NASCAR Thunder 2004: Xbox Game Review

The Nascar Thunder 2004 racing video game for Microsoft's Xbox console lets you put the pedal to the metal!

Courtesy of EA Sports

Ok gang, it's here, the latest in the NASCAR Thunder series, and if you're one of those racing game gearheads who love thrills, corners, slides and squeals, then this beast is definitely for you.

NASCAR Thunder 2004 - Gear Up!

Now anybody who's ever played a racing game generally knows how they work; you qualify, you race, you knock around some of the other cars on the track and eventually you scream across the finish line. In this one, the same principles apply, but when you start bumping cars in NASCAR Thunder 2004, the other cars bump back, and keep on bumping! That's right, NASCAR Thunder 2004 has full-on grudges! That means that if you bump someone in one race, they remember and come back at you in another! Of course, you can also build alliances by sharing draft winds with others, giving them the heads-up and letting them know they can ride your wind to pass you. (Hint: the longer you share, the stronger your alliance becomes. This is a super-sweet thing when you enter the full race season)!

The graphics and sound are pretty awesome and really give you the feel of what it might be like behind the wheel of a NASCAR in action. There are over 20 tracks, 70 drivers and like a 150 cars to play around with, and all have the legit colors and painted endorsement, just like the real world. Plus, in Career Mode you can build a team from ground up and customize your own ride.

NASCAR Thunder 2004 - Gear Down!

It's not as easy as pick a car and put the pedal to the metal. You're going to have to practice and learn to really get this game working for you. However, on the cool side, NASCAR Thunder 2004 comes with an internal tutorial called NASCAR 101, which teaches and tests you on all the tricks of the trade, like cornering for maximum velocity. It takes a lot of time, though.

NASCAR Thunder 2004 - Final Lap

NASCAR Thunder 2004 handles really well, but I found that this one was definitely for gearheads only. Not an easy one for a beginner to wrap their spark plugs around. The best hook is to find the drafts and figure out how each track works, cause like every race, every track is different. The finish line is that the game is good fun to visit but if you're not hoping to be the next Andretti, keep on driving.

How Hard is NASCAR Thunder 2004?
It's tricky to learn and definitely a game for hardcore gearheads.

NASCAR Thunder 2004 Age Rating: Everyone.

NASCAR Thunder 2004 Thumbs Up:

Cool soundtrack; multiple camera angles.

Alliances and grudges.

Quick Save option.

NASCAR Thunder 2004 Thumbs Down:

Pretty specific to driver/gamers.

Not easy to learn.

NASCAR Thunder 2004 Game Rating: