DESCRIPTION

In addition to regular season stock car racing, NASCAR Heat focuses on alternative modes designed to "heat up" the action for fans not interested in long-term campaigns. Beat the Heat offers 36 challenges in six increasingly difficult "sets" (superspeedway, speedway, short course, advanced, NASCAR race, and High Octane), while Race the Pro tests your skills against racing lines established at various venues by professional drivers like Bobby Labonte and Dale Earnhardt, Jr..

In single race action, choose a car belonging to one of 27 famous NASCAR stars and race against the field in an event from the NASCAR 2000 event schedule. Race day consists of practice, qualifying, car setups, garage (adjustments), and the race. Customization features include realism settings, opponent strength, length of the race, number of opponents, tire wear and gas usage, flags, pit road driving controls, and a ghost mode.

As in single races, Championship mode allows you to race using a specific driver's car through the entire grueling NASCAR season. Options are the same as in single player but racing parameters are set at the beginning of the season rather than on a race-by-race basis. Up to 16 players can compete via LAN or Internet connection with options for chatting (e.g., ICQ or AOL Instant Messenger) between participants.

Eleven camera perspectives are offered for viewing replays, along with a paint kit for customizing the car of your dreams. The Hasbro #113 car is available for gamers not wanting to substitute for a real driver. Five difficulty settings, ranging from rookie to champion, allow both novices and experts to compete at their own skill levels. ~ Michael L. House, All Game Guide