Climax and THQ impressed nearly everyone with their initial Moto GP debut a few years ago; the game offered up sharp controls that were actually realistic but as fun to control as any arcade-style racing game. They followed up with the solid Moto GP 2, and once more, they serve up another round of bike racing – better than ever, although slightly dated in spots.

Motorcycle driving isn't a particularly common thing. Sure, we've all driven cars, and probably owned at least one. But how many of us have even driven a motorcycle – let alone own one? Moto GP tries to give everyone the bike they would want if they could have one of their own: you can pick from loads of motorbikes, tweak them to your pleasing, paint them however you wish, and even apply custom decals or text. Then you can deck out your rider in custom leathers.

Motorcycle driving is a bit different from your standard four-wheeled vehicle. Aside from actually having to lean into your turns, or avoid rubbing up against a wall (that would probably cause a full-blown crash, not just some scratched paint), you've also got to consider both front and back brakes, as well as rider balance. 

Luckily, the game – as it always has – sports an extremely intuitive control scheme. You control the rider's body with the left analog stick. Moving it up makes him lean forward for a bit of an extra speed boost. Tilting it backward sets oneself up for a wheelie (and some style points). The right analog stick takes care of gas by tilting it forward as much as you need, and the left and right triggers take care of the front and back brakes. If you choose, you can settle for a traditional face button control scheme, but once you get the hang of playing the way it was intended, you'll never look back. 

One of the biggest additions to the game is its new extreme mode, which gets you off of the dull circuit courses and onto some really exciting tracks. Racing through a desert or a forest or a bustling city is not only refreshing, it actually makes for a considerably different play experience. These courses don't just look new, they feel new, and you'll find yourself dealing with new obstacles like not taking a clear line of sight for granted, what with mountains and buildings in the way.

Extreme mode is one of the single-player career options, and there are three different varieties – the Extreme 600, Extreme 1000, or Extreme 1200. Each indicates a more powerful class of bikes, and more challenging opponents. There's also a more traditional Grand Prix available in career mode, which takes place on more familiar circuits specifically designed for these kind of races.

Plowing through the career modes is fun and involving, but sometimes it's nice to hop right into a game whenever you feel like it. Luckily, the game has that base covered with its Quick Race mode, where you can pick a track and race on it immediately, even changing options like the weather if you wish. There's also a Time Trial mode, which is more or less the same idea, but features ghost racers so you can effectively practice against yourself. There's also plenty of tutorials to help prepare you with tips and tricks for effective racing.

The developers didn't stop at the offline game, though. Moto GP 3 actually features several unique online functions. Of course the game features online races and rankings, but there are a few other tricks up this sleeve. When playing the career mode, for instance, you can pause the game and jump into an online career mode, essentially turning the computer AI into real opponents. While the AI is by no means bad, this is a great way to propel yourself through the career mode, face some interesting opponents, and maybe make some friends – without even intending to. Additionally, the game offers a “spectator mode” online, where you can simply watch the race and study the best player's techniques. One person can even serve as the overall announcer, commenting as if this were a televised race. Luckily, the commentator's voice is easily toggled off in case some annoying fellow happens to be in charge.

The graphics in the game are by no means bad, but starting to look a little aged, as they haven't improved much since the original Moto GP. Courses look fine at blazing fast speeds (in mellifluous 60-frames-per-second, no less), but a sudden crash can highlight some gnarly textures or chunky models. The riders themselves aren't looking so hot (nor are the umbrella-holding ladies that accompany everyone before a race), but the bikes do, admittedly, look fantastic. Overall, it's not a bad looking game, but we've all seen by now that the Xbox is capable of much more.

Sound is pretty good here. The engines sound fantastic and distinctive, and you really seem to feel a racer approaching on your side with it's buzzing noise. The soundtrack is mostly forgettable but not terribly offensive, a mainly generic mixture of techno and rock-type material that won't rag on your nerves but won't tickle your fancy much, either.

Overall, Moto GP 3 is a fine installment in a series of continuing quality. It's still the best motorcycle racer out there, with fun controls that manage to be true to the real thing. The new extreme tracks are very much welcome, and everything else manages to return here in proper form as well. While the production values aren't incredible, they're not awful by any means, and the solid online mode should keep this disc spinning in your Xbox for a good long while.

Gameplay: 8.0
Not really changed since Moto GP but refreshing with radically different courses, the game is down to earth but loads of fun to play.

Graphics: 7.0
Not bad, but we've seen what the Xbox can really do by now.

Sound: 7.0
Decent, bearable but ultimately forgettable.

Difficulty: Medium
There's a bit of a learning curve here, but the tutorials make getting to know your bike easy and fun, and you'll be riding like a champ with a little practice.

Concept: 7.5
This could have easily been a yearly Madden-esque update to the series, but with a daunting new collection of levels, it feels like a massive step up.

Multiplayer: 8.5
With a nifty online career mode, as well as general modes of play, this is a great title to play with friends in your living room or across the globe.

Overall: 8.2
Moto GP 3 is a fine game, a great new title in the THQ/Climax series, with some ambitious ideas that turn out pretty darn well. It plays basically the same as before, but it's a whole new ballgame, so to speak.