NASCAR 2005: Chase for the Cup (Sony PlayStation 2, 2004)

I've had this game a few weeks now. I have absolutely loved having this game.

First of all. Many of the features we have liked from previous EA offerings are still there. (Instant racing, skill challenges, tutorials, etc.) The one feature that has stood out to me is the career mode that is offered within this game. You start out in the featherlite series and work your way up. Race well and you get contract offers for the other series. The truck, busch at the time of release, and the nextel(sprint now).

Races can be as simple as you need them to be or if you feeling confident about your skills, have the game really challenge you in expert mode.

I did miss the fact that you can't pause the game and see the running standings. In other words, see who is in what place in case you are trying to figure out where you need to finish so as to stay ahead in the standings.

This is just a brief overview, but if you liked this brand before this version, you will certainly give a thumbs up to this one.

This is one of the greatest games I've played, period. It achieves the goal of all games: the enjoyment you get from playing the game itself far outweighs its price. It's got great value and a high replay value - very addicting.

PROS
Everything honestly. From the graphics (which are surprisingly good for 2004) to the gameplay itself.
Race in the following series: Featherlite, Craftsman trucks, Busch (Nationwide) series, and NEXTEL (Sprint).
Participate in Lightning Challenges which put you in similar real-life scenarios from the 2003 & 2004 NEXTEL Cup seasons.
There are many more game modes that I haven't even touched on.

CONS
Pocono is missing
Opening ceremonies (the flyovers, national anthem, driver intros, etc.) are also missing
Lastly, there's no ticker that tells you the current running position of other drivers during a race (which is helpful if you're trying to wreck the 24)

Of course it's easy to point out the cons, but this is one of the best games I own. It's totally worth the price of $5 for which you can find the game her eon eBay.
If you're a NASCAR fan, this is the best game to date as of 2008. Enjoy!

Last of the true "playable" games produced by EASports NASCAR Series. This game is user friendly as well as providing a challenging aspect that has been lost in the last 6 releases. It is the last of the games you can use the pad controllers which is appealing to someone like me who is an old school nintendo guy who plays games with his fingers and not thumbs. Newer games are more child-friendly which I am not against but I think EASports would broaden their spectrum and maybe offer an adult and child version. I am 38 and I am what you would consider the first generation of home electronics. Atari, Colleco, Nintendo, Sega... I was weined on these systems... And all games should cater to my generation as we are the ones who put video gaming on the map. Not the World of Warcraft crap you see now. I don't necessarily want to defend the kingdom with some wise-ass kid from Gomi, India. I value home entertainment as a way to unwind, and when I am done turn it off. NASCAR 2005 provides this and the experience is lost in the newer games. Just like the older Tiger Woods games 98-00, they were player friendly and enjoyable. Not frustrating and an incidental waste of time...

What sets this game apart from its peers is the "Create Your Own Driver" area where you design the 3D driver. The after-race taunting and the autograph signing feature to "up" your fan base deserves big props! I shelved 2006 to back-date to continue playing 2005 instead. EA Sports seems to have a knack for the series. It would be great for them to have older series represented, taking us back to drivers, tracks, and paint schemes of the 60's, 70's, and 80's, but they hit a home run every year with Nascar. Another unique feature to this game is the "agent", where he calls you with offers, challenges, etc. to make your game more interactive.

I love this particular season becasue EA has the Fight to the Top mode. You can star as a nobody and work your way up, or just start at the top. There are things on the game that you can do to learn better control and skill. THe overall adaptaion is well. The biggest issue I have is the throttle control. I prefer the thumbwheel controller I have for my PC to race with. Buttons tend to be all or nothing.
Overall it is a game I will play for a while.