Games
Sony
Microsoft
Nintendo
Other Platforms
Upcoming &
Recent Releases
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed games.
NASCAR 2005: Chase for the Cup

Generally favorable reviews
Based on 16 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 1 vote
Read user comments
Rate this game >
Game Info
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: Electronic Arts - Tiburon
Genre(s): Racing, Driving
Players: 4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Release Date: September 4, 2004
Summary
NASCAR 2005: Chase for the Cup challenges you to battle through a groundbreaking new story mode to achieve NASCAR stardom. Start from humble beginnings by earning NASCAR Busch, Craftsman Truck and Featherlite Modified series rides before grabbing million-dollar purses in the NEXTEL Cup Series. Develop your racing skills and intimidate your rivals on the track with all-new controls. Off the track, force the action with post-race confrontations, and settle disputes by racing Americas top production cars through city streets. Fans react to the drama, idolizing both NASCAR heroes and villains, while owners and sponsors recognize talent and reward success. It's up to you to show 'em what you've got. [Electronic Arts]
Also On Metacritic
GAMES: NASCAR Thunder 2003
Cheat Codes & Hints: Cheat Code Central
Also On The Web: GameSpot Preview IGN Preview Official Website
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
GameZone
There are a ton of new options that have been added in too, from intimidating to sharing the draft, friendships and rivalries, and overall the game seems much more realistic than any previous version.
Read Full Review >Nintendojo
As it stands, the depth and longevity of the Race to the Top mode and the excellent play mechanics all add to the overall value of this game.
Read Full Review >Gaming Age
This game is a big step up in visuals compared to the Thunder series of old, which gives even more hope for future titles to come.
Read Full Review >Play Magazine
Thankfully, they took it upon themselves to overhaul the game and create a NASCAR racing experience unlike any other before it. [Oct 2004, p.88]
IGN
It's a game for the masses, to be sure, but it offers more than enough the way of career, offline, and online depth to warrant a purchase for the enthusiast fan, for the diehard "Thunder" lover, and most importantly, for the person who passed up previous console efforts simply because they were not up to par.
Read Full Review >Game Over Online
Theres plenty to do in the career mode, and players will truly enjoy the ability to define their game based on their personal driving style.
Read Full Review >GameSpot
It re-creates the NASCAR experience in spectacular fashion, and all of the included modes, series options, and extras provide an excellent amount of value for the cost.
Read Full Review >Game Informer
EA Tiburon has gone far beyond a simple roster expansion. By making its career mode even more complex, it has succeeded in giving players of all stripes quite a bit to chew on. [Sept 2004, p.102]
Read Full Review >Electronic Gaming Monthly
There are some potholes - the graphics get choppy at times, and the retail-car challenges seem tacked on - but the sheer variety is something that even non-NASCAR fans will find addictive. [Oct 2004, p.98]
GamingWorld X
The online play is a nice addition for PS2 and Xbox owners, but it wouldve been even better if a fuller field of human players was included.
Read Full Review >BonusStage
The game delivers on everything possible, which should make for some happy Southern boys. All of your favorite racers are in tow, but working through your own career really plays out better than expected.
Read Full Review >Nintendo Power
A great feeling of speed and incredible feature depth make Chase for the Cup the best NASCAR game yet. [Nov 2004, p.130]
Stuff
Instead of going with a standard driver, we created a homicidal redneck with the Create-a-Driver option. Well, all we really did was rebuild Dale Jarrett with his old mustache. He just didn't look right without it.
Read Full Review >G4 TV
Theres a real sensation of extreme speed, and even with a large number of cars on-screen, theres only rarely a hint of stuttering or slowdown.
Read Full Review >Yahoo! Games
Sure, the graphics and physics haven't changed, and this year's release beats you over the head with in-game advertising, but the enhanced career mode, online play, and other additions are more than worth the price of admission.
Read Full Review >GamePro
A pack that responds to each race's events is an outstanding concept that should elevate the gameplay, but NASCAR 2005's execution of it is too unbalanced to create the hoped-for effect. [Nov 2004, p.142]
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this game is 7.0 (out of 10) based on 1 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Willaim C gave it a7:
Great graphics, lots of options (cars, drivers) almost every track you can think of. But, I found the cars too difficult to drive. I just goti tired of trying to have fun and sold it on Ebay. But, I still give it a 7 because it does have all the options, graphics, and reality you could hope for, as long as you are willing to work hard.
