MTV Music Generator 3 (2004)

Though music games and utilities aren't a new concept in video games, the genre has been in the background with regard to mainstream gaming for so long that when Codemasters released Music in 1998, it was considered original, fresh and sold very well indeed. Music creation utilities and games were brought right back into the fray. These games are now quite prolific, but Codemasters still has the edge over its competitors, and this is clearly demonstrated in 2004's MTV Music Generator 3, the first from Codies on Xbox.

Where some console utilities only allow players to remix and fiddle with existing well known tracks, Music Generator 3 also allows you to create your very own tracks by including an extensive library of riffs, beats, basslines and vocals. Players can mix and match to their heart's content, and once a track is finished, it can be saved to the hard disk. And those with audio sockets on their TVs can even record them to CD or MiniDisc. Music Generator 3 has massive potential, it's just down to the player to tap into it.

Additionally, players can also remix famous tracks from the likes of OutKast, Snoop Dog and Sean Paul amongst others, or even record and play with samples from their own CD collections.

The options available at the player's disposal are seemingly infinite, and it's really not difficult to see why Codemasters' offering stands tall above the competition. It's a great piece of software, and as long as Codemasters is around, the likes of these fantastic music utilities will be too.