NASCAR Heat 3

NASCAR Heat 3 is a racing video game simulating the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series and feeder competitions. It was developed by Monster Games and published by 704Games. It is the sequel to NASCAR Heat 2, and was released in North America and Europe on September 7, 2018 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Microsoft Windows via Steam.[1] Hendrick Motorsports drivers Jimmie Johnson (his first cover since NASCAR The Game 2011 and NASCAR 06 Total Team Control), Chase Elliott, Alex Bowman and William Byron are featured on the cover.[2] The game features a new fictional Dirt late model series titled the Xtreme Dirt series which is part of an enhanced career mode.[3]

NASCAR Heat 3
Cover art featuring Hendrick Motorsports drivers
Developer(s)Monster Games
Publisher(s)704Games
SeriesNASCAR Heat
EngineUnity
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows
PlayStation 4
Xbox One
Release
  • NA: September 7, 2018
  • EU: September 7, 2018
Genre(s)Racing
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Gameplay

Career

Like NASCAR Heat 2, the career mode option for the game includes the option to play in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Additions for the third installment include a new fictional Dirt late model series and the option to manage your own team in NASCAR national series competition.[4] The Xtreme Dirt Tour emulates the feel of local dirt track racing, with a variety of new tracks. Notable new tracks include a dirt version of Bristol Motor Speedway (which before it was run in both the Cup and Truck series in 2021 and is only playable for the Xtreme Dirt Tour) and tracks that originally featured in NASCAR: Dirt to Daytona that have received graphical updates.[5] The Charlotte Motor Speedway road course is also available to play at in the Bank of America Roval 400 event.[6]

Esports

In 2019, NASCAR, the Race Team Alliance and 704Games created the eNASCAR Heat Pro League, an esports league for NH3. Interested players needed to qualify for a draft through a special set of online races. The draft was made up of teams owned by prominent NASCAR figures.[7] Efforts were made to bring in nontraditional NASCAR demographics, such as shorter races.[8]

Downloadable content

As part of the cover deal, Hendrick Motorsports released free DLC packs after the game's release. Paid DLC packs were available from publisher 704Games.[5]

Online servers

On April 30, 2021, the online servers for NASCAR Heat 2 and NASCAR Heat 3 were shut down.[9]

Soundtrack
Song Artist
"Left Turn" Cody Hicks
"Can't Hurt Me Anymore" The Dirty Soul Revival
"All In" Naked Walrus
"Road Trippin'" The Lows
"Revels" Joe Mansman and the Midnight Revival Band
"Black Dagger" The Pink Spiders
"The More You Know" The Dollar Bill Murrays
"Shelter" Scattered Helmet
"Can't Keep Up" Fire Fences
"Nowhere Fast" Loyal Thieves
"Bigger & Better" Sweet Ascent
"Shine" Moonlighting
"Dirt Track Bandit" Bone Feather
"Never Enough" Wild Adriatic
"Highway Tune" Greta Van Fleet
"Slide" The Cadillac Three
"Motorvate" The Pack A.D.
"Fed to the Lions" Tax The Heat

Reception

NASCAR Heat 3 received "mixed or average" reviews according to review aggregator Metacritic.

Matthew Kato of Game Informer stated that while the game did have the needed NASCAR feel to it, it was lacking just about everywhere else, including rivalries, paint schemes, graphics, improved yet faulty AI, online, gameplay, and career mode.[14]

Awards

The game was nominated for "Game, Franchise Racing" at the National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers Awards.[15]

References
  1. Errington, Tom (July 7, 2018). "NASCAR Heat 3 game release date revealed". Autosport. Archived from the original on July 11, 2018. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
  2. Khan, Zarmena (July 8, 2018). "NASCAR Heat 3 Releasing on Consoles and PC This September". PlayStation LifeStyle. Archived from the original on July 12, 2018. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
  3. Smith, Rebecca (July 10, 2018). "NASCAR Heat 3 Gets Xtreme Dirt Tour". TrueAchievements. Archived from the original on July 12, 2018. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
  4. "704Games Announces details, cover for NASCAR Heat 3, coming Sept. 7". NASCAR.com. July 7, 2018. Archived from the original on July 12, 2018. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
  5. Good, Owen S. (July 7, 2018). "NASCAR Heat 3 deals the dirt to consoles this fall". Polygon. Archived from the original on July 12, 2018. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
  6. Beaver, Dan (July 8, 2018). "NASCAR Heat 3 available in September". Yahoo! Sports. Archived from the original on July 13, 2018. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
  7. "NASCAR, RTA, 704Games announce eSports League". NASCAR.com. December 6, 2018. Archived from the original on February 17, 2019. Retrieved February 17, 2019.
  8. Good, Owen S. (January 2, 2019). "The newest esports league might be the future of stock car racing". Polygon. Archived from the original on February 17, 2019. Retrieved February 17, 2019.
  9. "Sunsetting NASCAR Heat 2 and NASCAR Heat 3 Online Servers". 704Games. 16 April 2021. Archived from the original on 25 June 2021. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
  10. "NASCAR Heat 3 for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on February 16, 2022. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  11. "NASCAR Heat 3 for Xbox One Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on February 16, 2022. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  12. Kato, Matthew (9 September 2018). "NASCAR Heat 4 Review – Finding Some Grip". Game Informer. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  13. Wells, Cory (12 September 2018). "Review: NASCAR Heat 4". Hardcore Gamer. Archived from the original on 15 February 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  14. Kato, Matthew. "NASCAR Heat 3 Review - Finding Some Grip". Game Informer. Retrieved 2022-02-15.
  15. "Nominee List for 2018". National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers. February 11, 2019. Archived from the original on February 13, 2019. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
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