Nascar Heat 3 – A Few Laps Around the Track at E3

Nascar Heat 3 brings a ton of new action and the new Xtreme Dirt Tour series to the track when it releases this fall on PC, Xbox One, and PS4.

704Games has just announced that Monster Games will be back on September 7th of this year with the latest of track racing in Nascar Heat 3. The addition of the new Xtreme Dirt Tour with its eight dirt tracks, a new focus on a career mode, and improved online features will be hitting your Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC this fall.

We were fortunate enough to spend some time with 704Games at E3 this year and got to take Nascar Heat 3 for a test drive. While I am by no means a racing expert, I can tell you that our resident motorhead Tony Mino was quite envious of the time I got to spend behind the wheel.

Being the Nascar novice that I am, we went for a few laps in the Nascar Xfinity Series to warm up. Everything is rendered in great detail and the power of modern day hardware becomes obvious when racing around the oval at high speeds without any hiccups. The cars and drivers are all officially licensed, ensuring that your driving experience comes as close to sitting in a real stock car as possible. Tracks are also recreated in great detail to replicate their original counterparts.

As I’m racing around the track, fishtailing more frequently than I’m willing to admit, I chatted with the developers about the new career mode changes being introduced in Nascar Heat 3. Players will be able to start their careers at the very beginning, racing on small local dirt tracks, garnering attention and experience, while honing their skills. Your progression then takes you through the ranks of what Nascar is all about, working your way up through more powerful cars, more prize money, and growing all the way to the top. The career mode is what I am most looking forward to. As someone not as competitive as others in the online racing scene, giving me the option to grow at my own pace is much appreciated. Don’t fret though, if you’re the competitive type that likes to line up against other drivers online, there will be several new online features added, including an online tournament mode. Finally, if merely getting behind the wheel isn’t enough for you, you’ll even be able to manage your own race teams as an owner in Nascar Heat 3.

To finish off my time with Nascar Heat 3, we went off the asphalt and checked out one of the eight new dirt tracks scattered around the globe. The newly added Xtreme Dirt Tour is a fantasy series that adds a new element to the experience. Rest assured when I tell you that racing on these dirt tracks is nothing like the smooth asphalt and gentle gradients of the Nascar ovals you’re used to. You’re going to need to acquire a whole new set of skills to master these tracks.

I came away from my test drive with Nascar Heat 3 enthused about this game and looking forward to its September 7 release. Being new to the series, my experience was eye-opening to see just how much depth there is in the career mode, and how much fun bumping around in a field of souped-up, loud, and fast stock cars can be. Until this fall, be sure to check out the official Nascar Heat website for more information and to stay on top of pre-order specials.