Alright, so I decided to dig out my old console the other day, and what do I find? My copy of UFC 3 Undisputed. Man, it’s been ages. I figured, why not give it a spin, see if I still got it, or if I ever even had it, ha!
First thing, I popped that disc in. The load times, oh boy, they take me back. But then, the menu music hits, and I’m kinda getting hyped. I didn’t even mess around, just went straight to create-a-fighter. Spent a good hour just tweaking his look, making him look as goofy or as mean as possible. You know how it is.
Getting into the Octagon
So, I jump into career mode with my newly minted warrior. My guy was, let’s just say, not a world-beater to start. My first few fights were a disaster. I was just flailing, throwing haymakers and hoping for the best. The AI, even on easier settings, was just picking me apart. I remember thinking, “How did I ever play this game?”
The Controls – A Learning Curve, Again!
I completely forgot how the grappling and submission system worked. It’s like my fingers had amnesia. I was getting taken down constantly, and once on the ground, I was just a fish out of water. Twirling those sticks, trying to escape or get a better position, man, it was frustrating. I lost so many fights by just getting choked out. It was embarrassing, even if no one was watching.
But I’m not one to just give up, not usually anyway. So, I started hitting the tutorial modes. Yeah, I know, tutorials, but desperate times! I spent a solid evening just practicing transitions, blocks, and submission attempts. It was slow going. I’d do the drill, think I got it, then go into a real fight and totally blank.
Little Victories and Progress
Slowly, very slowly, things started to click a little. I remember my first clean knockout. It wasn’t even a fancy move, just a solid punch that connected right on the button. The other guy just crumpled. Felt so good! That was the hook, the thing that made me want to keep going.
I started focusing on my fighter’s stats, training specific things. More stand-up, because honestly, the ground game was still my nightmare. I learned a couple of decent combos, how to manage my stamina a bit better – turns out you can’t just swing for the fences the whole round.
- Started winning a few more fights in career.
- Actually pulled off a submission! It was sloppy, and I think the AI just let me have it, but still.
- Figured out how to defend takedowns a bit more consistently. Not perfectly, but better than being a human wrestling dummy.
I also started messing with Pride mode. The rules, the presentation, it’s just a different vibe. The stomps and soccer kicks, man, it’s brutal but kinda awesome in a video game way. Fighting in that ring felt different. I even tried creating a fighter specifically for Pride, focused on that wild style.
Where I’m At Now
So, I’m still plugging away. My career fighter is slowly climbing the ranks. He’s still got a questionable chin, and my ground game is best described as “panicked scrambling,” but I’m having fun. It’s one of those games where every little improvement feels like a big win. I’ll probably keep playing it in short bursts, trying to get that championship belt. It’s a good way to kill some time and get a bit of that competitive rush without actually, you know, getting punched in the face for real.
It’s definitely a game that demands patience, especially if you’re coming back to it after a long break. But when you land that perfect counter, or escape a nasty submission, it’s pretty satisfying. Still got a long way to go before I’m “undisputed” anything, that’s for sure.
