NASCAR Thunder 2003
NASCAR Thunder 2003by Electronic Arts
Platform: Xbox
ESRB Rating: Everyone
ASIN: B00006FWU2
Check price @ amazon.com
Amazon.com Product Description: Experience authentic stock car racing drama in NASCAR Thunder 2003. The 800-hp, 200-mph action on the track is true to the spirit of the sport and the passion of the fans, with massive pileups, metal-twisting damage, and an all-new game engine. From sponsorships to car setup to all-out racing action, you will build a legacy and become a legend in the deepest career mode ever. If you can survive the door-to-door, three-wide racing season after season, then you're ready for NASCAR Thunder 2003.
From the Manufacturer: Feel the intensity and passion of being a NASCAR driver on a quest to become Winston Cup Series champion. Get behind the wheel of your favorite car and take on real-life scenarios as you battle 25 of NASCAR's biggest stars. Complete with dramatic pileups, walls of smoke, and constant threewide racing, no other racing game tests your nerve and your driving skill as much as this. Build a racing legacy over the course of 20 drama-filled seasons and strive to become the greatest driver in NASCAR history. An all-new game engine delivers better gameplay through improved physics, AI, and control. Graphics rendering technology delivers spectacular new car and track highlights, enhanced smoke and damage, and more dynamic racing venues. You're in the driver's seat now.
Customer Reviews:
The Best NASCAR Game Yet, November 7, 2002
Reviewer: slow-hand from Glen Allen, VA USA
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: 9.5
If 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: 9
Once 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.
Best racing game for xbox, hands down, October 6, 2002
Reviewer: re-gamer from Indiana
Where to start? This is easily the best racing game I've played for the xbox. One of the primary reasons is because before this the best was NT 2002, and this easily tops that.
The game has been stepped up so much, it has a lot more replay value than NT 2002. There are "Thunder Plates" which are similar to "Madden Cards" if you play any of the newer Madden games. You may not be buying them, but they do the same thing, just attained differently. More to add, they have a Lightning Challenges where you can relive great nascar moments to earn more thunder plates. There's a Thunder License mode where you can get what is basically a practice mode. Last of the new things (that i've found so far), there's more then one song on it, and it's the first EA Sports game (that i've played) that will let you use the songs saved on your xbox.
It's still got the Quick Race, Season, Career, Create a Car modes that are the same as they were last year. Career may have newer options to change to fix your car, i havn't gotten that far yet. But there's plenty of new things that add a lot to the replayability that made people tire of NT 2002. EA fixed that and added.
To shorten it up, if you liked NT 2002, or have ever like a Nascar game in the past, or any other racing game, buy it immediatly.
Loads of fun, lots of cool stuff., September 23, 2002
Reviewer: Chris Thompson from East Lansing, Michigan United States
Well I just got this game today (early I think), and it is really cool. So instead of writing my paper on domestic terrorism today, I have been sitting in front of the tv. There is so much to do with it I think I've only scratched the surface! I have Nascar Heat, and while quite a bit is the same between the two, Thunder 2003 goes far beyond. I really enjoy being able to play my favorite driver (Newman #12) in 2 out of 3 of his current paint schemes. Also there are way more cars that can be "unlocked" by completing some challenging scenarios straight out of Nascar's recent past. I do find it strange that Dale Jr's, Rusty's and Sterling's cars all have their primary sponsors (beer) logos removed, but that is just a minor quibble. All in all, this is a really fun game, and once I get further into it I will report back. So if you are a fan of Nascar, racing games or both, I would highly recomend this. Good luck, CT
Nascar at its best, September 22, 2002
Reviewer: el_diablo_23 from Wonewoc, WI USA
I own Nascar Thunder 2002, and i have to say Nascar thunder 2003 is so much better than NT2002. Te graphics are almost too real, the damage has improved emensly oer last year, and the pit crew looks good. The stadiums are so realistice, but one thing that could be worked on is the crowed, they can make crowds look good in madden, y not in nascar. The gameplay is much better that last year, better handling better contols, just perfect. The sound is one of the biggest improvements, the car sounds awesome and if your like me and u have surround sound the cars sound like they were right next to you. Theres now a prerace where it shows highlihgt of some of the drivers and they sing the national anthem, flybys and fireworks, and the best phrase in ameica "Gentelmen, Start your engines!" and when they start, its amazing , its like u are starting it up yourself. This theres now and even deeper career mode, and thunder plates, which allow u to get new tracks and new paint schemes for cars. Another add-on was the lightning round, where u take a drivers best comeback or best driving day and see if you can match it gaing more thunder plates. All in all, this is the best nascar game to hit next-gne platforms. Any hardcoreor even just nascar fans will enjoy this game.
| Xbox Games |
| Action & Adventure |
| Racing & Flying |
| Sports & Outdoors |