GameSpot editors' review
-
CNET editors' rating:
stars
Good
Detailed editors' rating
- Reviewed on: 02/09/2000
- Updated on: 05/02/2000
- Released on: 01/31/2000
- Originally published on GameSpot: NASCAR Rumble Review
Continuing EA Sports' ongoing attempts to do to other sports genres what Midway's NFL Blitz did to football, NASCAR Rumble is an over-the-top racing game more akin to San Francisco Rush and Beetle Adventure Racing than to NASCAR 2000.
Like SF Rush and BA Racing, NASCAR Rumble leaves the raceway for the real world and features power-ups, shortcuts, and a broad general view of physics. The environments span town and country, day and night, but all seem to favor the South, both in location and theme. Power-ups include the standard turbo and invulnerability, and the not-so-standard storm, twister, and freeze, which obscure enemies' vision, throw them about, and lock them up, respectively. They can also be used against you too, and are often, but their effects can be avoided by simply slowing down enough.
Where NASCAR Rumble really shines is in its replay value, as there's a lot to do in the game. You begin as a rookie, and you must win six championships - each made up of four laps of three courses each - before progressing to the pro ranking, and then do it again to gain the elite title. That's a lot of racing, almost too much as a rookie, since the difficulty is set a little too low to be challenging. But once you beat each championship, a local racing legend is unlocked for you to race against, and they're not called legends for nothing. If you take one on in a championship in the legend mode and manage to beat him, you can race as him from then on, or team up with him in the cyber-team setting. There's also a mystery cup composed of three random courses and the EA Cup, which spans six tracks. And you always have the option to increase or decrease the number of power-ups per championship.
Continue reading
