It is the direct continuation of Emergency 2: The Ultimate Fight for Life.

The game's sequel, Emergency 4: Global Fighters for Life, known in North America as 911: First Responders, was released in Europe on April 16, 2006, only a few days after the North American release of Emergency 3.

The rescue forces were joined by new Technical Assistants tasked with handling miscellaneous issues.

The game also includes an editor to create custom scenarios, units and scripts.

Reception for Emergency 3: Mission:Life was mixed, issues stated were "Clumsy, frustrating interface" and "Spotty artificial intelligence".