Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition is a 2005 racing video game created by Rockstar San Diego and published by Rockstar Games. It is the third version in the Midnight Club series. Unlike games that focus on realistic driving, this game has fast, exciting races. The name comes from a partnership between Rockstar and DUB Magazine, which is shown through races and special cars in the game.
Players race through copies of real cities, including San Diego, Atlanta, and Detroit. They can listen to 98 songs (124 in the updated version) that are officially licensed. The game shows different visual effects when players crash into objects or drive on certain roads. Players can change how their car looks and improve its speed (except for certain high-end cars). This is the first game in the series to include real car models.
In 2006, an updated version called Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition Remix was released. It added new cars, races, music, and a new mode called "Tokyo Challenge" with a different Tokyo map from an earlier game.
Gameplay
Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition is a racing video game set in a large, open world. It is the first game in the series to allow players to modify cars both visually and for performance. Players earn new cars and customization options by winning races. Customization includes improving speed, adding vinyl wraps and new paint colors, and changing parts like wheels, bumpers, spoilers, neon lights, hoods, and engine parts. Cars are grouped into four classes: D, C, B, and A, based on how fast they are.
The game includes five types of races: Ordered Race, Circuit Race, Unordered Race, Autocross Race, and Track and Frenzy. In ordered races, players follow a path marked by yellow-orange lights to reach the finish line. In circuit races, players race around a course in the city for a set number of laps. In unordered races, players complete scattered checkpoints in any order before crossing the finish line. Autocross races take place in a closed street circuit with no traffic or police, and the goal is to finish faster than a set time. Track events, found in arcade mode, are similar to autocross races but involve competing against other players in a barricaded track, often causing more damage. Frenzy events are time trials with vehicular combat elements, such as receiving a nitrous boost every 15 seconds, a disabled e-brake, and a race that ends only when time runs out.
Players can create custom races using the Race Editor (not available on the PSP version). They can design circuits, ordered, or unordered races by placing checkpoints and adjust conditions like traffic, weather, and time of day.
There are seven types of cars: Tuners, Luxury Sedans, SUVs/Trucks, Exotics, Muscle Cars, Sport Bikes, and Choppers. As the game progresses, players are invited to race with clubs that specialize in specific car types, such as the American Royalty Car Club (Muscle Cars), Big Playas (SUVs/Trucks), and others. If players beat a club in three races, they unlock special abilities for that car class. Tuners, Sport Bikes, Exotics, the Lexus SC430, and Mercedes Benz SL 500 (and its AMG variant, the SL 55) gain "Zone," which allows precise handling at high speeds. Trucks/SUVs and Luxury Cars gain "Agro," which lets them move through traffic and obstacles without damage or slowdown. Muscle Cars and Choppers gain "Roar," an offensive ability that sends a sonic wave to push away other vehicles.
The game includes an online mode where players can race globally. Players can join clubs or create their own. Most offline modes are playable online, and online features include in-game chat, cruise mode, capture the flag, circuit racing, ordered racing, unordered racing, tag, paint, and Autocross. Tracks created offline with the Race Editor can be used online. On Xbox Live, the game supported voice chat. Xbox Live was shut down on April 15, 2010. Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition is now supported online through replacement servers called Insignia for Xbox.
Plot
The game begins in San Diego, where the player meets Oscar (David Barrera), a mechanic at Six-One-Nine Customs, a car tuning garage. Oscar helps the player by offering tips and information about races. At the start, the player chooses one of six cars: a 1964 Chevrolet Impala, a 1978 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, a 2004 Dodge Neon SRT-4, a 2004 Mitsubishi Eclipse GT-S, a Volkswagen Golf R32 Mk4, or a 2004 Volkswagen Jetta. The game Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition Remix adds the option to choose a Scion tC. As the player wins races, new customization options and cars become available for purchase.
At the beginning of the game, the player can challenge three street racers: Vanessa (Mitsubishi Eclipse GT-S), Bishop (Lexus GS430), and Carlos (1978 Chevrolet Monte Carlo). Defeating each of these racers unlocks an invitation to challenge a racing club they are part of. Beating Vanessa unlocks the Unbeatable Street Racers (Tuners), which rewards the player with a Nissan Skyline GT-R (R34). Beating Bishop unlocks the Luxury Rollers (Luxury Sedans), which rewards a Mercedes-Benz CL 55 AMG (C215). Beating Carlos unlocks the American Royalty Car Club (Muscle Cars), which rewards a Chevrolet Corvette (C3). Defeating two of these racers allows the player to challenge Phil for ownership of his Hotmatch Cuevito and an invitation to challenge the Chopper of America bike club. After defeating Phil and winning one of the three initial tournaments in San Diego, Vanessa challenges the player again, driving an upgraded Mitsubishi Eclipse GT-S.
After defeating all racers (except for one of Bishop or Carlos) and winning one of the tournaments in San Diego, the player meets Vince (Kiff VandenHeuvel), a mechanic from Detroit. Oscar mentions that the player has gained a reputation as a skilled racer and that there are major races in Atlanta. He tells the player to visit a shipping company to travel there.
The player arrives in Atlanta at a garage called "Apone Team Racing." The owner, Apone (Dexter Tillis), introduces himself but is focused on a 1964 gold-painted Chevrolet Impala he customized. In Atlanta, the player faces three racers and participates in a tournament with a prize: a "DUB'd-Out" 2004 Cadillac Escalade EXT. After defeating all racers (except for either Dre and Cheng or Vito and Naomi) in Atlanta, Apone mentions that there are more races in Detroit and encourages the player to visit.
Street racers in Atlanta include: Roy (1969 Dodge Charger R/T, later a 1999 Dodge Charger R/T Concept), Dre (2005 Cadillac Escalade), Cheng (Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII), Vito (Ducati Monster S4R), Lamont (Chevrolet Silverado SS; later returns in a Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR Strassenversion during the US Championship), and Naomi (Hotmatch Skully). Defeating Vito unlocks the Original Riders (Sport Bikes). Defeating Dre or Lamont unlocks the Big Playas (SUV/Trucks).
The player arrives in Detroit and meets Vince again. Vince introduces the player to his shop and points to a Lamborghini Murciélago, which is the prize for the car club that produces the best street racer. A familiar racer from Atlanta, Roy, appears in Detroit but is not involved in the main story. The player races Roy, other drivers, and car clubs. Early in Detroit, a tournament is held with a prize: a 1949 Chevrolet Fleetline (as Oscar describes it, "Just the car to win in Detroit!"). After defeating Caesar in his first encounter, the player earns a challenge from the By Invitation Only Exotic Car Club. Defeating them rewards the player with a rare 2004 Chrysler ME Four-Twelve, and "Zone" for Exotics is unlocked after the third race.
Street racers in Detroit include: Roy (eventually driving a Dodge Viper GTS-R Concept and later a McLaren F1 LM), Spider (Hotmatch D'Elegance), Leo (1981 Chevrolet Camaro Z28), Caesar (Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, later a Lamborghini Gallardo, and eventually a Chrysler ME Four-Twelve), Kioshi (Aprilla RSV 1000 R Mille Factory, later a Kawasaki Ninja ZX-12R), and Angel (Saleen S7, later a Cadillac Cien).
After defeating all racers in Detroit, the player races specific drivers twice in a series called the U.S. Championship Series, which takes place in all three cities. Defeating them earns the player the title of U.S. Champion. The player then returns to Vince’s shop and receives the Lamborghini Murciélago. Vince says: "It should be driven with respect, and not by some San Diego swinger who thinks he's hot stuff or something."
After completing the rest of the Career Mode, including Club Races and Tournaments, the player is awarded the Cadillac Sixteen.
Development
According to the game developer Rockstar San Diego, the three cities included in the original 2005 version of the game were selected because of their connection to automotive and racing themes. Atlanta was chosen because it helped start the tradition of customizing cars, Detroit was selected because it is where the U.S. automobile industry began, and San Diego was included because it had a major influence on the development of street racing culture.
Rockstar Games also created a Remix version of the game, which was released in March 2006.
Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition Remix
Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition Remix is an updated version of Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition. It was released as a Greatest Hits version for PlayStation 2 and a Platinum Hits version for Xbox (the remix version is not available for PlayStation Portable). The game was first released on March 13, 2006, which was eleven months after the original version was released. It was later made available on PlayStation Network for PlayStation 3 on December 19, 2012, but was taken down later because of licensing problems.
The game includes all the cities, vehicles, music, and other features from Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition. This version lets players transfer their saved game data from the original game's memory card to the remix version. This helps players keep their progress and avoid starting over.
The following features were added in the remix version:
• 24 new vehicles, including some from brands not in the original, like GMC, Infiniti, Pagani, and Scion.
• Tokyo, which returns as a slightly updated version of the Tokyo city from Midnight Club II. It is used as an optional career mode called Tokyo Challenge.
• 25 new licensed songs.
• Additional races and battle maps.
• The menu interface was changed to different colors, moving from a mostly blue/gold design to a red/black/silver design.
Soundtrack
The music from Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition includes a soundtrack and a Remix version with additional tracks. Artists featured in the game include many members of Army of the Pharaohs, The Game, Paul Wall, T.I., 50 Cent, Big Tymers, Mannie Fresh, Fabolous, Bump J, Calyx, Deep Blue, Ash, Aztec Mystic, Jimmy Eat World, Kasabian, Marilyn Manson, The Explosion, Nine Inch Nails, Sean Paul, Pitbull, and Lil Wayne, among others. The main soundtrack had 99 tracks, and the Remix version added 25 more tracks, for a total of 124 tracks. Many Detroit techno artists are also included, showing the game's connection to that music style.
Reception
The PlayStation 2 and Xbox versions of Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition received "favorable" reviews, while the PSP version received "average" reviews, according to Metacritic, a website that collects reviews.
The PS2 version sold at least 1.1 million copies worldwide, and the PSP version sold at least 3.64 million copies worldwide. The PSP release earned a "Platinum" sales award from the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA), which means that at least 300,000 copies were sold in the United Kingdom.
The Dub Edition Remix received "favorable" reviews, better than the original version, according to Metacritic.