The first game in the NASCAR Thunder series, and the one with many firsts. It was the first console NASCAR game to include features such as a career mode and full, 43-car fields. It also was the first NASCAR game to include all 23 licensed NASCAR tracks.
For all intents and purposes, this was the first full NASCAR console video game. It was not quite as deep as its successors, but the game did improve on its predecessor in many ways. This included graphics, gameplay and features.
Just looking at this screenshot shows that this game is leaps and bounds better looking than the previous games. However, the game is still not perfect.
The career mode is there, but players are only allowed to run in 12 races per season. This is strange, especially considering there is a single season mode in the game that allows players to play a full, 36-race season. However, it is a start, and it’s the first NASCAR console game to include such a mode.
This was the foundation upon which EA started building its next NASCAR games. While it’s not as deep as its successors, it still holds a very important place in NASCAR gaming history.
