It's mindboggling how some still swear by UFC Undisputed 3
UFC Undisputed 3 was undoubtedly the pinnacle of MMA games. What fans appreciate the most is THQ completely going all in with this game, holding absolutely nothing back and doing everything they were able to do with the available technology at the time. Pride Mode could easily been its own standalone game and nobody would've criticized THQ.
But the reality is that it has been long surpassed when it comes to the action inside the Octagon. In my personal opinion, EA Sports UFC 4 is when that happened, Maybe Undisputed 3, which is when EA did the big overhaul to the striking, but UFC 4 is when EA really locked in its current system. UFC 6 definitely is hands down head and shoulders above Undisputed 3. Players would keep reverting to Undisputed 3's customization (I love that you could customize basically everything, including trunks, and of course movesets), but what it all boils down to is the feel and natural ebb and flow of the matches. While many may argue about the so-called number of moves available in Undisputed 3, the beauty of UFC 6 is that it is very organic, like the real deal. Nobody in real life is counting "moves" or looking at a fight in terms of "movesets." Fighters punch and kick, period. The distinct and nuanced and dynamic animations in UFC 6 make the concept of "movesets" obsolete. The bottom line is the action inside the Octagon feels authentic and nuanced. The AI is exceptionally good. And by "good" I'm not talking about difficulty per se. Arcade players will always look to exploit the AI and do anything they can to win at all costs. But any MMA fan who wants to fight realistically and enjoy UFC 6 with zero intention of consciously exploiting will find the most authentic experience in UFC 6.
The thing about Undisputed 3 is that it has a very tight and consistent fighting system with clearly defined parameters. I cannot deny that. I wouldn't even call it "arcadey" because THQ was honestly trying its best to provide the most realistic experience as well. But the fact is that the technology simply wasn't there, and while Undisputed 3 remains fun, it is in comparison just way too rigid and predictable compared to UFC 6 and lacks the "anything could happen" factor that people expect from MMA and what UFC 6 provides. The AI is also severely lacking in Undisputed 3, with the CPU feeling like an unstoppable wall closing in on you at all times.
In short (too late lol), UFC 6 is a classic case of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts, and Undisputed 3 most definitely has more parts. But for me personally, where it matters the most, inside the cage, UFC 6 is hands down the best MMA game to date.
