 |
|
|
Excellent Racing Game
"NASCAR Thunder 2003" is really an excellent game. There is a variety of modes to play and a lot of different things you can do to keep your interest piqued."Thunder" lets you race at every track NASCAR races on as any one of the drivers on the Winston Cup circuit. There is also a Create-A-Car mode that lets you design and build your own car to race, as well as a career mode, where you start a team from scratch and race to the top over 20 years. You have to research new technology, sign sponsors and crew members, and meet certain goals in order to make money. It's a very deep mode, and you have to go through a few frustrating years before you really start to get good.Part of what can help you is the Thunder License mode, which allows you to race by yourself at every track with the help of the driver of your choice. Richard Petty instructs you on how to race the track and then you try and complete laps in a certain amount of time. It sounds easy, but it's really not. Probably the best mode is the Lightning Challenge, where you take control of race cars in certain situations and try to meet certain goals. Most of these are "win the race" goals, but there's a few other interesting ones, like avoiding crashes and trying to make it through a race on a less than full tank. Each challenge has a call from the race and is introduced by a driver. If you complete these and other things throughout the game, you're awarded with Thunder license plates, which unlock extras, like the cards in other EA Sports games.Graphically, Thunder's not the best looking game, but it's still sharp. There's sort of a grainy look to it, but the tracks and cars are very well detailed. Soundwise, there's not much. The cars sound like, well, cars and the voices over the radio say the same thing over and over again. There's no crowd noise and minimal announcing, but, in reality, you couldn't hear any of that in an actual race anyway.The gameplay is where Thunder really shines. The controls are very simple to learn, but tough to master. If you push the brake or the steering too hard, you might spin out, although there are assists that help you when you start out. There's also other little touches that race fans will appreciate, like drafting and deciding what you need in a pit stop. You also have to qualify for the races so you get the best positions. Overall, this is a definite buy for every race fan or just a fan of driving games. And for only [$$$], it's well worth the price, especially since it's current with the early part of the season.
|
|
The Best NASCAR Game Yet
I thought EA had really improved with NASCAR 2002, but this is much better. Due to that, I had to go back and edit my rating for 2002 (5 to 4 stars). This is truly the best NASCAR game ever made. EA took all that was right from the 2002 version and made it tremendously better. You still race 43 cars at a time (1 player), you still get to upgrade your equipment, you still get to work out sponsorship deals, etc. However, now you get to to do R&D, hire your own crew and builders, and build your own engine and chassis. Not only those improvements but also better physics, more realistic racing action, fantasy tracks, and the best new addition- Lightning Challenges. In these, you actually get to recreate exciting moments that real NASCAR drivers experienced, such as taking over for DE Jr. on the last 2 laps at Talledega.Gameplay: 9.5If you like NASCAR and racing games, then this is the one. Get yourself an excellent steering wheel controller and it is that much better. Career mode is the tops: sponsors- and keeping them happy, hiring your own team and keeping them motivated by finishing well, and building new cars (including the engine and chassis). Also: unlocking fantasy courses and legend drivers, getting used to the tracks through Thunder Plates, and the Lightning Challenges. Also excellent multiplayer mode as well.Replay: 9Once you are ensconced in career mode and you have got yourself a steering wheel, you will keep coming back for more... and more. Excellent game.
|
|
Buy NASCAR HEAT: Dirt to Daytona instead
Don't buy Thunder. It's not a bad game, just that you can better spend your money on NASCAR HEAT: Dirt to Daytona. Thunder only offers stock car racing whereas Heat offers *4* games in 1: Dirt/Go-Kart(modifieds)/Truck/and Stock Car and therefore Heat offers a lot more variety and fun! Buy NASCAR HEAT: Dirt to Daytona instead.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ABOUT US | CONTACT | ADVERTISING | LINK US | RSS
Blackhole Motorsports Copyright © 2004. Hosted by Isolcom Interactive Ltd.
)
