The third game in the TOCA Race Driver series has now been released, and while games like Gran Turismo hold most of the racing simulation market on PS2, TOCA has been gathering quite a fan base. Obviously not satisfied with the huge selection of vehicles and race types from the last game, Codemasters have gone all out with their latest game, creating one of the most complete racing packages ever released.

Over the course of the game you get to take part in over 35 motorsports, spanning more than 100 real championships. These are split into six main categories: Open-Wheel, Touring Cars, Oval, Classics, Off Road & Rally, and GT. If you thought you'd be limited to traditional racecars then you'd better think again, as you'll get to drive karts and SuperTrucks, take part in the US Dirt series and the Nissan Off-Road Challenge, and even race in a BMW Williams F1 car. And that isn't even half of it. To say that the variety on offer here is impressive would be an understatement of dramatic proportions!

If you're familiar with previous games in the Race Driver series, the World Tour is a story mode of sorts, seeing you move from one racing discipline to the next, with your ever present team manager Rick on hand to tell you what he thinks after each race. Constantly jumping from one racing style and vehicle, say Formula One, to another entirely different scenario, like monster trucks, is actually quite good fun. It might not be for everyone, as it doesn't really let you hone your skills at one particular discipline, but for anyone who grows tired of doing the same thing over and over, it's a great way to spice up the driving experience.

If you want a more focused mode of play, then you can start a Pro Career in one of eight racing disciplines. Each championship is tackled in a realistic manner, with full race rules and flags in operation. The Pro Career Championships certainly aren't for casual race fans, requiring knowledge of race rules and a good deal of racing skill. If you're not 100 per cent in the zone, the Pro Career will prove to be a frustrating experience, with flags being waved every few seconds and time penalties being issued before you've had a chance to get into second gear. It's worth it though, and persevering makes victory all the sweeter. Each Pro Career championship can be tackled in normal and hard difficulty, and trophies earned unlock bonus content. Additional trophies can be earned by setting fastest laps and by playing online.

In Pro Career championships, Time Trial and Free Race modes you can get technical and tune your vehicles. This certainly isn't essential to your success, but tweaking things can improve lap times and give you an edge over your opponents. Adjustments can be made to downforce, transmission, anti-roll, tyre compound, tyre profile, brake bias, ride height, suspension and toe and camber. There's plenty to get your hands dirty with if you fancy yourself as a bit of a mechanic, but casual racers may be better off sticking to stock configurations. Certain championships also let you upgrade your vehicle; with a whole load of upgrades on offer, this game really can be as deep as you want it to be.

While racing can be made incredibly tricky by turning Pro Simulation on, there's something in TOCA Race Driver 3 for almost all racing fans. Hardcore simulation fans will appreciate the level of detail in each vehicle's driving model and see how small changes in the tuning and upgrades can affect handling on the track. Even with this depth of simulation available, the World Tour mode caters for everyone, with a huge gulf in racing styles and the option to choose your path, enabling even the most novice players to experience a vast selection of racing disciplines. Once you've unlocked championships in the Pro Career or World Tour mode, you can race them at your leisure in the Free Race mode. Race setup is fully customisable too, letting you tailor rules and opponents to your exact requirement.

If you think you've got what it takes to become a real racing legend, online play lets you test your skills against the best in the world. While the Xbox and PC versions will obviously feature a better service, the PlayStation 2 version holds up well online. As with all games, lag can be a bit of a hassle, but find a group of players with good connections who are willing to play to the rules you've set up and you'll find TOCA Race Driver 3 well worth playing online.

Race Driver 3 also looks great for a current-gen title. All versions of the game look superb, sporting smooth frame rates, a staggering 21 cars on track at once and an impressive level of detail in vehicle models and the environments. The TOCA series has always been at the front of the pack with damage modelling and it's better than ever here; not only does it look authentic, but it actually has an impact on how your vehicle handles on the road. The audio side of things is equally impressive, with great engine sounds for each and every vehicle.

If you're a racing fan then TOCA Race Driver 3 is definitely a great choice and arguably the definitive PS2 racer. It has more game modes and racing disciplines than any game before it and it's smart enough to cater for beginners and racing nuts alike. World Tour and Pro Career game modes will take a long time to get through, and the online play will keep you playing for many months to come. It's hard to think of anything else the guys at Codemasters could have crammed into the game, and the way they've managed to retain such a high level of quality throughout the whole experience really is extraordinary.

Reviewed by Kieron Bosveld for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).