Test Drive Unlimited 3: Solar Crown needs these 5 crucial features!

Last week, we were given another glimpse into what to expect from Nacon's upcoming open-world racing game, Test Drive Unlimited 3: Solar Crown. So far, we can be assured that the next installment will capitalise on some of the features the previous games were famed for; a vast array of luxury cars, a casino and a prestigious, upmarket vibe.

However, long-term fans of the series will tell you that this is only a fraction of what made the Test Drive Unlimited series so memorable. For a driving game, the actual experience of racing has never been the standout feature of the series, but more about what you can do outside of races. Here are 5 features TDU3 needs to be a game worthy of the Test Drive Unlimited title.

An Exotic Map

Test Drive Unlimited games are known for being set in dream holiday destinations, like Oahu and Ibiza. When the original was launched, it had one of the largest maps for a game of its kind. It has been dwarfed by The Crew 1 & 2, but it can regain the upper hand by creating a more dense map. We know that the map will be a 1:1 scale of the location it is based on. Meanwhile, early speculation suggests Hong Kong, Guernsey, Isle of Man and the Canary Islands are the early favourites for where the upcoming game will be set.

Car Dealerships

This is where TDU3 can gain the upper hand on virtually every other open-world game; dealerships around the map. Like The Crew 2, the player should get the opportunity to walk around the vehicle, start the engine and interact with the features of the car. Combine that with the experience of visiting a physical dealership and selecting OEM options to make your vehicle more unique, and you have the most engaging way to purchase cars in any game on the market.

Living Spaces

Another satisfying aspect of Test Drive Unlimited was being able to progress from low-end living spaces to luxurious apartments and mansions. To bring this feature up to the modern era of gaming, living spaces can be used to invite your friends over to take part in mini-games and explore your car collection.

Think of it like GTA Online, without having to worry about being killed the second you leave your apartment - A much more attractive proposition all around! 

Casino

Let me preface this by saying that I haven't played TDU2, so I have not experienced the casino in the Test Drive Unlimited universe. However, I can see where the Casino would add value to the experience - An online meeting space for mini-games, exclusive prizes and perhaps somewhere you can show off your dancing emotes. Okay, maybe not the last one.

Obviously, with all the controversy surrounding monetisation in games, this would have to be applied very carefully - Only currency that has no real-life monetary value can be gambled in the TDU3 Casino.

Side Missions

As mentioned earlier, the racing experience in the first two games was not particularly thrilling. With Kylotonn's know-how towards creating a solid car handling model for the WRC series, we can expect the racing to be more engaging, but that doesn't mean the other things you could do in earlier games should be forgotten about. A vast array of side missions such as car deliveries, courier services, picking up hitchhikers and timed challenges. Police had a presence so you could stray on the wrong side of the law and engage in police chases. With these making a return in TDU3 combined with a live service model, the player would rarely be short of activities to engage in.

The next time we will be hearing about Solar Crown will be in July, when the next chapter is launched. Hopefully by then, we will have a location reveal and potentially some of the desired features above shown off!

I look forward to covering more about Test Drive Unlimited, stay tuned.