NASCAR Sim fans are in for a real treat over the next few months, we are about to receive two of the most groundbreaking simulations ever released. We have all heard about how most of the people that used to work for Papyrus are now working for Hasbro. We have all seen screen shots from papyrus showing the wonderful graphics and stills of the physics for NASCAR 4, and we have all heard how NASCAR Heat will combine the best of the arcade styles of racing as well as a true simulation. NASCAR 4 and NASCAR Heat, created by Papyrus and Hasbro respectively, will offer the most advanced car physics models, the most advanced driving AI, and lots of eye candy, flips and crashes. As racing and PC game fans we really can't help but be excited for the prospects to come, but as true hard core simulation fans, the number one question we are asking is how good will it be, really? Let's start to answer this question by looking a little closer at the first game to be released this year, Hasbro's NASCAR Heat.

We have all heard over and over on all of the other gaming sites that have reviewed this title about how they are mixing a sim and arcade racing game to satisfy all audiences, and then we mostly hear about the arcade fans, not the hardcore sim fans. It is very difficult to judge the potential of a game when the reviewer has no real interest in what we all really want and look for. Hasbro realizes how important we are, and gave nascarnet.com the opportunity to review the press release of NASCAR Heat to let the true sim fan's interest be realized. We appreciate this opportunity and would like to give Hasbro one star for this action. All too often we are overlooked as a given, and more effort is put into the others. Thank you especially to Owen Justice of MGI for helping us to get our hands on this CD.

A few months ago we received the first press release teaser, and it was just that, a teaser. It only had a few tracks, limited AI, no damage, and little control over driving styles. Although I had promised a review then, I knew it just wasn't full enough to really spark interest. Recently we received the latest build of NASCAR Heat to look at. The added functionality really makes this sim look like it will shine in all aspects. In this review I will try to touch on several key features, although I know I will leave several other features of interest out, so please direct any questions over to the forum where I will do my best to answer all of them. Throughout this review I will touch three main features, car physics, AI, and eye-candy/extras, all of which will involve that of the expert and advanced mode of the game. The overall functionality of a racing sim is there (or at least will be by release) and need only be mentioned briefly. The basic options for racing include a championship season, multiplayer (which will be included in the final release but is not in this one), and of course the single race. There are to be 19 tracks included in the final release, this includes the big D, both night and day. Daytona was included in this version, and I can't even explain my excitement when I saw it, I figured I must not have been reading things correctly. A