Hubbry Logo
Midtown MadnessMidtown MadnessMain
Open search
Midtown Madness
Community hub
Midtown Madness
logo
7 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Midtown Madness
Midtown Madness
Midtown Madness
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia
Midtown Madness
Midtown Madness Box Art
Box art depicting a yellow Volkswagen New Beetle in a police chase
DeveloperAngel Studios
PublisherMicrosoft
DirectorClinton Keith
ProducerJay Panek
DesignerFrédéric Markus
ProgrammerDavid Etherton
ArtistsKate Bigel
Michael Limber
ComposerPaul Lackey
PlatformMicrosoft Windows
Release
GenreRacing
ModesSingle-player, multiplayer

Midtown Madness (also known as Midtown Madness: Chicago Edition) is a 1999 racing game developed by Angel Studios and published by Microsoft for Microsoft Windows. The demo version was released in August 1999. Two sequels followed, with Midtown Madness 2 released in September 2000 and Midtown Madness 3 released in June 2003 for the Xbox. The game is set in Chicago; the object is for the player to win street races and obtain new cars.

Unlike racing games that restrict the player to a race track, Midtown Madness offers an open world recreation of Chicago. This setting was said to provide "an unprecedented degree of freedom to drive around in a virtual city".[3] Players can explore the city using one of several modes and can determine the weather and traffic conditions for each race. The game supports multiplayer races over a local area network or the Internet. The game received generally positive reviews from gaming websites. Angel Studios developed another video game featuring open-world recreations of cities, Midnight Club: Street Racing.

Gameplay

[edit]

Midtown Madness features four single-player modes: Blitz, Circuit, Checkpoint, and Cruise.[4] In Blitz mode, the player must swing through three checkpoints and drive to the finish line within a time limit. Circuit mode curtains off most of the city to resemble race tracks and pits the player against other cars. Checkpoint mode combines the features of Blitz and Circuit modes and has the player race against other cars to a destination—but also adds the complication of other traffic, such as police cars and pedestrians.[5] In Cruise mode, the player can simply explore the city at their own pace.[4] Each mode except Cruise is divided into missions—completing one unlocks the next. Environmental conditions found in each mode include: weather (sunny, rainy, cloudy, and snowy), time of day (sunrise, afternoon, sunset, and night-time), and the density of pedestrians, traffic, and police vehicles. The heads-up display includes information about the race and a detailed map, but this display can be turned off.[5]

Players start off with five vehicles; five more are unlockable.[4] The available vehicles range from a Volkswagen New Beetle and a Ford F-350 to a city bus and a Freightliner Century truck.[5] Unlocking vehicles requires completing goals[4][6] such as placing within the top three in any two races.[5] If the player has previously won a race mission, they can change the race's duration and the weather when replaying it. The Checkpoint mode allows players to set the frequency of traffic, police cars, and pedestrians. Vehicles can accrue damage from collisions, and can be disabled if excessive damage is accrued, resulting in premature failure of Blitz or Checkpoint races, or several seconds of time lost before the vehicle is immediately restored in Circuit races and Cruise.[7][8]

The game's city environment is modeled after Chicago, including many of its landmarks, such as the 'L', the Willis Tower (then known as the Sears Tower), Wrigley Field, and Soldier Field.[9] The streets feature a number of objects the player can crash into including trash bins, parking meters, mailboxes and traffic lights.[9] In Checkpoint mode other vehicles move in accordance with traffic lights, but the player is under no obligation to obey them.[5]

Midtown Madness supports multiplayer games on a local area network, the Internet, or by serial cable connection. The Multiplayer mode was originally supported by Microsoft's MSN Gaming Zone, but this service was retired on June 19, 2006.[10] It is now supported by similar services such as GameSpy Arcade and XFire, via DirectPlay.[11][12] The Multiplayer mode includes a Cops and Robbers mode, a capture the flag-style game in which players form two teams and each team tries to steal the opposing team's cache of gold and return it to their own hideout.[13]

Development

[edit]

Midtown Madness was one of the first games that Angel Studios developed for the PC, using the ARTS (Angel Real Time Simulation) development technology.[3][14][15] Microsoft planned to publish sequels to racing computer games with the word Madness in the title, including Motocross Madness and Monster Truck Madness. According to project director Clinton Keith, the concept behind the game came to two Microsoft employees during an attempt to cross a crowded Paris street.[13] They proposed their idea to Angel Studios, which had tried to sell Microsoft a 3D vehicle simulator. Initially, Angel Studios was hesitant to accept Microsoft's offer given the magnitude of the proposed undertaking.[13] They ultimately agreed, and on July 3, 1997, Angel Studios signed a contract with Microsoft to develop a prototype of Midtown Madness. Development of the prototype started in September 1997 and completed in January 1998. A preliminary game design document was then created on February 6, 1998, with the final version being completed on March 2, 1998.[16] The city of Chicago was chosen due to it featuring in several famous car chases in films, including The Blues Brothers. The development team asked Chicago residents to playtest the game to ensure that the city was recreated faithfully. PC Gamer reported that the re-creation was mostly accurate, although certain landmarks were moved to enhance gameplay.[13] 8 to 15 people were working on the game at any one time.[17]

Angel Studios and Microsoft included regular cars in addition to the "overpowered Italian sports cars" often seen in racing games.[18] The developers obtained permission from manufacturers to use the likenesses of selected vehicles. Microsoft received authorization from Volkswagen for the New Beetle, and Ford, for the Mustang and the F-350 Super Duty.[13][18] The decision to make only half the cars available at the outset was intended to promote a sense of competition.[17] The audio team affixed microphones to cars and had Kiki Wolfkill, one of the few developers with track racing experience, drive around the track while they recorded.[19]

Microsoft staff asked Angel Studios employees to prevent players from hitting pedestrians. Angel Studios (after deciding against rendering pedestrians in two dimensions) developed 3D pedestrian models that could run and jump out of the way. Midtown Madness included an option to remove pedestrians, as they do not alter gameplay but may affect system performance when in a group; consequently, the game does not require a 3D graphics card.[13]

Microsoft's marketing team expressed interest in including Taco Bell restaurants in the game to run promotions that would involve giving away free burritos, according to project director Clinton Keith, but the feature was requested too late in development for Angel Studios to make the change.[20]

The finished game was released to retailers on May 18, 1999, with full distribution completed by May 27, 1999.[2] A demo version was released for download on August 5, 1999.[21] It featured three vehicles (a Mustang, a Panoz Roadster, and a bus), and all driving modes except Circuit.[22] The demo also included features that were scrapped in the full version, such as the ability to send billboards flying.[23] A second demo was also released around the same time by Volkswagen, featuring the Volkswagen New Beetle.[24] In November 1999, a patch was released to improve the multiplayer experience.[25] The same patch was released again in May 2000 without SafeDisc protection, and again in January 2002 with a small change to fix Windows XP support.[26][27] In December 1999, Angel Studios reported that they were considering a race designer for players, but ultimately this feature was not added.[17] However, in March 2000, a vehicle creation kit was released to allow the creation of custom vehicles.[28]

Midtown Madness is distinct from other racing games of its time, especially those influenced by the Need for Speed series, in providing an open environment rather than a closed circuit.[3] Project director Clinton Keith said that an open world makes the gameplay more diverse and adds "element[s] of discovery" such as finding shortcuts.[3] Gary Whitta described the game as open world racing: "[Y]ou still have checkpoints to hit, [but] you don't have to follow the A-B-C-D standard to do it".[13]

Reception

[edit]

The game received favorable reviews according to the review aggregation website GameRankings.[29] The IGN review noted that the game "doesn't rely heavily on driving authenticity; this game's all about fun." The review also praised the simplicity whereby players can "pick a real-world car and go."[38] GameSpot's reviewer wrote that "it's fun to be able to drive like a maniac [...] because you know you can't in real life."[37] Computer and Video Games' review remarked on the game's humor, provided by other drivers, police, and competitors (described as maniacs), praising the "carnage that unfolds before your windscreen."[8] PC Zone's Steve Hill recommended the game, calling it highly refreshing;[43] Total Video Games reviewer said the game seemed a good choice, but suggested that it would be outdone by GT Interactive's Driver, released soon after.[44] The AllGame reviewer called it a "must-buy for the driving game enthusiast" and said that it would also appeal to players who are not necessarily fans of the racing car genre.[30] Next Generation Magazine concluded its review by stating that Midtown Madness was not innovative, but that "it'll stay on your hard drive for a while and keep you playing."[39]

IGN's Tal Blevins gave high marks to the game's graphics, saying that "the downtown portion of Chicago is portrayed very accurately" even though other parts of the city looked more generic.[38] Next Generation Magazine's reviewer said the graphics were impressive and praised the "thoroughly detailed" random occurrences of "cars hurtling in front of you" and "cringing pedestrians when you lurch onto the sidewalks".[39] GameSpot's reviewer approved of the variety in third-person, the first-person dashboard, and the widescreen driving views. However, they complained of the game suffering from "choppy frame rates" and unconvincing visual effects.[37]

A heavily damaged Cadillac Eldorado hitting oncoming traffic
A heavily damaged Cadillac Eldorado hitting oncoming traffic while being pursued by a police car. Moments like this earned the game praise for making it "fun to be able to drive like a maniac [...] because you know you can't in real life".[37]

PC Zone''s Hill praised Angel Studios for avoiding gimmicks, instead presenting "accurately modeled cars and a meticulously recreated city" to the player.[43] AllGame's review said Midtown Madness "possesses superb, immersive graphics", using the different times of day and weather as an example. Conversely, it complained that cars not controlled by the player were lacking in detail.[30] Randell said that as well as being "structurally and visually consistent", the Chicago setting in Midtown Madness was "brought to life"—for instance, a "city bus legitimately pulling out at a four-way junction" can end the race for a player by destroying their car.[8] Total Video Games' review called the game's presentation "far from optimal" even with the recommended system requirements. Reviewer Noel Brady pointed out "a serious lack of detail" and called the screen "blocky", especially without a graphics card. He was critical of the AI, declaring that cars often drive "without noticing [the player] at all".[44] In his book AI Game Engine Programming, Brian Schwab described Midtown Madness' gameplay as "arcade style" and "fast and loose", and said the in-game traffic was satisfactory.[45]

IGN's review described the in-game narration as "a nice touch", but noted some glitches among the otherwise "distinctive engine and horn sounds".[38] Calling the game's sounds exceptional, GameSpot's review praised the variety of car noises such as the back-up beeper for the bus.[37] PC Zone's Hill praised the in-game radio system and the support for external media players.[43] AllGame's review said players "get a dose of reality" with other drivers and pedestrians "hurling insults and exclamations your way".[30]

The game sold 100,805 copies in the U.S. by April 2000.[46]

The staff of PC Gamer US nominated the game for their 1999 Best Racing Game award, which ultimately went to Re-Volt. They wrote that the game "lays down a racing milestone by creating a living, breathing 3D city — and then letting you trash it".[47] It was also a nominee for Computer Gaming World's Racing Game of the Year award, and for CNET Gamecenter's "Best Racing Game" award, but lost both of them to Need for Speed: High Stakes.[48][49]

Legacy

[edit]

Midtown Madness spawned a three-title series of the same name, the second entry of which, Midtown Madness 2, was developed by Angel Studios and released in September 2000.[50] Another sequel, Midtown Madness 3, was developed by Digital Illusions CE for the Xbox and published in June 2003.[51] The games' most-acclaimed elements were the detailed open-world environment, distinct visual presentation and sophisticated artificial intelligence.[37][51][52]

In 2000, Angel Studios and Rockstar Games created Midnight Club: Street Racing, a PlayStation 2 video game also featuring open world recreations of urban cities.[53][54] Its critical and commercial success spawned the Midnight Club series of street racing-themed games.[55]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Midtown Madness

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Midtown Madness is a series of three open-world video games published by Game Studios, emphasizing free-roaming vehicular chaos in detailed recreations of major cities, with gameplay modes including street races, checkpoint challenges, crash derbies, and multiplayer pursuits. The inaugural title, Midtown Madness (1999), was developed by for Microsoft Windows and is set in a scalable model of , allowing players to drive licensed and fictional vehicles like taxicabs, buses, and sports cars through bustling traffic and landmarks while evading police in arcade-style events. Its sequel, Midtown Madness 2 (2000), also developed by for PC, expands to two cities— and —introducing more vehicles, weather effects, and modes such as wrecking rampages and cat-and-mouse multiplayer. Midtown Madness 3 (2003), developed by Digital Illusions CE for the , shifts to and , incorporating career progression through undercover missions, enhanced vehicle customization, and online multiplayer support, marking the series' transition to console hardware with improved and physics. The franchise pioneered urban free-roam racing mechanics that influenced later titles like the Midnight Club series, though no further entries have been released since.

Gameplay

Racing modes

The Midtown Madness series emphasizes open-world with core single-player modes shared across titles, though sequels introduce variations like additional challenges and career progression. The original Midtown Madness (1999) provides four primary single-player racing modes designed to exploit its open-world city environment, offering varied objectives while allowing freedom to deviate from paths and interact with dynamic traffic. Blitz mode involves free-roam against the clock and AI opponents, where players must reach a series of three checkpoints scattered across the city, often leading to intense police pursuits if —such as collisions or excessive speeding—alerts authorities. Circuit mode follows traditional track-based principles but adapts them to urban circuits, requiring players to complete multiple laps on predefined routes through city streets while competing against aggressive AI rivals and seeking shortcuts. Checkpoint mode emphasizes time-based navigation against AI opponents, tasking players with passing through designated floating checkpoints in sequence within strict limits, rewarding efficient route planning amid the sprawling layout. Cruise mode serves as an unstructured exploratory drive, permitting unrestricted traversal of the city without win conditions, ideal for practicing handling or simply enjoying the environment. Police pursuits form a core mechanic across single-player modes in the series, activated by infractions like crashing into vehicles or barriers, which escalates wanted levels and deploys increasing numbers of patrol cars to intercept the player. Evasion relies on open-world tactics such as weaving through dense traffic, utilizing alleys and underpasses, or outmaneuvering roadblocks, with failure resulting in race termination if the player's vehicle is immobilized. Multiplayer supports up to eight players via LAN or connections, adapting the core modes for head-to-head competition in races or cooperative scenarios like Cops & Robbers, where one team evades while the other pursues through the shared . Sequels expand multiplayer with online support in . To tailor difficulty and atmosphere, players can customize settings including traffic density for busier roads, weather conditions such as clear skies, rain, or fog to alter visibility and handling, and pedestrian behavior that influences collision risks without direct harm to characters. Later games add more environmental effects and customization options.

Setting and vehicles

The series features detailed recreations of major cities, starting with in the original Midtown Madness, which captures the urban layout with iconic landmarks such as the (known as the Tower at the time), , and Grant Park, all scaled down for fast-paced, arcade-style navigation. The open-world map covers approximately 20 square miles, encompassing over 80 kilometers of drivable roads, alleys, shortcuts, and neighborhoods that encourage free-roaming exploration amid the city's architecture. The environment is dynamic and interactive, featuring civilian traffic that reacts to player actions, bustling pedestrians crossing streets, and variable weather conditions that affect visibility and driving. Destructible elements add realism, with crash physics simulating vehicle damage from collisions with barriers, other cars, or structures, though the focus remains on chaotic, high-speed pursuits rather than permanent destruction. Sequels expand to San Francisco and London (Midtown Madness 2) and Paris and Washington, D.C. (Midtown Madness 3), with enhanced details and interactivity. Players control a roster of 10 vehicles in the original game, with 5 available initially and 5 unlockable by completing specific challenges, many licensed directly from manufacturers like Ford, , and for authentic handling models. Representative examples include the agile , suited for quick maneuvers in tight urban spaces; the high-performance , emphasizing speed and cornering; and the rugged Ford F-350 pickup, designed for durability during intense crashes. Sedans in the lineup provide stable, everyday driving characteristics, while trucks and specialized vehicles offer greater resilience against impacts. Sequels increase the vehicle count and add customization. Vehicles are progressively unlocked by completing specific racing modes, such as checkpoint races or crash courses, allowing players to access the full roster without any in-game purchases or microtransactions. These cars integrate seamlessly with the game's modes, enabling varied strategies from precise evasion to destructive rampages across the city landscape.

Development

Conception

The conception of Midtown Madness originated from a collaboration between and , where the core idea emerged from two Microsoft employees frustrated while trying to cross a busy street, inspiring a vision of chaotic, free-form urban driving as an antidote to structured . This concept was pitched to Angel Studios, which was simultaneously proposing a 3D vehicle simulator to Microsoft, ultimately evolving into an open-world racing title that diverged from track-confined competitors like Need for Speed by emphasizing unrestricted exploration and high-speed antics in a detailed 3D city. The game's setting drew from real-life Chicago's urban driving culture and notorious police pursuits, selected by lead designer Frédéric Markus for its sprawling layout of thoroughfares, neighborhoods, and shortcuts that could capture the thrill of evading authorities amid everyday traffic. Key design goals centered on delivering player freedom in a vibrant, reactive 3D cityscape, prioritizing immersive chaos over rigid race paths. Early prototypes at concentrated on scalable city modeling—recreating portions of downtown with modular blocks for performance—and refined vehicle physics to support arcade-style handling suitable for casual audiences, incorporating Microsoft's feedback to broaden appeal beyond hardcore sim enthusiasts. The development team was spearheaded by project director Clinton Keith and game designer Frédéric Markus, drawing on ' expertise in from prior and effects work, with a deliberate focus on fun, exaggerated driving mechanics rather than photorealistic simulation to evoke the excitement of urban escapades.

Production

Midtown Madness was developed by using their custom Angel Game Engine, a 3D rendering system optimized for Windows via 6.0 support, targeting hardware typical of the late such as a minimum 200 MHz processor and 32 MB of RAM. The game's assets centered on recreating as an open-world environment, with the city modeled to reflect real streets and landmarks for immersive navigation. created detailed 3D models for 10 playable vehicles, including licensed models like the 1998 GT and , each featuring interior views, realistic physics, and progressive damage systems that showed deformation, smoke, and part detachment upon collisions. Key technical challenges included maintaining stable in the expansive urban setting, with developers aiming for a consistent 30 frames per second on period hardware by optimizing rendering and distant objects. Implementing AI for dynamic traffic and police pursuits proved particularly demanding. Development began in 1998 and concluded in early 1999, culminating in a public demo released in May 1999 that showcased limited racing modes and the environment to gauge interest ahead of the full launch.

Release

Platforms and distribution

Midtown Madness was released exclusively for Windows on April 30, 1999, distributed via physical copies with no console ports available at launch. A free downloadable demo was made available on May 1, 1999, featuring Blitz mode along with a limited selection of vehicles such as a , , and city bus to generate interest ahead of the full release. The game saw international releases in in 1999, with some versions featuring full localization including user interface and audio in languages such as German and Japanese while retaining identical core gameplay and content. Physical copies were packaged in standard jewel cases that included a printed manual, reflecting the absence of options typical of late-1990s PC gaming.

Marketing

Microsoft Game Studios, as the publisher, managed the marketing efforts for Midtown Madness, integrating promotion of the game's online multiplayer features with the Gaming Zone service to encourage community engagement and free online racing sessions. The promotional campaigns included print advertisements in gaming magazines such as WIZ, which highlighted the chaotic, open-world experience through Chicago's streets to capture the game's "madness" theme. Partnerships with automakers played a key role in branding; collaborated with to license four vehicles—the Mustang GT, Mustang police cruiser, F-350 pickup, and classic Mustang —positioning the game as a virtual test drive opportunity to appeal to enthusiasts. Similarly, authorization from allowed inclusion of the New Beetle, enhancing the vehicle's real-world promotion within the game's realistic . A key element of the launch strategy was the demo version, released on , 1999 and distributed through PC gaming magazines and downloads, designed to demonstrate the game's innovative open-world and differentiate it from track-based competitors by letting players freely navigate a detailed recreation. Marketing targeted casual PC gamers, with advertisements emphasizing accessible controls, high replayability through varied modes, and the thrill of unstructured urban driving to broaden appeal beyond hardcore fans.

Reception

Critical response

Midtown Madness (1999) received generally positive reviews from critics upon its release, with an aggregate score of 85% based on 36 reviews compiled by MobyGames. IGN awarded the game an 8.4 out of 10, praising its engaging racing mechanics, while GameSpot gave it a 7.7 out of 10, noting its solid entertainment value despite some technical shortcomings. Critics widely lauded the game's innovative free-roam structure, which allowed players to navigate an open-world without strict track constraints, marking a departure from traditional linear racing titles. The immersive recreation of Chicago's urban landscape, featuring landmarks like the Sears Tower and , was highlighted for its authenticity and dynamic elements such as variable traffic and weather. Sound design also earned praise, with distinct engine noises and ambient city sounds, including vehicle-specific details like bus warning beeps, enhancing the realism of high-speed chases. However, reviewers pointed out several flaws, including occasional frame rate drops that affected performance even on high-end PCs of the era. The AI for opposing drivers and police pursuits was described as simplistic and predictable, leading to repetitive chase experiences. Additionally, the lack of deeper vehicle customization options and a limited selection of only ten cars were criticized for reducing long-term replayability. In the context of 1999's racing genre, Midtown Madness was celebrated as a fresh alternative to more rigid, track-based competitors, offering chaotic urban driving that captured the thrill of real-city mayhem. Midtown Madness 2 (2000) also received generally favorable reviews, holding a Metacritic score of 78 out of 100 based on 20 critic reviews. Critics praised the expanded settings in San Francisco and London, additional vehicles, weather effects, and new modes like wrecking rampages, while noting occasional bugs and weak sound effects as drawbacks. Midtown Madness 3 (2003) earned positive reception for its console debut on Xbox, with a Metacritic score of 76 out of 100 based on 41 reviews. Reviewers highlighted the improved graphics, physics, vehicle customization, and online multiplayer in recreations of Paris and Washington, D.C., though some criticized repetitive career missions and AI inconsistencies.

Commercial performance

Midtown Madness (1999) experienced strong initial commercial success in the PC market, selling 100,805 units by April 2000 according to NPD reports. The demo generated significant buzz among potential buyers. Its accessible $39.99 made it attractive to a broad audience, while bundling options with joysticks enhanced its appeal for casual seeking enhanced control. The widespread availability of the demo also encouraged impulse purchases at retail. Steady long-tail sales continued through 2000, supported by distribution through major retailers like Electronics Boutique. Positive critical reception helped bolster these figures by drawing in players interested in innovative urban racing experiences. Specific sales figures for (2000) are not widely documented, but it achieved solid performance on PC, benefiting from the franchise's established fanbase and expanded features. (2003), as an exclusive, saw more modest commercial success, with limited marketing and no PC release contributing to lower overall sales compared to its predecessors.

Legacy

Sequels and series

The Midtown Madness series continued with two sequels following the original 1999 release, expanding the open-world racing formula while introducing new cities, vehicles, and gameplay modes. , developed by and published by , was released on September 22, 2000, exclusively for Windows PC. The game shifted settings to the cities of and , doubling the explorable urban environments compared to the focus of the first title, and featured nine additional vehicles including the and London black cab. It introduced the Crash Course mode, a series of destructive challenges where players navigated obstacle courses and demolition scenarios as aspiring cab or stunt drivers, emphasizing wrecking mechanics over traditional racing. The third installment, Midtown Madness 3, marked a pivot to console hardware and was developed by Digital Illusions CE (DICE) for Microsoft Game Studios, launching on June 17, 2003, as an Xbox exclusive. Set in Washington, D.C., and Paris, the game offered larger, more detailed city recreations with over 30 licensed vehicles, including sports cars and trucks, and supported online multiplayer through Xbox Live for up to 8 players in modes like circuit races and free roam. This entry retained the series' chaotic, traffic-filled open-world driving but emphasized console controls and split-screen co-op, diverging from the PC roots of prior games. No additional titles were produced after Midtown Madness 3, effectively ending the series in 2003 as developers pursued other ventures; Angel Studios, responsible for the first two games, was acquired by Rockstar Games in 2002 and rebranded as Rockstar San Diego, shifting focus to projects like Midnight Club: Street Racing. DICE, meanwhile, advanced its work on the Battlefield franchise following the Xbox release. The sequels maintained core connections alongside the signature open-world formula of unstructured urban mayhem, though Midtown Madness 3 highlighted a growing console orientation with enhanced multiplayer features.

Influence and modern play

Midtown Madness pioneered the open-world urban racing genre by allowing players to freely navigate a detailed 3D city environment, emphasizing chaotic street driving over traditional track-based competition. This approach directly influenced ' series, which debuted in 2000; impressed by the game's mechanics, Rockstar acquired developer and tasked them with creating as an evolution of Midtown Madness' free-roam racing formula. Elements of its and vehicular mayhem also echoed in later titles, contributing to the broader shift toward expansive, interactive cityscapes in action games. The game remains fondly remembered for its lighthearted, high-energy chaos in the early days of 3D gaming, capturing the thrill of through bustling streets without severe consequences. Fan communities continue to celebrate this aspect, with active discussions on platforms like groups and servers focused on sharing memories and strategies from the era. Modding enthusiasts sustain interest through custom content, such as updated graphics, new vehicles, and city expansions, shared on dedicated sites like MM2 eXtreme, which host thousands of downloads to refresh the game's visuals for contemporary hardware. As of 2025, Midtown Madness has not received official re-releases on platforms like or GOG, leaving it unavailable through modern digital storefronts despite ongoing fan demand via wishlist features. Players can still access it using original Windows CDs, though compatibility requires community-created patches to resolve issues like launch failures and conflicts on and 11. For authentic retro experiences, emulation software such as PCem simulates period-accurate hardware to run the game smoothly. The third entry, exclusive to , is playable via emulators like xemu, which support it at playable status with minor graphical glitches. Preservation efforts treat Midtown Madness as , with archival sites offering downloads for historical purposes, underscoring the challenges of maintaining access to early 2000s PC titles without publisher support. Fan petitions on platforms like have called for to digitally revive the series, citing its enduring appeal, but no official responses or re-releases have materialized.

References

  1. https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/09/29/midtown-madness-2
  2. https://www.gamespot.com/games/midtown-madness-3/reviews/
  3. https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/06/12/midtown-madness
  4. https://www.metacritic.com/game/midtown-madness/details/
  5. https://www.metacritic.com/game/midtown-madness-2/details/
  6. https://www.ign.com/articles/2003/06/19/midtown-madness-3-review
  7. https://www.ign.com/articles/2002/05/23/midtown-madness-3
  8. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/midtown-madness-review/1900-2542555/
  9. https://www.mobygames.com/game/304/midtown-madness/
  10. https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/pc/907330-midtown-madness/faqs/60692
  11. https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/pc/907330-midtown-madness/faqs/22301
  12. https://racingmadness.fandom.com/wiki/Chicago
  13. https://news.microsoft.com/source/1999/04/16/microsoft-midtown-madness-to-feature-ford-vehicles/
  14. https://www.igcd.net/game.php?id=369724
  15. https://www.gamespot.com/games/midtown-madness/cheats/
  16. https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/01/27/pedal-to-the-metal-3
  17. https://gamesnostalgia.com/story/200/midtown-madness-a-living-city-in-a-90s-racing-game
  18. https://tcrf.net/Proto:Midtown_Madness/Sneak_Preview_Beta
  19. https://www.mobygames.com/game/304/midtown-madness/credits/windows/
  20. https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Engine:Angel_Game_Engine
  21. https://www.mobygames.com/game/304/midtown-madness/specs/
  22. http://www.activewin.com/reviews/software/games/m/midtown_madness.shtml
  23. https://archive.org/details/MidtownMadness_1020
  24. https://pc.gamespy.com/pc/midtown-madness-demo/
  25. http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/midtown-madness/
  26. https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/pc/907330-midtown-madness/data
  27. http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/midtown-madness-demo/
  28. https://www.gog.com/dreamlist/game/midtown-madness
  29. https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Midtown_Madness
  30. https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/pc/907330-midtown-madness/boxes/119155
  31. https://www.ebay.com/itm/156675064076
  32. https://www.mobygames.com/game/304/midtown-madness/promo/group-53969/image-463241/
  33. https://www.gameplace.link/win/classic/Midtown/Midtown_Madness.pdf
  34. https://www.mobygames.com/game/304/midtown-madness/reviews/windows/
  35. https://www.metacritic.com/game/midtown-madness-2/
  36. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/midtown-madness-2-review/1900-2632073/
  37. https://www.eurogamer.net/r-midtown2-pc
  38. https://www.metacritic.com/game/midtown-madness-3/
  39. https://www.eurogamer.net/r-midtownmadness3-x
  40. https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/05/19/comprehensive-sales-charts-april
  41. https://www.mobygames.com/game/2460/midtown-madness-2/
  42. https://www.gamespot.com/articles/midtown-madness-2-preview/1100-2609827/
  43. https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/xbox/558597-midtown-madness-3/data
  44. https://news.microsoft.com/source/2002/04/24/microsoft-game-studios-turns-midtown-madness-3-loose-on-city-streets/
  45. https://www.gamespot.com/articles/midtown-madness-3-online-impressions/1100-6029432/
  46. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/grown-up-video-games-and-a-template-for-the-open-world-the-legacy-of-grand-theft-auto-3
  47. https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/have-you-played-midtown-madness
  48. https://steamcommunity.com/groups/MidtownMadnessEnthusiasts
  49. https://www.mm2x.com/modules.php?cid=65&d_op=viewdownload&name=Downloads
  50. https://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?t=96306
  51. https://xemu.app/titles/4d53002a/
  52. https://www.myabandonware.com/game/midtown-madness-a06
  53. https://www.change.org/p/bring-back-midtown-madness-game
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.