Gameboy Color ~ Nascar 2000 Review

Overview

I don't know much about Nascar racing, but I think I know a good driving game when I see one. Does this officially licenced Nascar product fare on the Gameboy Color?

Well, like most other driving games on Gameboys I suppose. But for more details, find out by driving on in…

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Gameplay and Controls

This is a typical back of the car view racing game. The objective of this game as you all know is to try and come 1st in a race. To do that, you basically try to carve your way through the pack of 19 other cars speckled all over the track. This involves one button for accelerating, the other for braking, left/right for steering and up/down for gear shifting. The car control is alright, although I found it hard to go around bends without bumping walls left and right. It is fairly fun at first when you start out going round the tracks, passing and avoiding cars along the way. You can even lose fuel and damage your car, meaning regular visits to the pitstop. All the tracks are anti-clockwise round tracks, except for the triangle shaped one, so after a few laps, it becomes apparent that there isn't much more to do. Maybe fun to play for Nascar fans, but not for anyone else.

6 out of 10

Graphics

A very bad graphics engine makes the entire game jerky. And because of that, cars look more like scattering all over the place rather than driving around. Objects at the side of the road are totally repetitive. 50+ yellow trucks all parked along the race track? Overall, it's good for a handheld, considering there are 20 cars on the track.

3 out of 5

Sound and Music

You got pretty good skidding sounds. The car engine sounds decent enough, but it sounds like a lawn mower on a continuous drone. Cool music.

3 out of 5

Tracks, Cars and Options

The major problem about this game is that it will only appeal to Nascar fans. All the tracks are pretty much round, and you race anti-clockwise round the tracks. So this means only left turns and the occasional right to avoid cars and barriers. In my highly biased opinion, BORING! I can't even see how anyone can enjoy Nascar racing with only left turns round a track, round and round. Especially in this game where the graphics engine is as bad as it is.

You a bunch of real cars and drivers with nice little profiles too.

There are plenty of options of play around with, especially with your cars. Increase the degree of steering lock, harden your shock absorbers, increase tire pressures. Its all in there for the hard-core Nascar fan, who I think are boring people indeed.

4.25 out of 5

Longevity

Full race length of 200+ laps! Now hows that for longevity?

A full season mode where you race a season on all tracks, going round and round the round tracks against other loopy drivers for points, and ultimately try to win the Nascar championship.

And throw in all the ways you can play around with your car's setup with a save function; this game is jammed packed full of everything a Nascar fan could ever want in a Gameboy Color.

For people who aren't into Nascar racing, they would not even think about venturing into the full season mode, or delve into 200+ laps!!!

3.75 out of 5

For: fun for Nascar fans, race against full grid of cars, damage, pitstops, cool music, all the tracks and cars, car tuning, full season mode, save slot.

Against: jerky animation, droning engine sound effects, round tracks, turning left, won't appeal to non Nascar fans.

Overall, a very good game for Nascar fans, but not so good for the rest of us. Nascar Racers, now that's a cool cartoon!