The stuff I like about Thunder 2003: >good cockpit cam (better than Thunder 2004) >Beautiful blue skies at most tracks (Thunder 2004 has lots of smog and piss-colored skies) >Features the Gen-4 cars pre-common body template >Lightning Challenges >Options for adjusting difficulty levels and no cautions >A few more songs in comparison to Thunder 2002 (Circles by Nonpoint is my fav) >Cool user interface that plays into the Thunder moniker (main menu is full of crashing thunder) >Fictional night races >Daytona Beach
You know in the clip at the end, you can see Hank Parker Jr's #36 GNC Dodge wrecking with Jeff Gordon. I spotted that in the post last year on the 20th anniversary and some Wimmer boy took my find and reposted it and saying that he found it. When I posted it, no one commented on it or saw it...
I remember I was leading at Bristol and a caution came out and the ai drove me right into a pileup I finished 25th. I love the game though sometimes I would just sit on the title screen and let it go into demo mode and watch the ai race
@James McAllister it's good, he does mostly reviews of diecast, both old and new and he does game play videos of NASCAR Thunder 2003 season mode and NASCAR Thunder 2004 career mode.
I absolutely hate that games now don't track stats, I loved that it kept track of how many wins I had throughout my entire career. How many championships, that people would retire and new drivers would take over their cars, also unlike in 2004 where they put in basically where the ai would go faster to keep the races close this game used pure skill, 10/10 for all those aspects
they do ? the older games are definitely better but every nascar racing game ive played in the last 5 years has had some sort of way of seeing all of your stats
@@owvawx they track your overall stays at like that track, in nascar 2003 it kept your stats per year. Like how nba and NFL games do, so you could see like your progression year to year, not just like your overall thing at a track
The best part of the game in my opinion is in single player on veteran or legend difficulty you unlock night races on each track except Indianapolis, Pocono, Texas, Phoenix, New Hampshire and Homestead… I always thought what would Talladega look like under the lights and this game showed but not in real life because it would’ve cost a lot of money for the project. With Sonoma and Waktins Glen night races were pretty cool… including Rockingham and Michigan And EA added something out of blue Tiburon International Speedway or as Joe Moore from MRN in the game describes it “Tiburon Superspeedway” a fantasy 3.0 mile track with 40 degrees in the corners 15 degrees in the frontstrech and 20 degrees in the backstretch with 500 miles 167 laps in 100% Crazy! What’s even more crazy trying to win at that track because the banking is so steep and the speeds are so fast around 230 235 mph! My other favorite is when you race at Daytona the sun sets in the Pepsi 400 and the Coca Cola 600 at Charlotte which I think is a highlight in the game…
I remember playing the lighting challenges with my downstairs neighbors all the time, some laughs, tears, and joy was shared lol. I loved every moment of it, if only I know this would be the peak :(
I still remember when I picked up my copy. We were in Germany for Christmas vacation and went to the PX at Hanau. It was my first PS2 game and I didn't even own a PS2 yet. Still have it to this day.
I've been grinding through nascar thunder 2003 and it's hard but I love it even though I have tons of road rage and ram everyone just to win. Nascar thunder 2003 is plain broken on PS2 I feel like buying it again but for Xbox.
04 still holds up 20 yrs later and that’s pretty sad knowing the technology we have today is incredible. I haven’t played ignition 21 yet but I can see that it sucks and that thunder 04 is better than it
IF EA Sports can get the NASCAR license back they need to do it like NASCAR Thunder 03,04, and NASCAR chase for the cup. 3 best console NASCAR games of all time.
Also DO NOT by this game for ps2 unless you have a wheel. It’s unplayable on the ps2 controller. With xbox version the controller makes it playable plus you can use your downloaded music in game.
@@RobertRoderick-z7o in what world dude. You must have incredible patience sir. With out a wheel the ps2 version of this game is rage inducing. If your playing through this on a ps2 controller I salute you. I probably tried that dale earnhardt jr challenge over 200 times before giving up. aint no way you did the lighting challenges. I have the game for the original xbox now and its so much easier. I did the dale earnhardt challenge (the easiest lightning challenge in about 20 tries on the xbox)
@Donald_Dump420 haha I've completed the game using the dualshock 2 been playing this game like that since I was 10.. I'm 31 now. I think I'm more comfortable on the controller than the wheel tbh I've tried the wheel and didn't like it. I'm finishing another season on Veteran difficulty best NASCAR game there is.
One question: WHY is this so much better than the PS1 version of NASCAR Thunder 2004? I mean, if this was already on PS2, then why did they make Thunder 2004 on the PS1? I'm so confused
Think of it like this: The more consoles you put a game on, the more money you make as a company. At that time, companies put games on every console they could cause they knew it would bring revenue for future titles, salaries and more.
Driving backwards like a maniac was half the enjoyment of those old games as a kid lol EA forgot how to make games fun, they just make cookie cutter nonsense now :(
@@PaperBanjo64 the lightning challenges are broken on console. At least ps2. Hes not lying. I tried the first lightning challenge for 3 hours untill i just gave up. I wanted to cry
They're really hard but I've beaten them with the dualshock 2, what makes them hard for me is they make the cars extremely tight and I like a looser setup, I like being able to turn the car and the default setups are unbelievably tight.
What’s your favorite memory of NASCAR Thunder 2003??
Being 5 and making the poop mobile. Poop brown stock car was diarrhea fast.
What different this game and thunder 2004 and nascar racing 4 by papyrus?? Thanks
When I was making a car and I discovered the dale earnhardt sr thunder plate and car. I was excited. and it was good to see it in the game
Awesome game my first game ever !
Wrecking others and playing chicken
The stuff I like about Thunder 2003:
>good cockpit cam (better than Thunder 2004)
>Beautiful blue skies at most tracks (Thunder 2004 has lots of smog and piss-colored skies)
>Features the Gen-4 cars pre-common body template
>Lightning Challenges
>Options for adjusting difficulty levels and no cautions
>A few more songs in comparison to Thunder 2002 (Circles by Nonpoint is my fav)
>Cool user interface that plays into the Thunder moniker (main menu is full of crashing thunder)
>Fictional night races
>Daytona Beach
A lot to like my friend!
Great list and great game!
For some reason for me Thunder 2004 always ends up erasing all the thunder plates and the only thing it doesn't erase is career and season saves.
Thunder games were the best still 20 years later
So much heart and passion out into these titles. 🙏🏻
Man, so many memories. This and 2004. Need for Speed Underground. ATV Off-road Fury 2. MX Unleashed. Dirt to Daytona.
You know in the clip at the end, you can see Hank Parker Jr's #36 GNC Dodge wrecking with Jeff Gordon.
I spotted that in the post last year on the 20th anniversary and some Wimmer boy took my find and reposted it and saying that he found it.
When I posted it, no one commented on it or saw it...
Good eye 👀
Apparently lots of content was cut before launch!
I think the career mode is the best of any nascar game I like being in control of building cars an motors
I remember I was leading at Bristol and a caution came out and the ai drove me right into a pileup I finished 25th. I love the game though sometimes I would just sit on the title screen and let it go into demo mode and watch the ai race
I got the front grill of Ward Burton's car when he wrecked at Sonoma. Must have been in 99 or 2000. Track officials weren't very happy lol.
As soon as you introduced Waltrip I was soooo hoping to see that NAPA commercial, and you didn't disappoint lol
YOU PLAYED MY CHILDHOOD NASCAR GAME ON MY CHILDHOOD CONSOLE?! LET’S GO!!!
HELL YEAH!!!
Thunder games were the first and only ones that were better on consoles than PC, until Nascar Sim Racing came out in 2005
Honestly more NASCAR content creators need to make play throughs of the old thunder games while theres not any good nascar video games coming out
That’s my plan ✅
Diecastbuffet has been playing them for years.
@@PaperBanjo64 never seen his channel before but I will give it a search thank you
@James McAllister it's good, he does mostly reviews of diecast, both old and new and he does game play videos of NASCAR Thunder 2003 season mode and NASCAR Thunder 2004 career mode.
yeah but they all do content about the pos half asses consoles version...
I played this on Gamecube when I was in middle school in 2004. Brings back memories.
I haven't played a NASCAR game since this one, then recently tried Heat 3. Eh, I'd rather have Thunder '03! So many good memories!
this was super enjoyable to watch
I remember the GameCube being my first console and playing this game day and night
I absolutely hate that games now don't track stats, I loved that it kept track of how many wins I had throughout my entire career. How many championships, that people would retire and new drivers would take over their cars, also unlike in 2004 where they put in basically where the ai would go faster to keep the races close this game used pure skill, 10/10 for all those aspects
they do ? the older games are definitely better but every nascar racing game ive played in the last 5 years has had some sort of way of seeing all of your stats
@@owvawx they track your overall stays at like that track, in nascar 2003 it kept your stats per year. Like how nba and NFL games do, so you could see like your progression year to year, not just like your overall thing at a track
The best part of the game in my opinion is in single player on veteran or legend difficulty you unlock night races on each track except Indianapolis, Pocono, Texas, Phoenix, New Hampshire and Homestead… I always thought what would Talladega look like under the lights and this game showed but not in real life because it would’ve cost a lot of money for the project. With Sonoma and Waktins Glen night races were pretty cool… including Rockingham and Michigan
And EA added something out of blue Tiburon International Speedway or as Joe Moore from MRN in the game describes it “Tiburon Superspeedway” a fantasy 3.0 mile track with 40 degrees in the corners 15 degrees in the frontstrech and 20 degrees in the backstretch with 500 miles 167 laps in 100% Crazy! What’s even more crazy trying to win at that track because the banking is so steep and the speeds are so fast around 230 235 mph!
My other favorite is when you race at Daytona the sun sets in the Pepsi 400 and the Coca Cola 600 at Charlotte which I think is a highlight in the game…
Man, I was just playing 04 earlier today with my son
I remember playing the lighting challenges with my downstairs neighbors all the time, some laughs, tears, and joy was shared lol. I loved every moment of it, if only I know this would be the peak :(
Tiburon track and the road coarse versions of the speedway tracks is edge lord solidified on thunder 2003
3:20 SpongeBob was really fitting for nascar
Agreed
I still remember when I picked up my copy. We were in Germany for Christmas vacation and went to the PX at Hanau. It was my first PS2 game and I didn't even own a PS2 yet. Still have it to this day.
I've been grinding through nascar thunder 2003 and it's hard but I love it even though I have tons of road rage and ram everyone just to win. Nascar thunder 2003 is plain broken on PS2 I feel like buying it again but for Xbox.
Feel like I missed out cause I had this on ps1
NASCAR thunder 2003 midnight club 2 final fantasy 10 were the goats of the early 2000s
We Just Gonna Ignore the Green Turbo Ranger in the background of the John Andretti Clip?? hahaha
Leave the power ranger be 🤫
@@ItsSloppy_Joe hey now Turbo was one of my favorites growing up! it had JDF "driving" a Pontiac Stock Car in it haha
LETS GO A SLOPPY JOE VIDEO!!!!!
This game is my 4th NASCAR Game behind NR2003,DTD,Thunder 04
I miss those stock cars
Nice man! I love NR2003, I can’t wait for this! Yeah!
04 still holds up 20 yrs later and that’s pretty sad knowing the technology we have today is incredible. I haven’t played ignition 21 yet but I can see that it sucks and that thunder 04 is better than it
Didn't race as Tony Stewart 2/10
What the heck was that Casey Atwood clip!?... 😆
Don’t worry about it 😂
What would you consider better Thunder 2003 or 2004
2003
Best game ever
Top 3 guaranteed
I would say nascar thunder 2002 was the first realistic looking game
What does mean "average finish 5th" ? I always finish first but never get money from sponsors.
I bought a used ps2 just to play nascar 03 an also nascar 2005 they still hold up
Were you ever able to beat a lightning challenge
IF EA Sports can get the NASCAR license back they need to do it like NASCAR Thunder 03,04, and NASCAR chase for the cup. 3 best console NASCAR games of all time.
GOAT Console racing game. I spent so much time on career mode when I was a youth
It’s crazy how you can play this game now and have even more fun with it then before.
This game was my childhood
2:25 WHAT commentary? I can't hear it. I want it, but I can't hear it.
Also DO NOT by this game for ps2 unless you have a wheel. It’s unplayable on the ps2 controller. With xbox version the controller makes it playable plus you can use your downloaded music in game.
Not true I use the Ole dualshock 2 every time I play never had a problem
@@RobertRoderick-z7o in what world dude. You must have incredible patience sir. With out a wheel the ps2 version of this game is rage inducing. If your playing through this on a ps2 controller I salute you. I probably tried that dale earnhardt jr challenge over 200 times before giving up. aint no way you did the lighting challenges.
I have the game for the original xbox now and its so much easier. I did the dale earnhardt challenge (the easiest lightning challenge in about 20 tries on the xbox)
@Donald_Dump420 haha I've completed the game using the dualshock 2 been playing this game like that since I was 10.. I'm 31 now. I think I'm more comfortable on the controller than the wheel tbh I've tried the wheel and didn't like it. I'm finishing another season on Veteran difficulty best NASCAR game there is.
@Donald_Dump420 original xbox version is way easier on controller I agree lil bit better graphics too
@@RobertRoderick-z7o damn dude. Legend. Also i agree. the best nascar game of all time. Probably one of the best racing games of all time.
One question: WHY is this so much better than the PS1 version of NASCAR Thunder 2004? I mean, if this was already on PS2, then why did they make Thunder 2004 on the PS1? I'm so confused
Think of it like this:
The more consoles you put a game on, the more money you make as a company. At that time, companies put games on every console they could cause they knew it would bring revenue for future titles, salaries and more.
@@ItsSloppy_Joe That's true.... Ugh, WHY couldn't we have bought a PS2 instead?
this game does not just hold up its one of the best games ever made imo.
Absolutely
Driving backwards like a maniac was half the enjoyment of those old games as a kid lol EA forgot how to make games fun, they just make cookie cutter nonsense now :(
Can you review 2004? I think it’s a bit superior. But the lightning challenges in this one >>>
Oh okay so it turns out the lightning challenges are impossible without a wheel.
They're hard but I've beaten them all about 5 times on a controller across all 3 consoles.
Amazing classic game lol
Let's go
YES
I did too
thunder 2004
Stay Tuned 🍿🍿🍿
@@ItsSloppy_Joe ok
I'm gonna guess that you are a Scorpio.
yeah but you played the console version, which is junk like every other console games, get a pc
Actually the PC version is inferior and lacks season mode.
@@PaperBanjo64 the lightning challenges are broken on console. At least ps2. Hes not lying. I tried the first lightning challenge for 3 hours untill i just gave up. I wanted to cry
They're really hard but I've beaten them with the dualshock 2, what makes them hard for me is they make the cars extremely tight and I like a looser setup, I like being able to turn the car and the default setups are unbelievably tight.