The extras on this compilation are equally sparse. Each game at least has a short write-up that gives vital statistics about the arcade machine such as date of release, hardware used, controls, synopsis, etc. Some of the games also have a gallery of photos of the machine sell sheet that gives some idea of how the game was marketed at the time. This time out, Midway did not take any time for developer interviews. It troubles me that some companies are trimming the historical extras from these compilations. I see compilations of old games as the best way we have to widely disseminate information on the history of our hobby. While I realize these compilation titles are going out at a budget $19.99 price point, the historical information is something the industry owes itself to continue to include.

Unfortunately there is one dark spot to Midway producing a compilation strictly in the arcade racer genre: all of these games originally had specialized interface devices to control the games, namely steering wheels and control yokes. The average gamer’s stock system controller can give all the commands required for the games, but it can never hope to feel like the specialized controllers that these games were built to use. Thus it will never come close to giving the player the experience of playing these games in an arcade.

Midway Arcade Treasures 3 with its eight arcade racers is a fun drive down memory lane, but the controls make them just a shadow of what they were in the arcades. At $19.99, it is still well worth taking the trip. The fact that Midway has pared down the number of games from previous offerings does not worry me nearly as much as how much they pared down the historical extras. It’s still a must-buy for arcade enthusiasts, but let us hope this is not a sign of the future.