Once thought of as a simple upgraded version of Gran Turismo 2, Polyphony Digital's Gran Turismo 3 A-spec has turned into so much more than that. Despite the fact that the game will feature fewer cars than its predecessor, the raw number of significant upgrades that have been made to the title in other key areas suggests that this is a true sequel in every way and is not just a prettied up version of GT2. Gran Turismo 3 is shaping up to be the ultimate driving and racing experience that will surely please car enthusiasts and videogame racing fans alike. It's the continuation of the single greatest videogame racing series of all time and it has helped form what is a true racing dynasty that has no equal. Neither Sega's Daytona USA nor Namco's Ridge Racer, or any other racing games series for that matter, has a following as large or as freakishly dedicated and loyal as Gran Turismo.

An unlike some games where fantastic marketing and/or hype can be credited for most of its success and popularity, the Gran Turismo series has earned its place in the annals of gaming history because it has managed to be the very best at what it does and has done things that no other game before it had ever accomplished.

The series has given gamers, for the first time ever, the chance to pick and choose from a wide array of real-life automobiles that they might actually own themselves. And not only do each of these vehicles look differently, they all offered different driving experiences that were based on real-life physics models that were affected by things like whether the car has front-wheel, rear-wheel or four-wheel drive or if it was a mid-, rear- or front-engine vehicle. Most importantly, the Gran Turismo series has proven to be a realistic driving simulator that offers more depth and play value than any arcade racing game could while still having a simplistic appeal and rock-solid control that could appeal to the masses.