Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Midway Arcade Treasures 3 delivers an eclectic mix of eight ’90s racing classics, ranging from the street circuits of San Francisco Rush to the turbo-charged waterways of Hydro Thunder. Each title brings its own arcade flair: Super Off Road’s top-down obstacle dodging, Badlands’ post-apocalyptic shoot-’em-up-meets-racing thrills, and the high-octane loops of Race Drivin’. The variety ensures you never feel locked into a single style, whether you’re barreling through tunnels in S.T.U.N. Runner or drifting around Alcatraz in The Rock: Alcatraz Edition.

While most games here are faithful emulations of their coin-op counterparts, a few utilize the home conversion codebase. This subtle change can affect handling precision and track geometry, particularly in San Francisco Rush 2049 and Offroad Thunder. Longtime arcade purists may notice slight differences in physics or frame pacing, but these tweaks also bring more accessible difficulty curves and additional content, like new time trials or customizable vehicle skins.

Multiplayer remains the collection’s strongest suit. Whether you’re trading turns on a single console or linking two controllers for head-to-head chaos, the pick-up-and-play design shines through. Hydro Thunder’s split-screen boat races feel as frantic today as they did at the arcade, and Super Off Road’s rubber-band AI keeps races close until the final lap. Even Badlands rewards daring maneuvers with explosive takedowns, ensuring that every matchup is a thrill.

Graphics

Graphically, this compilation is a mixed bag that reflects the evolution of mid-’90s arcade hardware. Games like S.T.U.N. Runner and Race Drivin’ showcase early polygonal environments that can appear jagged by today’s standards but still carry retro charm. Textures are a bit blurry, and occasional pop-in reminds you of the era’s limitations, yet the bright color palettes and speed effects retain their sense of exhilaration.

The 2D racers—Super Off Road and Badlands—have aged more gracefully thanks to their sprite-based visuals. Tracks are crisply drawn, and vehicle sprites animate smoothly even when the action gets hectic. Lighting effects in Offroad Thunder add a bit more depth, thanks to the home port enhancements, making splashy mud pits and neon jumps feel more dynamic than in the original coin-op.

San Francisco Rush titles bring the biggest visual upgrade in this set. Both the Alcatraz Edition and 2049 entries boast wide vistas, detailed landmarks, and memorable jumps. Though these are ports rather than straight emulations, the retooled shaders and updated draw distances give each skyline-hopping stunt a fresh polish without compromising the spirit of the arcade originals.

Story

Arcade racing games are not typically narrative-driven, and Midway Arcade Treasures 3 is no exception. There’s no overarching plot weaving through the eight titles—instead, each game focuses on track-based objectives: beating the clock, outrace rivals, or unlock hidden shortcuts. This emphasis on pure racing keeps the pace brisk and lets you jump straight into the action.

Nevertheless, a few titles sprinkle in thematic elements to heighten immersion. Badlands presents a Mad Max–style wasteland where timed checkpoints function as makeshift “story beats,” and the backdrop implies a world in chaos. S.T.U.N. Runner’s futuristic tunnels offer a sense of urgency, as if you’re hurtling toward some undisclosed sci-fi objective, reinforcing the high-risk atmosphere.

Meanwhile, the two San Francisco Rush games deliver a quasi-open-world feel by rewarding exploration. Hidden pathways, secret ramps, and collectible icons double as narrative connective tissue—an invitation to master the city’s unpredictable terrain. While you won’t find character arcs or cutscenes, these environmental cues create their own mini-stories, making each playthrough feel like a fresh adventure.

Overall Experience

Midway Arcade Treasures 3 stands as a nostalgic celebration of ’90s racing, offering something for both arcade veterans and newcomers. The breadth of titles means you can hop from high-speed watercraft to dirt-smacking off-road buggies in minutes, keeping boredom at bay. Each game’s pickup-and-play nature makes it easy to slot in a quick race or settle in for a longer time-attack session.

That said, the menu interface feels dated compared to modern compilations, and the lack of built-in modern conveniences—like rewind features or online multiplayer—can be a drawback. Screen-tuning options and controller remapping help bridge the gap, but the experience primarily caters to those willing to embrace retro quirks rather than circumvent them.

In the end, this third Midway Arcade Treasures is a worthy package for anyone craving a slice of arcade racing history. The occasional home-conversion hiccup is outweighed by the enduring thrill of zipping around outrageous tracks, pulling off impossible stunts, and locking horns with friends. If you’ve ever dreamed of reliving the heyday of coin-op competition, Midway Arcade Treasures 3 delivers the checkered flag.

Retro Replay Score

6.8/10