The fast-paced gameplay and graphics were singled out as strong features of the game. Jack Schofield of "The Guardian" was surprised by the level of detail, stating that the "graphics are better than you'd expect the to deliver". Both "GamePro" and Game Revolution reviewers praised the new game features, specifically the new weapons and ability to challenge friends via splitscreen. The Designer Republic's style was consistently praised as helping to make the racing locales seem real, though David Goldfarb of the magazine "International Design" stated that the "techno-meets-Nihonpop-art visuals" had been executed better in previous entries of the series. "Wipeout 3"s soundtrack and sound effects were also lauded.