NASCAR The Game 2011
Encyclopedia
NASCAR The Game: 2011, also known as NASCAR 2011: The Game, is the first edition of the NASCAR The Game racing simulator series. Developed by Eutechnyx
and published by Activision
, it was released for PlayStation 3
and Xbox 360
on March 29, 2011, then for Wii
on May 24. It is the first NASCAR game since the contract between EA Sports
and NASCAR
expired (not including Gran Turismo 5
). The game also features online races for 16-players. A damage model is included with cars catapulting into the air and barrel-rolling over others. All of the 23 Sprint Cup Series race tracks are featured in the game. Eutechnyx later announced 43 drivers were added to the game, as well as some other drivers who compete in the Nationwide Series and the Camping World Truck Series.
. One of the features is a career mode, which lets players compete at all the tracks on the 2010 schedule and compete for a Sprint Cup Series championship. The game also features ferocious damage caused by accidents on the track. Some types of the accidents include catapulting cars into the air and barrel-rolling over others. It shows fragments of the car, commonly called debris, scattered across the track. The feature allows all areas of the car to display damage build up realistically, in relation to the impacts during the race. Its is also planned to have enhanced AI
to compare with the characteristics of actual drivers. The player will also be able to tune and adjust their car's handling
, and change the paint color, decals, number and sponsor logos. The controls and HUD
will be completely customizable as well. There will also be a scrolling ticker across the top of the screen during a race that often updates. It includes the amount of time behind leader also.
Other features on the game includes pit stop
s and spotters. The pit stop feature displays the pit crew changing the tires and fueling the car. Pit stops average 14 seconds. Each animation was actually photographed from real Sprint Cup Series teams. The spotter feature informs the player of the drivers in the race that assists them, such as bump drafting, blocking, and slingshot. The spotter will also alert the player of any hazards happening ahead, as well as behind. Furthermore, the spotter has calculated suggestions on pit strategy, such as fuel level, tire wear, the number of laps remaining, and the player's position in the race and in the point standings. The game has an interactive celebration mode where players can do burnouts and your victory lap
, as well. In the feature the player also has the ability to get out of their car and excite the crowd, as well as doing a back flip off their car in the winner’s circle. In the game, players can earn NASCAR experience points to unlock rewards. Some rewards include, decal packs, special car designs, as well as career sponsorships and special races throughout career mode.
Similar with the 2010 season, the game features all 22 tracks that the Sprint Cup Series compete on, with the addition of Kentucky Speedway
, which is scheduled to hold a race in 2011. The game includes 43 competitors, however only 40 have competed in the Sprint Cup Series. Most notably, Regan Smith
, Tony Raines
, and Joe Nemechek
are absent from the game. Jennifer Jo Cobb
, Danica Patrick
, and Ryan Truex
have yet to compete in the Cup series. Other drivers such as Aric Almirola
, Todd Bodine
, and Michael Waltrip
only attempted a few races during the previous season. One object of contention is that some drivers pilot cars representative of schemes driven in other series or use real companies that don't sponsor their given team.
and Eutechnyx
, even though there were rumors of a new NASCAR game since the expiration of NASCAR's contract with EA Sports
. The announcement included the platforms the game will be compatible with, such as PlayStation 3
, Xbox 360
, and Wii
. On October 3, 2010 the first game trailer was introduced on the Speed's NASCAR Race Day
show. Since then many screenshots have been released. On January 11, 2011, the box cover for the game was released.
The game's first announced release date was February 15, 2011, however developers announced a six week delay in January 2011 and a new release date of March 29, 2011. Developers cited the need to include additional features, test for bugs, and tweak the gameplay as their reasoning for the delay. However, the Wii version of the game, was delayed further to May 24, 2011. Like in the EA Sports games, there are no alchoholic sponsors. Also, Kevin Harvick
's 2010 sponsor, Shell
/Pennzoil
, is omitted from the game, instead being replaced with RCR logos (the 2011 alternate (Jimmy John's and Rheem) liveries were not available in development; the 2011 primary scheme is an alcohol scheme).
gave the game a 6.0/10, citing that, "When the game finds its groove, it delivers a good sense of enjoyable tension that rewards smart, controlled driving. Unfortunately, the more deeply you dig, the deeper the hole NASCAR 2011 digs itself into." The reviewer, Kevin VanOrd, criticized the faulty online play and the erratic caution flags. Game Industry News reviewer Todd Hargosh gave the game 3 out of 5 "gems", stating that the game overall was a "freshman effort" for Eutechnyx. IGN
gave a similar review, rating it 6.0/10However, The Wii version reviews were mostly negative. IGN gave the game a 4.5/10, stating that "even if you bleed NASCAR, NASCAR The Game 2011 simply doesn't deliver. While it offers up some fun, the lack of control finesse, poor graphics, and missing customization make it one to pass up."
Eutechnyx
Eutechnyx is a computer and video games developer, founded in 1987 as Zeppelin Games and also briefly known as Merit Studios Europe. They are based in Dunston, Gateshead in the United Kingdom...
and published by Activision
Activision
Activision is an American publisher, majority owned by French conglomerate Vivendi SA. Its current CEO is Robert Kotick. It was founded on October 1, 1979 and was the world's first independent developer and distributor of video games for gaming consoles...
, it was released for PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
and Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
on March 29, 2011, then for Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
on May 24. It is the first NASCAR game since the contract between EA Sports
EA Sports
EA Sports is a brand of Electronic Arts that creates and develops sports video games. Formerly a marketing gimmick of Electronic Arts, in which they tried to mimic real-life sports networks by calling themselves "EA Sports Network" with pictures or endorsements of real commentators such as John...
and NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
expired (not including Gran Turismo 5
Gran Turismo 5
is the fifth edition of the Gran Turismo racing video game series. Developed by Polyphony Digital and published by Sony Computer Entertainment, it was released for PlayStation 3 on November 24, 2010...
). The game also features online races for 16-players. A damage model is included with cars catapulting into the air and barrel-rolling over others. All of the 23 Sprint Cup Series race tracks are featured in the game. Eutechnyx later announced 43 drivers were added to the game, as well as some other drivers who compete in the Nationwide Series and the Camping World Truck Series.
Features
NASCAR The Game: 2011 is the first game relating to NASCAR from EutechnyxEutechnyx
Eutechnyx is a computer and video games developer, founded in 1987 as Zeppelin Games and also briefly known as Merit Studios Europe. They are based in Dunston, Gateshead in the United Kingdom...
. One of the features is a career mode, which lets players compete at all the tracks on the 2010 schedule and compete for a Sprint Cup Series championship. The game also features ferocious damage caused by accidents on the track. Some types of the accidents include catapulting cars into the air and barrel-rolling over others. It shows fragments of the car, commonly called debris, scattered across the track. The feature allows all areas of the car to display damage build up realistically, in relation to the impacts during the race. Its is also planned to have enhanced AI
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
to compare with the characteristics of actual drivers. The player will also be able to tune and adjust their car's handling
Car handling
Automobile handling and vehicle handling are descriptions of the way wheeled vehicles perform transverse to their direction of motion, particularly during cornering and swerving. It also includes their stability when moving at rest. Handling and braking are the major components of a vehicle's...
, and change the paint color, decals, number and sponsor logos. The controls and HUD
HUD (video gaming)
In video gaming, the HUD is the method by which information is visually relayed to the player as part of a game's user interface...
will be completely customizable as well. There will also be a scrolling ticker across the top of the screen during a race that often updates. It includes the amount of time behind leader also.
Other features on the game includes pit stop
Pit stop
In motorsports, a pit stop is where a racing vehicle stops in the pits during a race for refuelling, new tires, repairs, mechanical adjustments, a driver change, or any combination of the above...
s and spotters. The pit stop feature displays the pit crew changing the tires and fueling the car. Pit stops average 14 seconds. Each animation was actually photographed from real Sprint Cup Series teams. The spotter feature informs the player of the drivers in the race that assists them, such as bump drafting, blocking, and slingshot. The spotter will also alert the player of any hazards happening ahead, as well as behind. Furthermore, the spotter has calculated suggestions on pit strategy, such as fuel level, tire wear, the number of laps remaining, and the player's position in the race and in the point standings. The game has an interactive celebration mode where players can do burnouts and your victory lap
Victory lap
A victory lap is a term used in motorsports to describe an extra lap of the race track after the conclusion of a race. This lap, driven at reduced speed, allows the winning driver to celebrate his or her victory and gives the spectators an opportunity to congratulate and honor the competitors...
, as well. In the feature the player also has the ability to get out of their car and excite the crowd, as well as doing a back flip off their car in the winner’s circle. In the game, players can earn NASCAR experience points to unlock rewards. Some rewards include, decal packs, special car designs, as well as career sponsorships and special races throughout career mode.
Similar with the 2010 season, the game features all 22 tracks that the Sprint Cup Series compete on, with the addition of Kentucky Speedway
Kentucky Speedway
Kentucky Speedway is a tri-oval speedway in Sparta, Kentucky, which has hosted ARCA, NASCAR and Indy Racing League racing annually since it opened in 2000. The track is currently owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports, Inc. and Jerry Carroll, who, along with four other investors, owned...
, which is scheduled to hold a race in 2011. The game includes 43 competitors, however only 40 have competed in the Sprint Cup Series. Most notably, Regan Smith
Regan Smith
Regan Smith is a NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #78 Furniture Row Chevrolet Impala for Furniture Row Racing.-Beginnings:...
, Tony Raines
Tony Raines
Floyd Anthony Raines is an American race car driver. He is a former National Touring Series champion in the now defunct American Speed Association and 1999 Rookie of the Year in the NASCAR Nationwide Series...
, and Joe Nemechek
Joe Nemechek
Joseph Frank Nemechek III is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver and owner of NEMCO Motorsports. He won the 1992 Busch Series championship...
are absent from the game. Jennifer Jo Cobb
Jennifer Jo Cobb
Jennifer Jo Cobb is a race car driver and team owner. She has competed in the NASCAR Nationwide Series along with the ARCA Remax Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. She drives the 13 Ford Mustang for her own team Jennifer Jo Cobb Racing in the Nationwide Series-History:She started...
, Danica Patrick
Danica Patrick
Danica Sue Patrick is an American auto racing driver, model and advertising spokeswoman. She is the most successful woman in the history of American open-wheel racing, being the only woman to win in the IndyCar Series as well as holding the highest finish by a woman at the Indianapolis 500 of 3rd...
, and Ryan Truex
Ryan Truex
Ryan Truex is a NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #20 Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Nationwide Series.-Early Racing Career:...
have yet to compete in the Cup series. Other drivers such as Aric Almirola
Aric Almirola
Aric A. Almirola is a Cuban-American stock car driver in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. He currently drives the #88 Unilever/Grand Touring Vodka Chevrolet Impala for JR Motorsports. Almirola attended the University of Central Florida working on a degree in mechanical engineering before leaving to...
, Todd Bodine
Todd Bodine
Todd Bodine is a NASCAR driver. Todd is the younger brother of former racers Geoff Bodine and Brett Bodine. Bodine is known for his bald head, which has given him the nickname The Onion...
, and Michael Waltrip
Michael Waltrip
Michael Curtis Waltrip is a semi-former professional race car driver, co-owner of Michael Waltrip Racing, and a published author. He is the younger brother of three-time NASCAR champion and racing commentator Darrell Waltrip. Waltrip is a two-time winner of the Daytona 500; having won the race in...
only attempted a few races during the previous season. One object of contention is that some drivers pilot cars representative of schemes driven in other series or use real companies that don't sponsor their given team.
Soundtrack
The following songs and bands/singers are featured in the game.| Artist | Song |
|---|---|
| ZZ Top ZZ Top ZZ Top is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "That Little Ol' Band from Texas". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based boogie rock, has come to incorporate elements of arena, southern, and boogie rock. The band, from Houston Texas, formed in 1969... |
"La Grange La Grange (song) "La Grange" is a song by the rock group ZZ Top from their album Tres Hombres, released in 1973. One of their most successful songs, it was released in 1973 and received extensive radio play, rising to #41 in the Billboard Pop Singles list in 1974. The song refers to a bordello on the outskirts of... " |
| Stereomud Stereomud Stereomud was an alternative metal band from New York/Georgia. They were active from years 2001 to 2003 before breaking up, releasing two albums - Perfect Self and Every Given Moment.-History:... |
"Show Me Every Given Moment Every Given Moment is the second album by hard rock band Stereomud. It was released on March 4, 2003 through Loud Records and was manufactured via Columbia Records. The album was the follow-up to their 2001 debut album, Perfect Self, but this album did not impress critics and the band broke up soon... " |
| Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Black Rebel Motorcycle Club is an American rock band from San Francisco, California, now based in Los Angeles. BRMC is known for their garage rock, blues, folk revival, neo-psychedelia sound. They are influenced by bands such as: The Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Verve, The Rolling Stones, Oasis, T... |
"Mama Taught Me Better Beat the Devil's Tattoo Beat the Devil's Tattoo is the sixth album by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, released on March 8, 2010 in Europe and on March 9, 2010 in North America. It is the second full-length on the band's own Abstract Dragon label, in partnership with Vagrant Records and Cooperative Music Group... " |
| Submersed Submersed Submersed was an American rock band from Stephenville, Texas. They disbanded in 2008.-History:Submersed was signed to Wind-up Records, and worked with Alter Bridge guitarist Mark Tremonti on its debut studio album, In Due Time, which featured the singles "You Run", "Hollow", and the title track... |
"Better Think Again Immortal Verses -B-sides:#"You Know Everything"#"Lonely Road"#"Everything"#"Keep You Waiting"#"Guilty Pleasure"#"Inquisition"#"Inside These Songs"#"My Pen Is Mightier"#"Messenger"#"See You In Heaven"#"We Stand Alone"#"Best Of Me "#"Coward "... " |
| 12 Stones 12 Stones 12 Stones is a rock band that was formed in 2000 in Mandeville, Louisiana. They have collectively sold more than 2 million records.-History:The four band members met in Mandeville, Louisiana, a small suburb north of New Orleans, and within 15 months were signed to a record deal with Wind-up Records... |
"Anthem for the Underdog Anthem for the Underdog -Bonus tracks:All songs written and composed by Paul McCoy and Justin Rimer# "Once in a Lifetime" – 3:51 # "It Was You" – 3:28 -Singles:#"Lie To Me"#"Adrenaline"#"Anthem For The Underdog"... " |
| Slaughter Slaughter (band) Slaughter is an American heavy metal band formed in Las Vegas, Nevada by lead vocalist/rhythm guitarist Mark Slaughter and bassist Dana Strum. The band reached stardom in 1990 with their first album, Stick It to Ya which spawned several hit singles including "Up All Night", "Spend My Life", "Mad... |
"The Wild Life" |
| Rivers Monroe | "Meteors" |
| Lisa Palleschi | "Go!" |
| Shovelhook | "Get Up" |
Development
The game was officially announced on September 29, 2010 by ActivisionActivision
Activision is an American publisher, majority owned by French conglomerate Vivendi SA. Its current CEO is Robert Kotick. It was founded on October 1, 1979 and was the world's first independent developer and distributor of video games for gaming consoles...
and Eutechnyx
Eutechnyx
Eutechnyx is a computer and video games developer, founded in 1987 as Zeppelin Games and also briefly known as Merit Studios Europe. They are based in Dunston, Gateshead in the United Kingdom...
, even though there were rumors of a new NASCAR game since the expiration of NASCAR's contract with EA Sports
EA Sports
EA Sports is a brand of Electronic Arts that creates and develops sports video games. Formerly a marketing gimmick of Electronic Arts, in which they tried to mimic real-life sports networks by calling themselves "EA Sports Network" with pictures or endorsements of real commentators such as John...
. The announcement included the platforms the game will be compatible with, such as PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, and Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
. On October 3, 2010 the first game trailer was introduced on the Speed's NASCAR Race Day
NASCAR Race Day
NASCAR Race Day is a tabletop game with aspects of both miniatures and collectible card genres. The creators of the game, WizKids, dubbed it a "Constructible Racing Game".- Description :...
show. Since then many screenshots have been released. On January 11, 2011, the box cover for the game was released.
The game's first announced release date was February 15, 2011, however developers announced a six week delay in January 2011 and a new release date of March 29, 2011. Developers cited the need to include additional features, test for bugs, and tweak the gameplay as their reasoning for the delay. However, the Wii version of the game, was delayed further to May 24, 2011. Like in the EA Sports games, there are no alchoholic sponsors. Also, Kevin Harvick
Kevin Harvick
Kevin Michael Harvick is an American stock car auto racing race car driver and car owner currently competing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for Richard Childress Racing, driving the No. 29 Budweiser/Jimmy John's/Rheem/Okuma/Realtree Outdoors/Bad Boy Buggies Chevrolet Impala...
's 2010 sponsor, Shell
Royal Dutch Shell
Royal Dutch Shell plc , commonly known as Shell, is a global oil and gas company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands and with its registered office in London, United Kingdom. It is the fifth-largest company in the world according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine and one of the six...
/Pennzoil
Pennzoil
Pennzoil is an American oil company founded in Los Angeles, California in 1913. In 1955, it was acquired by Oil City, Pennsylvania company South Penn Oil, a former branch of Standard Oil. In 1963, South Penn Oil merged with Zapata Petroleum; the merged company took the Pennzoil name. During the...
, is omitted from the game, instead being replaced with RCR logos (the 2011 alternate (Jimmy John's and Rheem) liveries were not available in development; the 2011 primary scheme is an alcohol scheme).
Reception
The game overall has received mixed reviews. GameSpotGameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
gave the game a 6.0/10, citing that, "When the game finds its groove, it delivers a good sense of enjoyable tension that rewards smart, controlled driving. Unfortunately, the more deeply you dig, the deeper the hole NASCAR 2011 digs itself into." The reviewer, Kevin VanOrd, criticized the faulty online play and the erratic caution flags. Game Industry News reviewer Todd Hargosh gave the game 3 out of 5 "gems", stating that the game overall was a "freshman effort" for Eutechnyx. IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
gave a similar review, rating it 6.0/10However, The Wii version reviews were mostly negative. IGN gave the game a 4.5/10, stating that "even if you bleed NASCAR, NASCAR The Game 2011 simply doesn't deliver. While it offers up some fun, the lack of control finesse, poor graphics, and missing customization make it one to pass up."