Burnout 3: Takedown

Title: Burnout 3: Takedown
Platform/Game Type: Xbox - Arcade Racer
Date First Played: November 2004

Thoughts: This game demonstrated an almost perfect cycle of challenges and rewards. With every event, it seemed a new car or track was unlocked. The game gave me a constant sense of acheivement. Combined with the fantastic learning curve, the string of rewards pulled me further and further into the game. It was easy to pick up, and very hard to put down. Fun permeated the experience. Even crashing (normally a bad thing) was fun due to the "Aftertouch" mechanic. This is a great example of using every moment/feature/mechanic of the game to enhance the player's fun.

Why I stopped playing it: Eventually, I had to play other games. However, I still put this one in every once in a while.