prize cars and mechanical upgrades. Progress depended on learning the handling as much as buying more power. Events were restricted by vehicle type, drivetrain, manufacturer, tyre requirements and licence level, so choosing a suitable car mattered more than simply owning the fastest one.
Arcade Mode provided quicker access to single races, time trials, free runs and staged challenges. Two-player Battle supported split-screen racing, while i.LINK Battle allowed separate PlayStation 2 consoles to be connected for races with up to six participants. Replay Theatre, detailed race analysis and a large collection of endurance and rally events gave the package considerable staying power.
How it played
Gran Turismo 3 concentrated on weight transfer, braking points, corner exits and the difference between front-, rear- and four-wheel drive. The DualShock 2’s analogue controls made throttle and steering modulation central to fast laps, while the optional GT Force wheel provided force feedback. Cars could be tuned with changes to suspension, brakes, tyres, gearing, engine parts, turbochargers and weight reduction, turning an ordinary hatchback into a useful competition machine or making an already rapid race car still more specialised.
The PAL-era English guide listed 179 cars and 19 courses, with 15 courses available in reverse for a total of 36 layouts. The tracks ranged from fictional circuits such as Trial Mountain and Deep Forest to Laguna Seca and the Monaco-inspired Côte d’Azur, with rally stages, wet surfaces and night racing adding variety. Sun glare, heat haze, reflections, illuminated headlights and spray helped make it look extraordinary in 2001. The presentation was not flawless: cars did not show visible collision damage, and computer opponents could follow predictable racing lines or behave oddly during pit stops.
Versions and UK release
The European and UK version used the PAL television standard and carried the ELSPA 3+ rating on its packaging. PEGI had not yet replaced ELSPA when Gran Turismo 3 was released; PEGI became the successor system in 2003. Contemporary UK listings put the game at £44.99, although surviving retailer prices varied and a single universal recommended retail price is difficult to establish.
The PAL edition was not identical to the Japanese and North American releases. It used a different regional soundtrack and ran in 50Hz presentation. The selection of Formula-style cars also changed: the PAL game included Polyphony 001 and Polyphony 002, whereas the NTSC versions contained six differently labelled, unlicensed Formula One cars. Prize cars, car names and some event details also varied between regions, which is why guides written for the American version do not always match a British copy.
Reception
Gran Turismo 3 was received as a major technical and critical success. Eurogamer awarded it 10/10, IGN gave it 9.8/10 and GameSpot scored it 9.4/10. Metacritic recorded a 95 out of 100 average from 54 critics. Reviews consistently praised the graphics, analogue controls, breadth of tuning and the convincing sense that different cars required genuinely different driving styles.
The reservations were equally clear. Compared with Gran Turismo 2, the car roster and event structure were smaller, the artificial intelligence was often mechanical, and the lack of damage made heavy contact consequence-free. Those shortcomings did not prevent it from becoming a standard reference point for console racing, but they stopped it from being a perfect simulation in every respect.
Legacy
Gran Turismo 3 became one of the PlayStation 2’s signature titles and helped establish the console as a serious home for simulation racing. Polyphony Digital’s reported worldwide shipment figure reached 14.89 million units by April 2008, while the game received ELSPA Double Platinum recognition in the UK, representing at least 600,000 UK sales under that award scheme.
Its reputation has held up because the career mode is focused, the driving remains demanding without requiring specialist equipment, and the visual design still communicates speed and machinery clearly. It is also a useful snapshot of the pre-online era: races with friends meant sharing a screen or arranging multiple consoles, televisions and FireWire/i.LINK cables rather than joining a remote service.
Screenshots (14 Mar-2005)
Videos
Frequently asked questions
Did Gran Turismo 3 have online multiplayer?
No. The retail game had no internet multiplayer mode. Multiplayer was provided through two-player split-screen or i.LINK, which connected separate PlayStation 2 consoles and televisions locally.
What is different about the UK PAL version?
The UK version uses PAL 50Hz presentation, has a regional soundtrack and differs from the Japanese and North American editions in some cars, prize tables and event details. Its Formula-style cars are Polyphony 001 and Polyphony 002 rather than the six differently labelled cars found in the NTSC versions.
Is Gran Turismo 3 rare in the UK?
The standard UK PAL edition is generally easy to find second-hand and is not usually considered a rare PS2 release. Complete copies with an undamaged case and manual are more desirable, while sealed, promotional and press versions are separate collector items.
Can Gran Turismo 3 be played on modern PlayStation consoles?
The original disc is intended for PlayStation 2. Some early PlayStation 3 models with PS2 disc compatibility can run selected PS2 games, but compatibility varied by model; PS4 and PS5 do not support the original PS2 disc.
What is the best way to play it now?
A working PAL PlayStation 2 with a genuine PAL disc remains the straightforward option, ideally with a memory card and a CRT or low-latency modern display setup. The game also supports the original DualShock 2 and compatible GT Force steering wheels.
