Players receive a challenge rating, but I’m not quite sure what this score is good for. There doesn’t seem to be any reward for getting more than the bare minimum score. How would you like to see this happening in front of you? Oh wait, wrong game. NASCAR Heat 5 and previous titles had all of that. Ever since NASCAR 21: Ignition, each title and the additional update have only been focused on the Cup Series – although, the team has had to develop all-new vehicles.

The Paint Booth is almost exactly ripped from Ignition, with the ability to customize base schemes, place and resize logos and change up the numbers fairly in-depth. This in turn is a step forward compared to last season’s Switch release. The game will also feature the current official teams, drivers and cars. The expected lineup should include the following 36 chartered teams: This continues the trend seen in both the company’s PC and home console NASCAR 21: Ignition game, and the 2021 content in last year’s Switch title, with only the Cup Series included.

Overview

Paint Booth – A completely revamped paint booth allows players to fully cu stomize their Next Gen cars with a wide array of colors, decals, number designs and more Being on a Nintendo Switch with digital controllers, the gas and brake aren’t pressure sensitive in any sense. It’s more of a constant full-on, full-off sensation when pressing the corresponding buttons. A Switch Pro Controller will give more precise inputs. The Hori MK Wheel is not optimized for Rivals.

While NASCAR Heat 4 or 5 weren’t my favorite games for multiple reasons, the foundation was strong enough to withstand a legitimate esports series. The physics are bland, but they work and make sense for the accessible Switch platform.At any level, casual to expert, players can adjust the tight-to-loose slider for the car setup adjustment. There are no custom setups, similar to the way NASCAR 21: Ignition has it, there is merely a slider that makes the car turn more (and possibly spin more) or turn less (and probably be harder to turn). CAREER MODE TIPS I’ve looked over the Challenge mode up and down and I can’t make heads or tails of what some of these challenges are trying to imply. For older NASCAR racing games, with challenge-like systems in place, the driver whose car you’d be getting in would be the challenging driver. In this one, you drive the challenger’s car. In this one, you don’t. This new game includes the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season. You’ll find all the current drivers, teams, schedule and cars in the form of the NASCAR Next Gen. I’d argue this game gives Motorsport Games a little bit of momentum as well. Solid if unspectacular NASCAR Rivals is a racing video game simulating the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season. It was developed by Motorsport Games and was released on October 14, 2022 exclusively for the Nintendo Switch. [1] Gameplay [ edit ] Features [ edit ]

A proven title, NASCAR Heat 5, which was published by Motorsport Games and developed by 704 Games, is still utilized today by gaming race fans. That’s part of the reason why Heat 5, released in 2020, will get the 2022 update in the near future. Returning to the game is the drafting help feature. No buttons necessary, it automatically appears when a friendly driver gets in front of or behind the player. Adversaries will also look to trip you up, Denny Hamlin on Ross Chastain style. Don’t make too many enemies out there otherwise, they may turn into ‘rivals’. It’s in the game’s name, after all… Career Mode – Join an existing NASCAR Cup Series team or create your own in a Career Mode that allows you to build your legacy and compete for the NASCAR Cup Series title While these options allow for more complex scheme creations, it would have been nice to include some pre-made bases or the ability to share online. It’s a minor gripe I shared when Ignition was released. GOOD OL’ FRIENDLY, AND RIVALED, COMPETITION This is an online race, hence why Loris Hezemans is leading and Tom is listed as the driver of Chase Elliott’s car. There are 20 of them, ranging from trying to work to the lead, trying to maintain the lead, missing accidents and much more all in between. Some are a good deal of fun, while others feel nearly impossible to complete.Fundamentally, Rivals isn’t groundbreaking, more of a serviceable upgrade. In this respect, it’s no different than what EA Sports with its Madden franchise or 2K with its NBA franchise put out on a yearly basis – essentially the same game, just updated with some new features and content pertaining to the year. Character Creator – Customize your own driver by adjusting the appearance, firesuit , and more. Complete with updated sponsor logos Multiplayer is also a battleground to partake in, but these aren’t AI rivals, these are real people. Well, that’s unless you turn on AI, then they’ll still be computer opponents… Split Screen Multiplayer – Battle head-to-head against your friends in full race weekends with AI or on your own

I’ve talked about the peripheries, but how does the Switch controller hold up against previous titles? Is it at least a fun game to drive? The answer is sure, if you’ve enjoyed the previous NASCAR Heat titles. Another welcome return to the titular NASCAR title for the year – something Heat always had – a custom lobby system. Graphics have been updated from NASCAR Heat Ultimate Edition+. They’re pretty decent for a Nintendo Switch title. I think that’s the biggest takeaway for NASCAR fans – having a working game after last year. It wheel-y was a shame that this combination didn’t work better.