"If NASCAR's only for rednecks, then YEEHAW!"

Ride 'er cowboy! Yes, that's right, Thunder rolls again, and it doesn't disappoint.

Graphics 10/10

These are, quite simply, some of the best graphics I've seen for a NASCAR game, EVER. You see each little dirt speck that your car picks up, when your back clip is dragging on the ground, it waves around, and the tires - oooh, the tires. They look exactly as they should.

Sound 9/10

The sounds are oh-so-perfect for this game. In a 43 car race, you can hear opponents on the other side of the track wooshing around. That, my friends, is realistic sound at its finest. The only problem may be the slightly buzzy sound when you're alone and outside of the car.

Gameplay + Replay 9/10

I'm only iffy about one thing on this game, and that's the steep learning curve. You switch on Stability Control, the game intrudes too much. You put it on Limited, and it doesn't help enough. You decide to go it alone and put it on Off, it helps your lap times, but can disappoint. Many a race have I lost because I turned off Stability for better lap times then spun out because I didn't have it on. I'd recommend simply using the Brake Assist instead. Let's not forget. There are a TON of secrets in this game (unlockable in the form of a cool system called Thunder Plates). They cover everything, from unlocking legends to gaining the ability to race tracks like Watkins Glen at night. The Thunder Plates are worth a purchase alone. However, to get them, you must sweat and labor through Lightning Challenges, Thunder Licenses, Seasons, and the famed Career mode. These can be quite frustrating (especially when you spin out in the last turn of a Legend level challenge that you were winning), so this ain't your grampa's NASCAR. Well, maybe it is... (heheh) Also, the Celebration mode. I dunno why it's there, but it's fun.
:)

Fun Factor 8/10

The game is fun MOST of the time, but those times that you're slaving through your first couple of seasons in Career and trying to beat the Legend level Lightning Challenges can make you depressed.

Is it worth my hard earned $50 green beans: Yes No

If you're any kind of NASCAR fan, get this. You won't be left wondering ''What next?'' like in Heat.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 09/22/02, Updated 09/22/02