Others say...

"Don't waste your money"
This is a great game. One huge problem. It seems once you reach a certain number of laps run, the system locks up your profile and you cannot restart game. I have lost my profile and all of my achievements twice. Once I started looking into the problem I found several web sites where many people have experienced the same problem. Initially I thought my hard drive was the problem, but I have no problems with any other games. There is a major flaw with this game that EA sports does not appear to be doing anything about! DO NOT BUY THIS GAME!

"Finally EA comes close to racing perfection"
It's been quite a while since I've played a NASCAR game that I've liked, dating back to the old PC game that was much more simulation that simple game. Electronic Arts (EA) has the license for NASCAR games on console systems, so if they don't deliver or if you aren't happy with what they have delivered you're left doing what I've had to do over the last several years -- skip it. Not so this season! Finally NASCAR racing that is challenging, yet not overly so, and still F-U-N.
In previous incarnations, at least over the last few years, the game was challenging, but not in a good way. For example, in NASCAR08 beginners (like I normally am) were easily frustrated as the computer controlled (artificial intelligence or a.i.) drivers were very aggressive and would spin out human drivers in an instant. Instead of avoiding wrecks, the a.i. drivers would simply barrel on through the human driver and end your race. NASCAR07 had problems and frustrations of it's own and failed to deliver a product that could be recommended for purchase.
NASCAR09 has taken much of the best of previous versions and put the fun back in the game for novice level players. It is much easier to set fair and realistic competitive levels for the computer controlled drivers and thanks to that even a novice can grab the game and run a fun race.
NASCAR09 brings a Madden like reputation system to the game that lets players build up their reputation and gain rewards for doing so. In the career mode gamers sign team and sponsor contracts and again get rewards for completing the obligations that those contracts bring. Basically, if you complete your contracts you'll get performance points that are used to improve how well your vehicle performs on the various track types. In addition to gaining points from completing contracts you'll earn points from completing tasks in the Sprint Driver Challenges mode -- a series of 'mini-games' that help you get familiar with the game's controls and performance of the various vehicles.
There are a few areas where the game could be improved, and eventually make it 'the perfect racing game'. For example, bringing back some variation of the team control mode of a few years back would be such a place. In addition, the game really needs to include another variation of the drivers reputation system, in this case a reputation system for driver agressiveness and grudges -- if a driver is too agressive and is too dangerous on the track, at least to other drivers, the a.i. drivers should take take note and vary their style to try to take revenge and offer some payback.
Thanks EA for finally offering a fun and highly playable NASCAR game, it's a honor to be able to recommend this one for purchase for racing fans. Once you do get the game go along with the intro modes and jump into the Sprint Driver Challenges. You'll be amazed at how quickly time passes as you enjoy playing the game.


"Game is Flawed"
I usually do write reviews, but knowing that no one has posted a review about the freezing issues, IMO tells gamers the game is good. Please before purchasing this title check the forums and you will notice that everyone is experiencing this problem. Just giving everyone a heads up, thx

"Much better than '08"
I became a Nascar fan two years ago and I anxiously picked up nascar 08. It was a fun game, and after a while it was enjoyable. The controls were very touchy. Nascar 09 is a much better step up. Its easier to figure out what you want and even though I hate Jeff Gordon he helps you get your career started. The graphics are amazing on my elite 1080p. The controls are not as touchy and I am almost through a whole craftsman season and I find myself putting the controls on hard. If you are a fan of racing games i suggest this game, it is truly realistic. Now, I only want the xbox steering wheel to make it the most true racing experience yet. Buy 09.

"Kenny"
When compared to last year's game, this was year's game was bound to be an improvement. I wasn't expecting much. I've learned not to. Regardless, I found that this year's edition of NASCAR is one of my all-time favorites. It's playable, but not easy.

Let's start with the graphics. They are fantastic. The sun glimmers off of the asphalt. Imperfections can be seen in the track, including cracks in the painted lines and bumps on the SAFER barriers. The grandstands are not the most detailed, but once your car gets out on the track, it makes little difference. There are some flaws. For example, when you are on the backstretch at Dover, there is a buggy shadow that moves along the outside wall, but it's a great looking game overall.

The audio is decent, yet unspectacular. The stock cars sound like stock cars. The crowd sounds like a crowd.

Now onto gameplay. There is a great deal of customization, so you're bound to find a setting that works well for you. I found that the auto-braking made going around the corners easy, but it prevented me from accelerating off of the corner like I wanted it to. Also, it made the game a little too easy. I found that using manual braking with a low level of stability and traction control made the cars handle best. You still had to exhibit skill negotiating the corners, but it made the cars stable enough that you weren't wrecking on the straightaways, a noted problem last year. In short, the cars drive really well, and it's possible to have side-by-side racing this year, which is really, really fun. On the flip side, they don't handle so well that you can just dirt track through the corners. I like to drive off my right-rear tire, but if I'm not careful, I can use up my tires very easily. Even the loosest race car will begin to plow at the end of a run if the tires are abused. The pit road adjustments can help, however. The air pressure, wedge, and trackbar adjustments work well, allowing me to drive deeply into the corners, roll through the center, and get back in the gas early. I have had bad handling race cars, yet I've been able to get them right with adjustments in the pits. The key is to get your car handling well that you can negotiate the corners without burning up your tires. Another plus about this game is that it is important that you take care of your stuff.

The AI, on the other hand, has never been a strong point in EA's versions of NASCAR, and it's not great here, either. It hampers the overall feel of the game. It is tough to avoid bumping another car, and the game will black flag you for it. I got black-flagged for getting hit in the rear end at Martinsville. When I play a NASCAR game, I want it to be as close to an actual race as possilbe. On the good side, there have been races where I've been a 2nd place car and finished 2nd. That's good. I've been able to run down the leader, only to watch the car behind me pass me and pull away. That's good. You'll see that during a real race. What I don't like is when I take the lead, all of the sudden everybody gets faster. The lapped cars blow by me and pull away. If I'm on the pole, I can never pull away. I never seem to catch the tail end of the field, yet if I fall back to second, I'll hit lapped traffic right away. If I short pit, I'm light years faster than the field when I leave pit road, giving me a prime opportunity to make up 10 or so seconds on the track (yes, you read that right). With my new 10 second lead, I'll find myself back in second within 10 or 15 laps. While it doesn't make the game terrible, it prevents NASCAR 09 from being all that it could be.

You do have the ability to modify many settings from how frequently you pit, to the diffculty level of your opponents, to turning off yellow and/or black flags, to changing how your car handles. Again, this is the greatest strength of the game.

Whereas career mode in this game isn't as deep as it used to be, it still puts an emphasis on keeping your car owner (and sponsor) happy. You'll receive performance boosts if you can please your sponsors. If you don't please them, your reputation will suffer. A higher reputation will land you a more quality ride, even allowing you to sign with Gibbs, Hendrick, Childress, Roush, and Evernham. You can move through the Craftsman Truck Series, Nationwide Series, and finally to Sprint Cup. There is no modified series this year. I haven't tapped into other features such as the scenario racing, but they sound fun.

Overall, where does that put this game? It's a stellar NASCAR title. The racing is fun. The AI is far from perfect, but the game truly allows you to race as you want to race, making this a pick up for any NASCAR fan or fan of racing games in general.