3Xtreme

3Xtreme is a 1999 racing video game developed and published by 989 Sports for the PlayStation. As with 2Xtreme, 3Xtreme contains skateboarding, skating, and cycling options to reach the goal before opponent players.

3Xtreme
Developer(s)	989 Sports
Publisher(s)	989 Sports
Producer(s)	Joe Brisbois
Designer(s)	Joe Brisbois Bob Gordon
Programmer(s)	Bob Gordon Paul Rubio
Composer(s)	Chuck Doud
Series	Extreme Games
Platform(s)	PlayStation
Release	NA: April 20, 1999 [1]
Genre(s)	Racing
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer

Gameplay

In 3Xtreme, the players take part in specific events using skateboards, BMX or inline skates.^[2] With the simplistic nature of each stage, the focus is on doing tricks instead of pure driving.^[3] There are more than 22 courses,^[4] mostly taken from 2Xtreme.^[5] They include parks, subways, mountains and islands.^[4] Each trick, for which Dave Mirra and Andy MacDonald did motion-capture, can be linked into combos.^[4] Some of them are rail slides, board grabs and 360 degree turns.^[6] 3Xtreme rewards doing trick moves as good as possible by giving points, judging by how well they were performed. They can be used afterwards to upgrade the vehicles.^[7] The game contains several modes: exhibition (is used to prepare for the race against the opponents), freestyle (competition in who gets the most trick points), and season (playing through three circuits which unlocks some equipment and extra tracks).^[8]

Development

3Xtreme was developed by 989 Sports, with Ed Loonam as the product manager. The idea was to incorporate the speed pace from ESPN Extreme Games, while keeping some fighting elements from 2Xtreme.^[6] Unlike the previous games in the series which used sprites, every in-game object was fully polygonal and all tracks were designed to be longer.^[6][3] The vehicles were based on real-life models from several manufacturers, such as Trek Bicycle Corporation, K2 Sports, GT Bicycles and Tum Yeto.^[6]

Sony spent millions of dollars marketing the game.^[9]

Reception

Aggregate score

Aggregator	Score
GameRankings	40%[10]

Review scores

Publication	Score
AllGame	[11]
CNET Gamecenter	2/10[12]
Electronic Gaming Monthly	2.25/10[13][a]
GameFan	53%[14][b]
GamePro	[15][c]
GameSpot	2.7/10[16]
IGN	3/10[17]
Next Generation	[18]
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine	[19]
PlayStation: The Official Magazine	[20]

Reception

The game received unfavorable reviews according to the review aggregation website GameRankings.^[10] Next Generation said that the game was "yet another formula 'don't do much for the sequel, because they're gonna buy it anyway' production."^[18]

Notes

1. In Electronic Gaming Monthly's review of the game, one critic gave it a score of 4/10, another gave it 3/10, and the rest gave it each a score of 1/10.
2. In GameFan's viewpoint of the game, one critic gave it a score of 51, and the other 54.
3. GamePro gave the game three 4/5 scores for graphics, sound, and fun factor, and 3.5/5 for control.

References

1. "989 Studios Rolls Out 3Xtreme On Skateboards, Bikes And Blades". 989studios.com. April 19, 1999. Archived from the original on October 3, 1999. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
2. Curtis, Aaron (June 14, 1999). "Gamers' Corner". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
3. "Gamers' Republic Sports: 3 Xtreme". Gamers' Republic. No. 12. Millennuim Publications Inc. May 1999. p. 77. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
4. "PlayStation Preview: 3Xtreme". Game Informer. No. 70. FuncoLand. February 1999. p. 49. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
5. Chapman, Paul (June 27, 1999). "3Xtreme game same old, same old". The Province. Postmedia Network. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
6. Manning, Ric (April 27, 1999). "Test extreme moves with video game". The Ithaca Journal. Gannett Company. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
7. Gelmis, Joseph (May 11, 1999). "New Playstation [sic] games send competitors on a wild chase". The Morning Call. Tribune Publishing. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
8. Bailey, Steven (June 11, 1999). "3Xtreme is disappointment". Arizona Daily Star. Lee Enterprises. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
9. Gelmis, Joseph (April 28, 1999). "Hot Dogs On Wheels, In Tanks". Newsday. p. 142. Retrieved January 31, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
10. "3Xtreme for PlayStation Review". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 1, 2019. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
11. Marriott, Scott Alan. "3Xtreme - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 15, 2014. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
12. Chick, Tom (June 8, 1999). "3Xtreme". Gamecenter. CNET. Archived from the original on August 16, 2000. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
13. Hager, Dean; Smith, Shawn; Davison, John; Williams, Ken "Sushi-X" (June 1999). "3Xtreme" (PDF). Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 119. Ziff Davis. p. 131. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
14. Higgins, Geoff "El Nino"; Ngo, George "Eggo" (June 1999). "3Xtreme". GameFan. Vol. 7, no. 6. Shinno Media. p. 72. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
15. Air Hendrix (May 1999). "3Xtreme Review for PlayStation on GamePro.com". GamePro. No. 128. IDG Entertainment. Archived from the original on September 28, 2004. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
16. MacDonald, Ryan (May 4, 1999). "3Xtreme Review [date mislabeled as "April 28, 2000]". GameSpot. Red Ventures. Archived from the original on October 20, 2004. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
17. Perry, Douglass C. (April 21, 1999). "3Xtreme". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
18. "3Xtreme". Next Generation. No. 55. Imagine Media. July 1999. p. 94. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
19. Rybicki, Joe (June 1999). "3Xtreme". Official PlayStation Magazine. p. 98. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
20. "Review: 3Xtreme". PSM. No. 22. Imagine Media. June 1999. p. 40. Retrieved December 2, 2021.

External links

• 3Xtreme at MobyGames