The last official NASCAR game didn’t do well at all, on the contrary. No one seems to have liked NASCAR 21: Ignition, neither the media, nor the fans of the series. But that’s ok because a new NASCAR game has just been announced, and this one promises to bring users “authentic and customizable racing experiences.”
There’s just one problem though, it will be available on Nintendo Switch only, at least at launch. NASCAR Rivals is the next officially licensed NASCAR game that fans of the genre will be able to play this year. Prior to launching on October 14, the game will be available for pre-order beginning August 24 via the Nintendo eShop for $50.
“NASCAR Rivals is Motorsport Games’ latest racing experience that meets fans where they are, giving real-life drivers and NASCAR fans alike the ability to take it on the go. As we continue to work alongside NASCAR to grow its gaming franchise, we’re excited to give players the opportunity to out-do themselves on the track wherever they are thanks to the Switch’s portability,” said Dmitry Kozko, CEO of Motorsport Games.
Unfortunately, the official announcement doesn’t come with any gameplay footage or screenshots, although a trailer has been released for your viewing pleasure.
On the bright side, we do have a lot of information about NASCAR Rivals, such as the fact that players will be able to compete and race in a variety of different modes, including Race Now, Career Mode, and Challenges.
Photo: Motorsport Games
In Race Now mode players can simply pick any driver and team, and race at any track on the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series circuit. It’s the faster way to get into the game if you don’t have time for a multiplayer race or advance into Career Mode.
As far as Career Mode goes, this is self-explanatory. You can either join an existing team or create one of your own if you want to leave your mark in the sport, customizing your driver in the process.
On the other hand, Challenges is a rather unique mode that puts players into scenarios inspired by real-life on-track events, challenging them to see if they have what it takes to complete them.
The game will also feature a Multiplayer mode featuring multiple options for challenging other players on the track. For example, players will be able to race against their friends in Split Screen mode or race online against 15 other players anywhere in the world. A third option, Local Multiplayer, will allow players to race against up to seven other players on a local network.
The customization aspect involves the creation of custom and unique schemes using the enhanced “Paint Booth” feature, which is supposed to give players a slew of customization options. Additionally, developers announced that unique driver avatars can be created with a wide range of appearances, as well as sponsor logos and much more.
Photo: Motorsport Games
Developed by Motorsport Games, the same studio behind a couple of other NASCAR titles, including NASCAR Heat 4, NASCAR Heat 5, as well as the (in)famous NASCAR 21: Ignition. Judging by the tone of the announcement, it looks like NASCAR Rivals has been specifically designed for Nintendo Switch, so it’s probably not going to be ported to other platforms.
“Fans now have the ability to take NASCAR with them and compete against their rivals anywhere they go, be that at the racetrack, at home and everywhere in between.”
But that’s quite alright since there are probably other NASCAR games in the works at Motorsport Games, a studio that has basically specialized in this type of games. If you own a Nintendo Switch and love NASCAR game, you might want to wait for some gameplay footage before pre-ordering this though.
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