Oh, man, mention a Moto GP game to me and I'll probably have one or two reactions, depending on the developer. Talk about one of Namco's Moto GP games for PS2 and I'll give a slightly positive shrug, although I know something better exists. Now, mention THQ's Moto GP games and I'll go off like the hardcore racing fan that I am. Not since riding the deluxe cabinet Hang-On arcade machine from Sega have I been so deeply involved in a motorcycle racing game. Climax knows exactly what they're doing with this brand, as the first two have proven to be exquisitely detailed rides with only the finest of control and the most expansive of Xbox Live support. I don't get floored by a racing game this often...well, OK, maybe Burnout 3, but that's totally different.

Now it's time for Moto GP fans like me to get excited, as THQ and Climax are about to make a third turn around the bend. Moto GP 3 is currently in the process of wrapping up its development, and it's set to arrive in early September, just in time for the thick of new racing action on consoles. After all, that's when EA's Burnout Revenge and Burnout: Legends will arrive. It'll keep up just fine, however, thanks to the inclusion of all the goodness the series is known for and some surprising new items.

Climax knows how to put together a great motorcycle racing game, let me tell you. Not only do they pay attention to the precise handling of the bike with turns and wheelies, but they pack front and rear braking so you can handle the curves with ease and perhaps even leave a fellow racer in the dust by keeping up the momentum. Climax will be keeping this perfectly in check with this latest version, and adding a new street component that will make it even better.

That's right. Along with the Grand Prix circuits that the series does so remarkably well, Moto GP 3 will also contain a separate Extreme mode, with its own set of street racing motorcycles and sixteen tracks to rampage through, taking place through a number of city locations and changing the terrain entirely. I think this is a fantastic idea, employing some of the street tactics featured in other games and yet running on its own path to keep fans entertained. Furthermore, the bikes can be fully customized and upgraded, to give them some "attitude" as you work your way up the ranks.

Moto GP 3 will also contain multiplayer options that are stacked like fine pancakes. Offline, single players can soak in the challenge of heavily packed AI on the riders both in Extreme mode (ten in all) and Grand Prix mode (twenty in all), or take on up to three other friends in four-player split-screen multiplayer. But let's face it, a game like this thrives on Xbox Live use, and it'll have it.

The game will use a placement system that helps rank the best online players together, and allow people to build up easily with their skills and techniques. Once placed, you can take on up to 15 other players in races across the board, or hang around the lobby and compare stats. These are good for the Career option in the game, building up some good leverage for you against the competition. And you can choose from a number of licensed riders, tracks, and bikes, all courtesy of the actual Moto GP circuit.

I'm stoked. I mean, I'm really stoked. Moto GP 3 looks to pack so much adrenaline that it'll induce sweat from your teeth. The first two were completely surprising racing epics, and the third shows no signs of slowing down. Get yourself a helmet and prepare for September.