As an avid gaming enthusiast and racing fan, I‘ve logged countless hours across the Midnight Club franchise. So when it comes to understanding the nuances between Midnight Club: Los Angeles and its Complete Edition, I‘m happy to share my insight. There are several key differences that make the Complete Edition the definitive version of this street racing classic.
A Deeper Dive into Locations
While the original Midnight Club: LA already provided an expansive open world Los Angeles to explore, the Complete Edition takes it further by adding Tokyo as a second fully-realized city. We‘re talking faithfully recreated districts, neon-lit streets, and authentic landmarks mapped out for high-speed competition.
Tokyo really complements Los Angeles’ sprawl with its own verticality and sense of claustrophobic hustle and bustle. From the narrow alleyways of Kabukicho to the bright lights of Shibuya, Tokyo offers an entirely fresh backdrop for racing. Overall the two cities combine to provide diverse landscapes for putting pedal to the metal.
More Customization Options for Your Virtual Garage
One of my favorite parts of Midnight Club is tricking out rides with visual upgrades and performance tuning. The Complete Edition expands your options by adding 16 new vehicles on top of the 58 cars and 4 motorcycles from the original release.
Here are a few of the highlights among the new additions:
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Saleen S7 Twin Turbo – One of the fastest supercars in the game with a top speed over 250 mph. Sleek exterior paired with brute force acceleration.
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Mercedes SLR McLaren – A true exotic head-turner that handles great around tight corners. Style and substance in one package.
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Nissan GT-R Proto – This one‘s for the tuner fans, with a full range of aftermarket parts to customize. Top-tier performance potentials.
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Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14 – For those who prefer two wheels, this motorcycle has the highest speed of all bikes in the game. Perfect for weaving through traffic.
Having more toys to tinker with adds to the overall longevity and fun factor. The expanded car list brings welcome variety.
Quantitative Comparison of Game Modes
Let‘s take a data-driven look at how the Complete Edition measures up in terms of races, challenges, and unlockables:
| Game Mode | Midnight Club: LA | Complete Edition |
|---|---|---|
| Story Missions | 45 | 45 |
| Street Races | ~100 | ~115 |
| Tournament Races | 25 | 43 |
| Vehicles | 58 cars, 4 motorcycles | 74 cars, 4 motorcycles |
| Vinyls/Paint Jobs | 500+ | 1000+ |
| Soundtrack Songs | 94 | 188 |
These numbers showcase the wealth of additional content included. More events translate to longer gameplay longevity, while more customization options help strengthen personalization.
Enhanced Multiplayer Options
While the core online multiplayer experience remains unchanged between versions, local splitscreen play is impacted. The original release allowed 2 players to race on a shared screen, while splitscreen was unfortunately removed from the Complete Edition.
However, expanded online multiplayer offsets this absence. With all DLC content enabled, there are simply more vehicles, race types, and maps to take advantage of in competitive play. The Complete Edition boasts the most robust online offering.
Definitive Version for PS3 and Xbox 360
To recap, here‘s why Midnight Club: Los Angeles Complete Edition stands out as the quintessential package:
- All original game content plus multiple DLC packs
- Double the locations with the addition of Tokyo
- 16 new vehicles expand the garage
- More races and challenges than the base game
- Over double the soundtrack songs
- Cross-platform multiplayer with a huge amount of content
While the standard edition was a great street racing game in its own right, the Complete Edition elevates the experience to an exemplary level. For anyone looking to dive into Midnight Club: LA‘s world of after-hours street racing, the Complete Edition is the superior choice. Buckle up and get ready to put the pedal to the metal!
