Description
World of Outlaws: Sprint Cars 2002 is a game that focuses on the niche motorsport of sprint car racing. While many people haven't even heard of the sport, most would recognize the distinct design of the speedy vehicles, with their partially exposed frame and trademark roof wing. The idea is simple, and anyone who is somewhat familiar with NASCAR--or any form of automotive racing, for that matter--ought to be able to pick it up with a little practice. The game is for the most part a simulation of real-life racing, with a strong career mode and a number of customization options. There are also elements to it that make it accessible to those who are looking to try something new, but overall, this is a game that is aimed directly at sprint car racing fans. As such, the developmental focus was clearly on the gameplay, seemingly at the expense of the audio and visual aspects of the game.
In order to understand how the game works, you'll need a basic understanding of how the sport of sprint car racing works. Sprint car races are fundamentally different from other racing events due to the fact that they take place on dirt instead of pavement. With that in mind, the design of the vehicles is drastically different from that of formula or stock cars. Sprint cars are lightweight, usually weighing less than 1,300 pounds, and very powerful, featuring high displacement engines that can crank out upward of 800 horsepower. Sprint cars regularly hit speeds of 170mph in races, and due to their light body weight, they need to employ a large wing that sits atop the vehicle and uses airflow to keep the car rooted to the ground. Also, taking into consideration that the tracks are ovular and that most of the turns consist of extended powerslides, the right rear tire is abnormally large to accommodate the extra weight and pressure that is put on it in each turn.
World of Outlaws has a number of different modes to choose from. The most basic of these are the time trial and single race options, both of which are self-explanatory. There is also an arcade championship mode that lets you jump right in and start as part of a professional racing team, complete with your own vehicle and free maintenance. The career mode is the most in-depth of all the options, as it puts you in the shoes of an aspiring sprint car driver. You'll start off with just enough cash to buy a basic car and enter a local event. The goal is to win the event, or at least place high enough in it to begin building your reputation as a racer. One of the keys to success is impressing sponsors, who will offer you contracts if you do well enough. At first, because you're low on funds, you'll have to wait for events to come to your local track. As your wealth and reputation grow, you'll be able to travel to larger events with larger prizes and more visibility.
Each event consists of a battery of races and a somewhat complicated process of progression and elimination that you'll need to brave on your way to the prize. At the beginning of each championship or career race, you'll have the option of taking a few practice laps to get warmed up. While every track is essentially an oval, you'll find that each is completely different once you're up and racing. The texture of the track and traction of your tires changes slightly after each lap, as dirt is packed down more in the middle of the track, while the looser dirt is thrown out to the sides. The packed dirt in the middle of the track is good for making a quick run down a straightaway, but the more tacky dirt that piles up on the inside berm or outside cushion make for much better control while taking turns. Once you've gotten a feel for the track, you can move on ahead to the qualifying race.
The qualifying race has you complete three laps around the track. The first is to get you up to speed, while the second and third have you trying to post a good time for each. The times you post in these laps are compared with the times of other qualifying racers, and the starting position of each racer is decided in this way. After you've received your position, you'll move on to one of two heats involving 12 racers each. The heats usually consist of five laps, and the top six cars from each heat move on to the trophy dash, while the bottom six cars from each heat are pushed into the B race. The racers participating in the trophy dash race another five laps or so to vie for a better starting position in the main event. The racers in the B race complete another five laps as well, and the top four cars from this event are brought back into the main event.
Sprint car racing is quite unlike most other forms of racing. After this somewhat complicated and grueling process of elimination and progression, the top 12 cars will compete for the trophy in the main race, which typically consists of 15 to 20 laps. By the time you've reached the end of the event, it's highly likely that you'll have completed more that 30 laps total, and in the career mode, chances are that you'll need to pay for some repairs and tuning. Needless to say it can be frustrating to go through all this and lose. This is where the game clearly appeals more to the hard-core sprint car racing fan and may scare off the casual gamer
In single player mode, you have your chance to race against the World Of Outlaw drivers, from Steve Kinser to Stevie Smith.
Alternate Titles
- "World of Outlaws: SprintCars 2002" -- PlayStation 2 Title
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