NASCAR 09

by Electronic Arts

Product Features

• Learn From a Champion - Four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion Jeff Gordon guides you through the game's major features and advises you throughout your career. Use his advice as guidance in preparing to challenge the best drivers of NASCAR, including Gordon himself.
• Two Distinct Driving Models - allow anyone to sink their teeth into the ultimate NASCAR racing experience. The Normal handling model provides a much more forgiving experience, while the Pro model gives you a taste of what it's really like to get behind the wheel in a NASCAR Sprint Cup race
• Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Career Mode - Sign lucrative contracts, earn a reputation, and accumulate valuable performance points by dominating in three authentic racing series, including the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, the NASCAR Nationwide Series, and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
• All-New Sprint Driver Challenges - Make a name for yourself and build a reputation through a wide variety of racing challenges, highlighted by one-on-one battles against the sport's biggest stars.
• Own the Track - Take control of every track on the map by posting the best stats at every sanctioned racetrack in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The Own the Track map will show you what tracks you dominate and which tracks you need to take back from your friends.

Product Details

• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B00144151O
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches ; 5 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: June 10, 2008
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,642 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
  • #65 in Sports & Outdoors > Fan Shop > Video Games & Accessories
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Platform: Xbox 360

Amazon.com

Get Your Engines Started!

Get ready for heart-pounding, edge-of-your-seat action as you go behind the wheel for an all-new, thrillingly authentic NASCAR experience. The racetrack is yours to command as you train with the one and only Jeff Gordon and prepare to take on some of the biggest names in racing. Savor the power harnessed under your hood when you put the pedal to the metal and fight your way to the finish line. Do you have what it takes to be a champion?

Key Features Go in-depth and learn the sport with none other than the legendary Jeff Gordon Complete exciting challenges to earn contracts in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Choose from two distinct handling models to suit your style, whether you're a rookie or a veteran Post your best stats at every sanctioned NASCAR Sprint Cup Series racetrack to prove that you "Own the Track" — or discover which tracks you need to take back from your friends Sign contracts, earn a reputation and dominate in authentic racing series as you live the life of a NASCAR superstar both on and off the track Design the look of your car with the all-new Paint Booth online tool For 1 player or up to 14 players online Synopsis NASCAR 09 takes you inside the sport like never before. Put yourself in the driver's seat with two new and distinct handling models: Normal model lets you get your bearings and provides a much more forgiving experience for the less experienced driver, while Pro model thrusts you right into the real NASCAR driving experience, giving you a taste of what the professionals face. Explore the life of a NASCAR driver off the track in Career mode, where you'll have the chance to sign lucrative contracts, earn a reputation and accumulate valuable performance points in three authentic racing series. Blaze your way to the finish line in one-on-one competitions against some of the biggest stars of racing, including Jeff Gordon himself. With NASCAR 09, you're in for the ride of your life.

Compete Online View Image Highly Detailed Cars View Image

Product Description

NASCAR 09 X360

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A much improved iteration, June 15, 2008

By 

Chess Buddhist (Long Beach, California) - See all my reviews

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: NASCAR 09 (Video Game)

NASCAR games are typically underperformers and far from the kind of simulated experience I've wanted for so long. Here the game developers have sought to fix some of those issues.

There is more realism to how the cars handle. Tire wear and fuel issues are also more realistic (you actually get a fuel gauge this time) and pit stops offer more opportunities for adjustments (i.e. you can adjust air in only one tire). Also, this time each individual corner affects the car differently. In previous games, each corner was treated as a clone of the others with only a few exections (the "egg" shaped tracks, Pocono, etc.)It is also nice that the AI can no longer plow into you with seeming overwhelming force with little you can do to resist their aggressions. This means you can now drive in a pack much more easily - and isn't that what NASCAR racing is all about?

Off the track there is a lot more going on this year. One of the big let downs in previous games was the lack of anything to do when not racing. Here there is a lot going on in the garage. I happen to like Jeff Gordon, about as much as any driver (not my fave, but he's OK) so it didn't bother me to have him around as a guide through the game. I can imagine some die-hard Gordon-haters moaning and groaning about it. Don't worry, Jeff is not the only driver you encounter in the game. Also, when Gordon speaks it's in very brief snippets. He acts as more of a menu for getting around the garage. In NASCAR 09 you can do more with the car in the garage. Actually, the biggest change is that there is a garage. You can spend tedious hours (which I enjoy) working on your paint scheme. It's not quite the paint shop in Forza 2, but it does offer more than past editions.

The coolest part of this game? Spending XP points to level up your ride! This gives the game a RPG flavor. I've never seen anything like that in a racing game.

One major complaint is that you still cannot get anywhere "rim riding" - that is, taking the high line around a track. To go fast, you need to stick to the bottom during turns as much as possible. Go high, get passed. So, if you are planning on driving in a Kasey Kahne style, or like Dale Jr. has been recently, you are basically setting yourself up to lose. This is a little annoying, because even though there may be two or three racing grooves for traction, the bottom one is the only one that gives consistent speed. If you're not in the bottom groove, the speed goes to the other cars on the track. By default, that makes every track a one-groove track. You can always duck down to the bottom to pass and return to the top later. But be careful, as with previous versions of the game if you hit the apron you are almost certainly going to spin. It's ridiculously slippery down there, so don't plan on making Kyle Busch manoeuvers down on the apron.

Pros:
- Better car "feel" creates a way more interesting experience
- Better graphics
- More adjustments to the cars
- More to do off track
- Cockpit view looks much better
- Anytime you get to spend points to level up, you got yourself and addicting game

Cons:
- Same old terrible generic rock music (I just turn it off completely)
- Must traverse the bottom of the track to gain spots, no "rim riding"
- Some key info is hard to see, such as the telemetry screen that you can pop up during a race. You can't read it while driving, but it's there. You will also crash while trying to look at the deep-bottom-right side of the screen, where your track position and lap number are shown.

Things to make you pull your hair out:
- When a caution flag is throw, you lose control of you car. So, even though you could drive off to a safe spot, the game locks you in harms way. This way, on-coming cars will pile up into you and set you down pit road for what should have only been a solo spin on the front stretch
- You will get in a crash. It will often times not be your fault. The game doesn't care, you get penalized. A.) You will get shuffled to 43rd position (I thought NASCAR froze the field when the yellow came out?!) B. You will then get black flagged for rough driving if you so much as ding another car after a crash. Suddenly, the game programmers get fastidious about rules.
- When the caution comes out, you have to wait as the field does a complete lap before you can enter the pits. During this time, a driver normally talks to his crew chief about adjustments, etc. In the game, you just watch the car go around, then hit pit road, then get a 3-5 second window to make pit decisions. Hey, programmers, why not use that time the player spends watching the car drive around to allow for decision about what's going to happen on pit road? Duh!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Finally EA comes close to racing perfection, July 13, 2008

By 

terpfan1980 "Barry" (Somewhere near Washington DC, United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: NASCAR 09 (Video Game)

It's been quite a while since I've played a NASCAR game that I've liked, dating back to the old PC game that was much more simulation that simple game. Electronic Arts (EA) has the license for NASCAR games on console systems, so if they don't deliver or if you aren't happy with what they have delivered you're left doing what I've had to do over the last several years -- skip it. Not so this season! Finally NASCAR racing that is challenging, yet not overly so, and still F-U-N.
In previous incarnations, at least over the last few years, the game was challenging, but not in a good way. For example, in NASCAR08 beginners (like I normally am) were easily frustrated as the computer controlled (artificial intelligence or a.i.) drivers were very aggressive and would spin out human drivers in an instant. Instead of avoiding wrecks, the a.i. drivers would simply barrel on through the human driver and end your race. NASCAR07 had problems and frustrations of it's own and failed to deliver a product that could be recommended for purchase.
NASCAR09 has taken much of the best of previous versions and put the fun back in the game for novice level players. It is much easier to set fair and realistic competitive levels for the computer controlled drivers and thanks to that even a novice can grab the game and run a fun race.
NASCAR09 brings a Madden like reputation system to the game that lets players build up their reputation and gain rewards for doing so. In the career mode gamers sign team and sponsor contracts and again get rewards for completing the obligations that those contracts bring. Basically, if you complete your contracts you'll get performance points that are used to improve how well your vehicle performs on the various track types. In addition to gaining points from completing contracts you'll earn points from completing tasks in the Sprint Driver Challenges mode -- a series of 'mini-games' that help you get familiar with the game's controls and performance of the various vehicles.
There are a few areas where the game could be improved, and eventually make it 'the perfect racing game'. For example, bringing back some variation of the team control mode of a few years back would be such a place. In addition, the game really needs to include another variation of the drivers reputation system, in this case a reputation system for driver agressiveness and grudges -- if a driver is too agressive and is too dangerous on the track, at least to other drivers, the a.i. drivers should take take note and vary their style to try to take revenge and offer some payback.
Thanks EA for finally offering a fun and highly playable NASCAR game, it's a honor to be able to recommend this one for purchase for racing fans. Once you do get the game go along with the intro modes and jump into the Sprint Driver Challenges. You'll be amazed at how quickly time passes as you enjoy playing the game.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Game, But Could Be Better, March 2, 2010

By 

Earl Wilkerson (Rockford, IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: NASCAR 09 (Video Game)

First off, I'm a NASCAR fan, so naturally I could not resist being able to drive some of the tracks I love to watch my favorite drivers run on in real life. While this may not be the most realistic simulator-style racing game out there (NASCAR or otherwise), I still have to say they got a lot of stuff right. Take the tracks, for example. Each one meticulously rendered down to the letter. Very few games put such focus on great gameplay, realism, and eye candy and get it (close to) right. The sounds are decent as well, giving you a sense of being in a real "stock" car.

Overall the game is fun, albeit it flat-out annoying at times. The AI players are no more lifelike and "intelligent" (as their name implies) than a box of paper clips. Be prepared to be run over - frequently - by the idiot who couldn't tell a brake pedal from a jelly donut. While it's certainly leaps and bounds over the abomination that was NASCAR '08, there is still much left to be desired (look forward to Gran Turismo's NASCAR Mode).

If you looking for a decently-made NASCAR game for the XBOX 360, then you can't go wrong with NASCAR '09. Just don't be afraid to put some of those AI guys in the wall when they deserve it...

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