NASCAR Thunder 2003
Encyclopedia
NASCAR Thunder 2003 is a racing simulator published by Electronic Arts
in September 2002 for PlayStation, PlayStation 2
, Nintendo GameCube
and Xbox
and in October 2002 for PC
. It is the fifth game of EA Sports' NASCAR
series, and is based on the 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup Series. The product features Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
on the cover. It was the first time the NASCAR's Most Popular Driver Award
recipient was featured on the cover, although he did not win the award for the first time until the following year. The late Dale Earnhardt
appeared in the game as a driver as a result of entering his name as a Create-A-Car driver's name, he did not appear in the previous game due to his death. He appeared as a legend in subsequent games.
For multiplayer support, NASCAR Thunder 2003 becomes split-screen and eliminates much of the field. Normally featuring the normal NASCAR amount of 43 drivers in a race, it is limited to 18 or less with more than one human driver. As an option, the AI drivers can be disabled, allowing the players to just race each other.
Career Mode is the most involving mode of the game. Returning from NASCAR Thunder 2002
, it places the player in control of a custom Winston Cup driver, who must manage pit crew, sponsorship and research and development
for 20 seasons.
Although Season Mode, like Career Mode, allows the player to play through 20 seasons, it is essentially the Quick Race mode with season standings. Unlike career mode, which starts the player with inferior equipment and pit crew, they are equal to the AI's from the start. Players have a choice to play as either existing or custom drivers, and the settings are completely customizable, unlike the limited options in Career Mode. To achieve multiplayer compatibility, it not only decreases the amount of AI drivers in a race while also randomizing them, meaning only a handful of drivers end up participating in the entire season. However, like in Quick Race, they can be disabled for a 2-4 player competition.
Thunder License is the time attack
mode of the game; basically a tutorial
and time trial
of how to race across the included tracks.
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
in September 2002 for PlayStation, PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
, Nintendo GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
and Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
and in October 2002 for PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
. It is the fifth game of EA Sports' NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
series, and is based on the 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup Series. The product features Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
* NOTE: References to "Earnhardt", "he", and "him" refer to the subject of this article, unless otherwise specified. References to his father will include "Sr."...
on the cover. It was the first time the NASCAR's Most Popular Driver Award
NASCAR's Most Popular Driver Award
NASCAR's Most Popular Driver Award is awarded to the fans' favorite NASCAR driver in the Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series, and Camping World Truck Series every year since 1956. It started as a poll of the drivers and then all NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competitors...
recipient was featured on the cover, although he did not win the award for the first time until the following year. The late Dale Earnhardt
Dale Earnhardt
Ralph Dale Earnhardt, Sr. was an American race car driver, best known for his involvement in stock car racing for NASCAR...
appeared in the game as a driver as a result of entering his name as a Create-A-Car driver's name, he did not appear in the previous game due to his death. He appeared as a legend in subsequent games.
Gameplay
Being a racing simulation, NASCAR Thunder 2003 places the player in control of a stock car in a NASCAR race. Players battle AI drivers for race position for a preset amount of laps. As the race progresses, players are forced to make a pit stop to refuel, replace tires and repair damage.For multiplayer support, NASCAR Thunder 2003 becomes split-screen and eliminates much of the field. Normally featuring the normal NASCAR amount of 43 drivers in a race, it is limited to 18 or less with more than one human driver. As an option, the AI drivers can be disabled, allowing the players to just race each other.
Modes
Quick Race simply allows up to four players to participate on any track and race with a specified amount of settings. After the race ends, the game returns to the main menu.Career Mode is the most involving mode of the game. Returning from NASCAR Thunder 2002
NASCAR Thunder 2002
NASCAR Thunder 2002 is a racing simulator video game developed by EA Tiburon and published by EA Sports that came out for the PlayStation, PlayStation 2, and Xbox. The theme song for the game is Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd...
, it places the player in control of a custom Winston Cup driver, who must manage pit crew, sponsorship and research and development
Research and development
The phrase research and development , according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, refers to "creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this stock of...
for 20 seasons.
Although Season Mode, like Career Mode, allows the player to play through 20 seasons, it is essentially the Quick Race mode with season standings. Unlike career mode, which starts the player with inferior equipment and pit crew, they are equal to the AI's from the start. Players have a choice to play as either existing or custom drivers, and the settings are completely customizable, unlike the limited options in Career Mode. To achieve multiplayer compatibility, it not only decreases the amount of AI drivers in a race while also randomizing them, meaning only a handful of drivers end up participating in the entire season. However, like in Quick Race, they can be disabled for a 2-4 player competition.
Thunder License is the time attack
Time attack
A time attack is another term for time trial. The term is commonly used in Japan for individual time trial events for motor vehicles that involves a vehicle running around the circuit in lieu of a qualifying lap and the term is widely adopted outside the country for tuner event and...
mode of the game; basically a tutorial
Tutorial
A tutorial is one method of transferring knowledge and may be used as a part of a learning process. More interactive and specific than a book or a lecture; a tutorial seeks to teach by example and supply the information to complete a certain task....
and time trial
Time trial
In many racing sports an athlete will compete in a time trial against the clock to secure the fastest time. In cycling, for example, a time trial can be a single track cycling event, or an individual or team time trial on the road, and either or both of the latter may form components of...
of how to race across the included tracks.