NASCAR 2000

Electronic Arts Ships NASCAR 2000 For The Playstation

Addition of Fantasy Road Courses Adds New Variety to the Game

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Sept. 27, 1999 - Electronic Arts’ (Nasdaq:ERTS), the world s largest interactive entertainment software company, today announced today announced that it has shipped NASCAR 2000 for the PlayStation game console. NASCAR 2000 is the only NASCAR-licensed game for the PlayStation this fall and offers the most complete and realistic racing experience for the NASCAR fan. The game includes 33 active NASCAR drivers and cars, 18 official NASCAR tracks and exclusive TV-style commentary from broadcasters Bob Jenkins and Benny Parsons. Five new fantasy road courses allow the player to drive on twisting, turning road courses with their favorite NASCAR drivers, combining the appeal of traditional driving games with the power and competition of NASCAR.

"I really enjoy racing the new fantasy road courses," said NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt. "I've raced all the ovals such as Atlanta, Darlington, Lowe's Motor Speedway and Bristol many times. I pretty much know every inch of those tracks, but these new fantasy tracks are a kick. They keep you on your toes."

New in NASCAR 2000 are beautifully rendered, motion-captured interactive pit stops. EA SPORTS worked with real NASCAR officials to ensure the authenticity of the moves performed during the pit stop. In real NASCAR racing the skill of the pit crew is often as important as the skill of the driver to the outcome of the race. NASCAR 2000 brings this element of a race to life by challenging the user to hit certain buttons in a limited amount of time as the car is serviced in the pits. How well this exercise is performed determines the length of the pit stop.

"Races are won and lost in the pits every weekend during the season," said Richard Childress, owner of the #3 GM Goodwrench Service Plus car. "Having the interactive pit stops in NASCAR 2000 makes a lot of sense because any real NASCAR fan can tell you that's one of the most exciting parts of the race. Rather than just sitting back and watching the pit stops, the user now plays a big part in how quickly they can get their driver back in the race."

A new "create-a-driver" feature allows users to input their own name and race special cars with high-resolution custom paint jobs. Adjustable features on the cars include wedge, downforce, gear ratio, individual tire pressure, fuel load, wheel lock, individual shock adjustments, and car weight distribution.

NASCAR 2000 features a new physics model for the cars, new drivers and new tracks. In addition to the five new fantasy road courses, Homestead-Miami Speedway has been added to compliment the existing oval, superspeedway and road courses. Those tracks include Atlanta, California, Lowe's Motor Speedway, Bristol, Darlington, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Martinsville, Michigan, North Carolina, Phoenix, Pocono, Richmond, Sears Point, Talledega , Texas, and Watkins Glen .

Dynamic lighting and shading both during day and night races bring a new realism to the game. During day races reflections shift over time to show the position of the sun. Custom seasons allow the race fan to stack a season with shorts tracks, superspeedways or road courses to create a dream season. Intense racing action is shown with sparks, car damage and wall markings from collisions. Depending on time available and personal preferences, it is possible to race from three percent to 100 percent of a 500-mile race. A short pit option can be utilized so that strategic pit stops are needed more frequently in short races. Communication between crew chief, spotter and driver is crucial to win in NASCAR 2000.

"We are always listening to our fans to determine what they like in the game, and what they want in future versions of the game," said Michael Pole, vice president and executive in charge of production at Electronic Arts. "One of the things we heard loud and clear last year was people love to race on their favorite oval tracks, but they also wanted the variety that a road course offers. So we added five top-notch fantasy road courses. They also told us that pit stops were one of their favorite parts of the race, so we went out and worked with NASCAR to make sure we nailed our new pit stop option. Fans wanted to not only be able to race as their favorite drivers, but they wanted to put themselves right into the game, so we added create-a-driver. These are just a few examples of how we incorporate feedback from the people who buy the games into our future products."

Continuing the tradition of licensing music that is popular with NASCAR fans, NASCAR 2000 includes three songs from Blues Traveler. The Blues Traveler songs and other original music in the game, along with color commentary from Parsons and Jenkins, can be turned on or off depending on user preference.

NASCAR 2000 includes 33 active NASCAR drivers and cars updated for the current season including Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Dale Jarrett, Mark Martin, Terry Labonte, Bobby Labonte, Jeff Burton, Tony Stewart, Jeremy Mayfield, Rusty Wallace, John Andretti, Kyle Petty, Adam Petty, Mike Skinner, Ernie Irvan, Kenny Irwin Jr., Kenny Wallace, Johnny Benson, Ken Schrader, Ricky Rudd, Darrell Waltrip, Michael Waltrip, Bill Elliott, Sterling Marlin, Bobby Hamilton, Ward Burton, Steve Park, Geoffrey Bodine, Wally Dallenbach, Chad Little, Kevin Lepage and Joe Nemechek. Historical racing buffs can attempt to grab the checkered flag racing as past legends such as "The King" Richard Petty, Cale Yarborough, Alan Kulwicki, Davey and Bobby Allison, David Pearson and Benny Parsons.

"NASCAR prides itself on being the most fan friendly sports league in the world," said George Pyne, NASCAR vice president of marketing. "We are always looking for ways to include the NASCAR fan in the fun and excitement of this great sport. NASCAR 2000 is just another example of this philosophy in action. EA SPORTS has captured the excitement of NASCAR and made it accessible to everyone with a PlayStation."

The suggested retail price is (U.S.) $39.95. Consumers may purchase the game directly at the EA Store (http://eastore.ea.com) or by calling EA Direct Sales at 1.800.245.4525. The game carries an ESRB rating of "E" (Everyone). EA SPORTS is the leading interactive sports software brand in the world. Its top-selling titles and franchises include FIFA 99, John Madden Football , NHL Hockey, Knockout Kings , NBA Live Basketball, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR Golf, Triple Play Baseball and NASCAR 99.

Source:

Press Release - PlayStation

Live to race, race to win. . . Stock car racing at its toughest, with authentic NASCAR teams, drivers, cars and tracks updated for the 1999 season. 18 real tracks plus 5 fantasy tracks, set up for single races or a Championship Season.

New features include Create a Driver (drive as yourself?), as well as Interactive Pit Stops and a 2-Player Season Mode that displays head-to-head split-screen competition. Best of all, replay highlights from each race, as if you'd just been on TV! Drive with the legends. Fast wheel-spinning fun.

Source:

uk.playstation.com

The thundering herd returns to Nintendo 64.

EA Sports gives gearheads another chance to scrape some paint with NASCAR 2000, their millennial follow-up to last year's NASCAR 99. Stocked with more drivers and tracks than than last year's offering, NASCAR 2K caters to racing fanatics.

Gamers, Start Your Engines

NASCAR 2000 features 33 active drivers, plus legendary masters like Richard Petty, Cale Yarborough, Alan Kulwicki, Davey Allison, Bobby Allison, David Pearson and Benny Parsons.

A Quick Race feature immediately thrusts players into the cockpit for a single day at the track, but dedicated drivers should check out the game's in-depth Championship Mode.

After choosing a car and driver, players have the option to customize the length of the race. Most drivers will probably choose to shorten the day's competition, but if you're willing to go the distance NASCAR 2000 offers 400-lap marathons.

Practice and qualification runs take place before each event in the Championship Mode, and points are rewarded according to your driver's finishing position. You'll have to consistently put in a good day of driving to bring home the Championship Cup at the end of the season.

Fresh Paint Job

Gamers familiar with NASCAR 99 won't notice a dramatic change in the visual package, but the cars appear more detailed and crisp in this version. During day races, reflections shift over the duration of the race as the sun crosses the sky. Sparks fly if you get muscled too close to a wall, and your vehicle shows damage as it takes abuse.

The frame rate in NASCAR 2000 is excellent, producing an authentic sense of speed as you push your car past 150 MPH.

Stiff Competition

Rookie drivers will quickly learn to use the brake pedal before taking turns, unless they want to upset their sponsors by scraping off their logos on the wall. Both arcade and simulation physics settings are available, as well as a custom setting which allows players to fine-tune the driving variables. Overall, the play control is solid and the physics are consistent.

Computer AI is more advanced than in the 99 edition, resulting in more exciting races and frequent photo finishes. Once you work your way to the front of the pack it's a constant struggle to keep the competition in your rear-view mirror where it belongs.

Under the Hood

Like its predecessor, NASCAR 2000 allows players to get greasy by tinkering around in the Car Setup menu. In addition to choosing between automatic or manual transmission, players can adjust the following features of their machine:

Rear Spoiler
Wedge
Tire Pressure
Gear Ratios

Take a few practice laps before each race to determine the optimal configuration for each course.

The Checkered Flag

Two friends can compete in NASCAR 2000's two-player mode. A handicapping feature can be turned on or off, just in case your friends aren't as skilled behind the wheel as you are. The cars appear less crisp during two-player gameplay, but the framerate doesn't miss a beat.

A wide variety of engine sounds add to this Pak's realism, while Benny Parsons and Bob Jenkins spit colorful commentary throughout the race.

Source:

www.nintendo.com – Nintendo 64

NASCAR 2000

Leben fürs Rennen, fahren für den Sieg. Erlebe noch rasantere Rennen mit unglaublicher Spieltiefe in NASCAR 2000 von EA SPORTS:

Deine Lizenz zum Rasen in Amerikas populärster Rennsport-Serie nur für Sony Playstation.

www.easports.com

www.ea.com

Source:

EA Product Catalog Winter 1999/2000 - PSX (Ger)