Plagued with server and coding issues, Chillingo retired the game and closed the servers in August 2018. Mielke, James (16 April 1999). "Micro Machines 64 Turbo Review [date mislabeled as "April 28, 2000"]". GameSpot. CBS Interactive . Retrieved 7 November 2020. A Sega Saturn version of the game was demonstrated at the 1996 Electronic Entertainment Expo, at which time Codemasters stated that they were hoping to release the PlayStation and Saturn versions simultaneously. [3] However, in mid-1997 they announced that development on the Saturn version had been halted. [4]

Micro Machines Crosses the Ocean". GameSpot. 1 May 1997. Archived from the original on 5 June 2000 . Retrieved 16 July 2022. a b c d e Fielder, Joe (14 January 1998). "Micro Machines V3 Review [date mislabeled as "May 2, 2000"]". GameSpot. CBS Interactive . Retrieved 7 November 2020. The team at Codemasters knew the tide was turning. It decided to target nascent racing genres – namely, those ostensibly popular with Brits in the late 90s – such as TOCA Touring Cars and Colin McRae Rally. They were great games, to their credit; the two new franchises retained a thin line between arcade and simulation, which at that point still meant just being a bit more serious with the brake (compared to V3, you actually used the brake button). You could also drive a tank around a volcano in TOCA, which showed the developers’ sense of humour was still under there somewhere. But Codemasters wasn’t done with Micro Machines; the developers were just firing up the JCB to make a nice, deep grave for the series. – and ripped the heart out of Micro MachinesMicro Machines is a series of video games featuring toy cars, developed by Codemasters and published on multiple platforms (including MS-DOS, Nintendo Entertainment System, Amiga, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy, PlayStation 2, Nintendo 64, GameCube, Xbox, Game Gear, and iOS). The series is based on the Micro Machines toy line of miniature vehicles. Edge staff (June 1998). "Micro Machines V3 (PC)". Edge. No.59. Future Publishing. p.97 . Retrieved 7 November 2020. While fond memories of V3 remain, the true final nail in the Micro Machines coffin may come with the release of World Series in June 2017. It’s a release that seems to be an expanded version of a Chillingo-produced mobile game port – ironic, really, considering V3 itself runs with ease on a mobile emulator and delivers five times the enjoyment of its current money-grabbing counterpart available “for free!” on app stores. Micro Machines 64 Turbo". Nintendo Power. Vol.119. Nintendo of America. April 1999. p.119 . Retrieved 7 November 2020. Edge staff (March 1997). "Micro Machines V3 (PS)". Edge. No.43. Future Publishing. p.84 . Retrieved 7 November 2020.

Sadly, Codey never did properly return to the franchise, and three years later, the once-coveted Micro Machines was as good as dead. This month, surprise reboot Micro Machines: World Series is coming to Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC. It could revive the series, or bury it for good. Given GameTripper’s rules, you’ll find out my opinion on it in five years, if it’s any good. Until then, it’s important to understand V3’s unstoppable fall into relative obscurity. Something old, something new a b c d e Boyer, Crispin; Kujawa, Kraig; Smith, Shawn; Williams, Ken "Sushi-X" (February 1998). "Review Crew: Micro Machines". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No.103. Ziff Davis. p.115. News in Brief". Sega Saturn Magazine. No.23. EMAP. September 1997. p.13 . Retrieved 2 November 2019.Johnston, Chris (8 October 1997). "Codemasters Drives to Midway". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 20 April 1999 . Retrieved 7 August 2022. In the Studio". Next Generation. No.36. Imagine Media. December 1997. p.24 . Retrieved 30 March 2021. Hsu, Dan; Davison, John; Hager, Dean; Boyer, Crispin (April 1999). "Micro Machines 64 Turbo". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No.117. Ziff Davis. p.122 . Retrieved 8 November 2020.