THQ
UFC Undisputed 2010 was one of my favorite sports games of all time. I spent dozens upon dozens of hours playing through a number of career modes, and vastly enjoyed my time spent with the game.
When THQ announced that there wouldn't be a 2011 edition, I was distraught at first, but did agree that a longer development cycle would allow them to create a better sequel.
Fortunately, THQ proved that they made the right decision, and the result is possibly the best sports game of 2012. It's certainly the best Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) game of all time.
Simpler controls for the casual player
The first thing you'll notice when booting up the game is that it will ask you if you want to use amateur or pro controls. This allows you to change the grappling control scheme, with amateur controls allowing you to do minor and major transitions with a quick flick up or down on the right analog stick. This makes it much easier to grapple, and new players won't need to learn how to roll the right stick in 90 and 180 degree angles to grapple properly.
However, the most noticeable difference in controls is now the addition of the new mini-game that takes place during submission attempts. When someone attempts a submission, they must now align their bar with the opponents bar, which moves in a circle around a mini-octagon. This is far better than the former system, which required you to rotate the right stick like a madman in an attempt to finish off your opponent. Now at least defenders and attackers know what they need to do, and it gives you far more control over your attempts.
PRIDE mode
The biggest change in UFC Undisputed 3 is the addition of the PRIDE ruleset, which allows for far more brutal combat than the UFC.
In essence, you fight in a ring instead of an octagon, and strikes that are illegal in the UFC (such as kicks and knees to the head of a downed enemy), are perfectly legal. Sure, elbows aren't allowed, but who needs an elbow when you can soccer kick your opponent in the face!
This is a great homage to old-school MMA fans, especially those who have been watching the sport for the last decade or so.
