A Retrospective on the NASCAR Thunder Series (ft. Black Flags Matter)

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The NASCAR Thunder series was incredible. Made by EA in their prime, the series' pinnacle NASCAR Thunder 2004 is one of the greatest racing games ever made. Each year, from Thunder 02 to 03 to 04, the games evolved and innovated unlike any others at the time. NASCAR Heat is getting there, but many NASCAR fans still daydream about these older EA developed NASCAR games. Luckily, through emulation, we can bring new life to them with 4K graphics. But there will never be another series like the NASCAR Thunder series. Big thanks to Darian Gilliam, aka Black Flags Matter, for collabing with me!
Black Flags Matter Channel: / @blackflagsmatter
Black Flags Matter Twitter: / blackflagmatter
#retrospective #SOFTDRINKTV #game #review #sdtv

[@BlackFlagsMatter]

Thanks for having me on!

[@bradsully6620]

You have a hell of a name there bro!!

[@charlesbocovo]

I sub to black flags matter

[@napalmblaziken]

"We are all trapped in our homes." I'm working for what's considered an "essential business". So I'm not that lucky.

[@gabingston3430]

Stay safe, man.

[@redbullsauberpetronas]

You are lucky you're making money lol

[@TyTheTurtle]

Same bro. We be out here.

[@sirnickels9979]

Same here. Had our first confirmed case yesterday

[@mr198221]

Me too, but grateful to be working.

[@keithharper1470]

2001 - 2005 the greatest era in sports video gaming. There where so much classics and competition and bringing in new fans to sports they've never played or watched

[@willmaples4062]

@Cole the sgt frog and baby Tamama lover :3 I agree. I don't consider it my favorite, but 06 and 07 are not bad games by any means. As a kid I had a lot of fun in countless hours playing NASCAR 2002-07. Yeah it was bit more buggy, but it was so damn good

[@evanwilliams6406]

Yes and people wonder why those games these days stink, there was some much competition and they made it as real as possible and the immersion that it brought make these games almost timeless like Mario or Final Fantasy or Zelda those games for Nintendo are things that people still play today.

[@NikoSoviet88]

the title has an EmpLemon vibe to it

[@dennisbowen452]

Thankfully its nowhere near as autist as emplemons content is

[@NikoSoviet88]

@@dennisbowen452 wdym?

[@dennisbowen452]

@@NikoSoviet88 watch the podcast he use to do with mumkey. Its at times cringey cause well emp is a better script writer than improv

[@dennisbowen452]

Plus emp has a I'm better than you mindset with a pinch of "we live in a society" ego to him which is why I dropped off

[@dennisbowen452]

@Jav GH his editing is godly good

[@88fanforlife]

So much nostalgia in this video. I spent countless hours on all 3 as a kid. Still remember Christmas 2001 and my main gifts were a PS2 Thunder 2002 and Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3. Safe to say I locked myself in the room a bunch lol

[@imapopo2924]

Man TH Pro Skater 3... The nostalgia in that game alone...

[@11Pharcyde]

Didn't even like NASCAR but damn it I enjoyed the hell outta the games

[@seannborba8416]

Same dude. I just wanted to drive cars that had sponsors of brands I recognized. Didn't care who was in the seat

[@JustcallmeGnarly22]

My favorite is Thunder 2002 with the tribute to Dale Earnhardt on the startup screen. I played the heck out of it back in the day and still play it on occasion.

[@evanwilliams6406]

Seems like once they dropped the "Thunder" name from the title outside of Chase For the Cup mind you, EA's NASCAR games went South in a hurry.

[@Gucesarl]

Evan Williams Total Team Control was good.

[@imapopo2924]

The last one I actually liked was 2007. It felt closer to 2005 (which is probably my favorite of them all) than anything else. I never played a lot of 2004 but I can see why people love it. I'd like to see its career style brought into a newer game. They kind of did it in the newer Heat games, but I feel like they didnt do enough of it.

[@IanTheMotorsportsMan_YT]

This is some serious EmpLemon shit LOVE IT! Well done, gentleman! This was truly fun to watch! :)

[@jzk0517]

Aw yeah This content is much needed and appreciated during this quarantine

[@kylefunderburk4194]

NASCAR 06-07 were still really good. The XBox 360 versions sucked for the same reason the 360 versions of Madden, NCAA and Live sucked, but the PS2 and XBox versions of those games were still great. Introducing tour modifieds and adding them as the bottom rung of the career mode was great. If only Heat's dirt racing was as good as EA's modified racing.

[@blakeandrews9496]

these games were my childhood. 03 and 04 are absolute gems in gaming history. the career modes were so amazing, and the racing itself was just as great. thank you for making this video

[@Ishin69]

seriously one of my favorite youtube channels right now. love your videos man

[@Unova39]

It took me 7 minutes to realize this wasn't one of the usual NASCAR channels I watch haha. Great video as always!

[@jrsmith5080]

704 is progressing in the right direction. Keep in mind they're not a big company like ea. Each new nascar heat game keeps getting better and that will likely continue.

[@darkpitbullotusdpl8767]

3 years later….here we are.

[@carrsllccarrillo6507]

2004 was my favorite of the EA franchise. It was the last year (2003) that pontiac was supported as a car manufacture and since I'm a pontiac fan, I built my team using that GM brand in particular. My only problem at the time was that there was almost no wheel support for their games. Yet the heat series/Dirt to Daytona I was able to utilize one by a company that was endorsed by Dale Jr. What made the thunder series so much fun was having to play against 3 other people on one screen and I was able to get a few of my freinds into Nascar because of this layout. I love how I was able to build my team and buy shop equipment. I tried to meet certain goals with my sponsor(s) while try not to damage chassis 1 and chassis 2. It was probably the most fun I had with a nascar game series of that time.

[@MNSonYT]

I never would have expected this but I’m happy to see it

[@SandF3DPrinting]

09 was one of my favorites for one reason. The paint booth. I used to make custom cars in Photoshop and upload them to the game. Then I started making them for people on the IGN forums back in the day. Good times.

[@osurocks24]

My second ever console game I ever got and my first EA Sports game was NASCAR Thunder 2002. I will never forget Sweet Home Alabama in that as that is one of my favorite songs when I was and a child and still is now.

[@johnathonhamilton232]

Bro at first I was rather sad when you said yo wouldn’t do Madden videos anymore. But man! All of your content is all so good and such high quality! I’ll support you through it all!

[@justingeorge6093]

When did he say that

[@SOFTDRINKTV]

I will do Madden content again when the next game comes out, but right now I want to focus on all types of games, mostly sports related but I might throw a few non sports games in! I want to diversify my channel and not be considered a "Madden KZbinr" bc I hate Madden lol. I want to be THE channel for sports games content old and new.

[@johnathonhamilton232]

SOFTDRINKTV I absolutely believe in you! The passion and love you bring to your videos is unparalleled! I actually bought Madden 07 and 08 because of you! Looking for 2k8 now too

[@BlueflagAlpha]

@@SOFTDRINKTV you should review more racing games

[@elijahwerling4668]

Yessir two of my favorite youtubers in the same one 😎

[@plasmadrone3123]

yaaaay!! more NASCAR content from SOFTDRINKTV :D :D now please review the other NASCAR games.

[@AllendynastyMC]

This channel is what I strive for

[@braxc]

You’ve been snappin bro

[@tomdetroit01]

A vid with Soft Drink and BFM. Great collaboration

[@gabingston3430]

Can you do a NASCAR Racing 2003 retrospective?

[@sploit777]

Great video. Thunder 2004 was def the best nascar game of that gen but my favorite all time is nascar 06 for sure due to the team element that was added

[@scorpiogamer9343]

I absolutely cannot believe I missed this until today!!

[@E_tiBEAMERBOY]

Racingggg gamessss! Keep it up!

[@raymundomartinez7469]

This was my childhood every Christmas I would ask for the newest NASCAR Thunder game. Those where the days 04 thunder the best hands down.

[@idkplayer]

Great video

[@TheNewChevyRoll48]

NASCAR Thunder on PS1: Am I a joke to you? Me: Yeah, you weren't that great or memorable. Still some solid games though.

[@DDogDan]

Nascar Thunder 2004 introduced me to this beautiful sport that i enjoy and watched.

[@mikemayhem39]

I’ve been playing thunder 04 for the last couple months, gonna get 02 and 03 just to see what they where like and have them for a hell of it

[@robg7430]

I still had a lot of fun on Nascar 07 tbh

[@BoogityBogityBoogity]

"While the Heat series has been much better than the Eutechnyx series..." U WOTT

[@BlueflagAlpha]

I mean he's right

[@BoogityBogityBoogity]

BlueFlag Alpha u serious? Drivingfeel wise it is even worse than the original heat games from the early 2000s, while the eutechnyx games weren‘t perfect they captured what driving a heavy stock car feels like much better, despite being on old gen consoles

[@K9RacingAndStuff]

@@BoogityBogityBoogity yeah as far as Gen7 console games go, Eutechnyx's had the physics down for the most part, though I think there's a little too much grip, but good otherwise. Unfortunately, the AI didn't complement it well, mostly because tire wear was so broken for the AI that I found very few tracks to feel good with the AI for their second release (so far, I've only found Kentucky and Homestead to be the only good ovals), other times, the AI were ridiculously fast (Watkins Glen), and the AI also not being bound to the same engine temp limitations of the player, making plate racing frustrating. It was a good step from the Gen7 EA games, which had atrocious physics (honestly, 09 felt like a lateral gain from 08, just less barrel-rolly) and even worse AI

[@T1M-NYTE]

Your content is coming thru in the Clutch

[@BehindFor17Hours]

Nascar Thunder in 4K. You have my attention.

[@RedCometXIII]

NASCAR 2002 to 2005 were God tier. Played the absolute hell out of each and every one of them. The series fell hard though with 06 TTC. The alt paint schemes and FINALLY having Daytona in 2002 just blew my mind. The presentstion in 02 to 04 was so well done. The prerace was amazing. Contextual commentary, different versions of the anthem played, the starting grid presentation, the fireworks and flyover. Goddamnit man. There was a definite dip in presentation with 2005 but the multi-tiered career mode made up for it. The silly season in all these games career mode was awesome too. Seeing drivers retire and be replaced by young up and comers and part timers was so cool, especially when YOU were offered a ride at a team like Hendrick Motorsports or Roush Racing. The modern day F1 games are the closest thing we have to the Thunder games. 10 year career, car development, driver movement (onoy introduced in 2019), prerace ans contextual commentary. They're hella fun, but I miss the Thunder games.

[@dugganbenson2120]

Great job 👌👍

[@MMCS07]

Thanks for using my clip 😃

[@alexthesniper1952]

Thunder 04 is the Cadillac of Nascar Games period.

[@JordanJMyers]

I think 06 total team control is my fav. Classic battles with my buddies in that

[@SandF3DPrinting]

Also NASCAR heat 4 is the shit. I had a race in the Xfinity series at Daytona last night, omfg it was so good. The pack racing. I loved it. Took me back to playing on ps2 and having so much fun with my friends after school.

[@deac4831]

amazing vid

[@michaelsieber6601]

Those old nascar games were way more deep then the junk we have now I took it for granted when I was 10. I picked up a newer nascar game and just expected it to be like the old ones I was way wrong.

[@ImTheMilkMan65]

Thunder 02 is a hidden gem and more people need to gawk at it

[@druryfury]

I had NASCAR Thunder 2003 as a kid and loved it. I remember sitting in front of the computer playing it and pretending to be a real driver. Lots of memories and nostalgia with that game.

[@SimRacer2001]

ahhh, the pc port. is it as different from the console as thunder 04 was?

[@hotkarl2961]

loved playing Nascar thunder 2003 on the ps1 when i was a little shaver, that game had epic crashes

[@bradydicarlo9143]

My first ever video game was NASCAR Thunder 2004. I still have the copy of it.

[@kanyecheedar9170]

NASCAR 07 was incredible

[@JayBeingNatural]

Also of note, the Nascar Thunder games were developed by EA Tiburon. So, they were working with this along with the Madden/NCAA series

[@AutoRockinRacing94]

They did have a NASCAR official waving by the field. Biggest example was shown in the CBS telecast of the Daytona 500 before they introduce the starting grid all throughout the 1980s.

[@djentyman4002]

Man I played this on PC I think? Either way I played this series a ton when I was a kid. I’m going to have to shop around and grab it

[@stw3art14]

Man I'll always miss the 2000s NASCAR games. Really hope someone gets online to work on the emulator for Thunder 2004 though

[@AustinGonder]

I used to play NASCAR Thunder 2004 all the time

[@stunna1517]

Austin Gonder same here

[@Suneed1997]

NASCAR Rumble will always be my favorite NASCAR game

[@supersasukemaniac]

Another thing that made the EA NASCAR games in general just a massive gut punch in the best way to fans, was the unlockable content. From fantasy Cars, Drivers and tracks. To being able to unlock the #3 car driven by Dale Earnhardt.

[@BlueflagAlpha]

Dirt To Daytona up there with the Nascar Thunder series

[@Dalton1294]

Another about the lightning challenge from Thunder 2003 is that the actual MRN call is used when a challenge is highlighted

[@sblack53]

These games are 20 years old now 😢

[@badbooking3221]

Thunder 2003 career mode... two things I need to note: The cars are A LOT faster than single race mode once the car reaches overall 85 or higher. And Atlanta is by far the hardest track in here (unless you count the pit road bugs at New Hampshire).

[@zerrothewolf8316]

the first NASCAR game I played was 2005: Chase For The Cup that game had such a great soundtrack

[@seannborba8416]

What is the background music. It sounds likr something out of gran turismo. I love it

[@lunareclipse6999]

Honestly, NASCAR Thunder 2003 on the PS2 was the first game i've ever played in my life, i remember taking the orange preset car and flipping it at Talladega, hell i still have my copy from a few years ago

[@ajevans1422]

Dale jr and Tony Stewart. Two of my favorites

[@Slapped]

Have you ever done a video on F1 Motorsport games? I recently got a wheel and picked it up, and I’m having a blast with it’s gameplay and career mode

[@Thegod_of_memes]

glad Thunder 03 is finally getting it's flowers

[@ryanmorrison3699]

I almost feel NASCAR themselves drew a lot of influence recently from the Thunder series. The fantasy rovals and Jordan Anderson’s accounts. That’s cool to see the actual sport draw influence from one of their video games.

[@donk6084]

im not a nascar fan, but loved these games

[@RCJH2022]

What site did you use to get the game for the emulator? I cant find many ea sports games. 😢

[@DupontandLowesWarrior]

Thunder 2004 and Battle For Bikini Bottom were My Childhood

[@akivamorris7950]

Do rise and fall of nhl games

[@Rheper.]

If heat had a paint booth like nascar 14 and add just more customization in general I’d play it a lot more

[@Kastagoo]

I think people sleep on '06. Physics were a bit of a downgrade but the teammate swapping was a fun feature.

[@chrisguardiano6143]

NASCAR Thunder 2003 & F1 2002 are the two greatest racing games EA has ever made and in the top 10 of greatest racing games ever made. I loved playing both as a kid and both games introduced me to both NASCAR and F1.

[@whomikejones32]

Hell yea this game was good too I had it for the Xbox

[@djuberfog6344]

I love the Thunder series.

[@tannermctanner3210]

Theses were some of the funniest video games of all time

[@dcaseng]

Career mode depth and presentation are the biggest things missing from these games since 2004.

[@badbooking3221]

NASCAR 2001 is an underrated footnote. For the PS2, it was much more in-depth than the PS1 sibling, and was a sign of things to come with the Thunder franchise.

[@jc1424]

I think there will be someday. It won't come across the same way as NASCAR Thunder 2004, but NASCAR will have a good year and during that same year there will be a damn near flawless NASCAR game with great racing, various pleasing features, rewarding career mode, and stupidly expensive soundtrack. They're just going to need financial help. Idk someone get Dale Jr. to donate a few million for the 2021 game.

[@henrythemuthafuckineighth]

NASCAR Thunder 2004 had the best soundtrack ever.

[@stormkelleh]

Thunder 2003 was insanely awesome.

[@nascartoday8849]

dirt to Daytona will always be my favorite edit: i also play d2d on my phone due to emulators

[@rosstheboss5953]

Do an MVP Baseball 2005 Retropestive

[@chrisgratton6436]

Best baseball game ever no question

[@skiess955]

Ross The Boss He already has

[@watchingcarsdriveonovals]

NASCAR 2005: Chase for the cup | The last great NASCAR game.

[@valerieodom242]

They need to remaster thunder 2004 for the current consoles.

[@justinturley7071]

Thunder 2004, Chase for the Cup 2005, and 07 were the best EA NASCAR Games Ever!

[@kylegardner9458]

Heat 4 does a great job

[@Clay3613]

Gran Turismo 5 is my favorite NASCAR game.

[@beastmodebrandon6963]

Thunder 2003 had the best crashes as I felt 04 was alittle to blow over prone but ethier way I still play all 3 games to this day but 03 will be my favorite since that was the only thunder game on the GameCube

[@samdouglas2784]

Would like to see an overview/tutorial video of how dolphin emulator works

[@JohnDoe-xf7dr]

Please do an NCAA Football series!

[@ThePaintballernick]

Is it possible to play nascar 2004 on PC with a T300 Wheel?

[@jasonneal3148]

What happened to the sound my Volume is at max volume and I can't hear anything

[@mdrlhighlights7076]

Heh, NASCAR Kart Racing was my first racing game

[@smh02]

its honestly pathetic that every single one of the best sports games are all made well before 2010.... madden 07/08, nascar thunder 03-05, old MLB games, fucking NBA 2k11, ufc undisputed, fifa 08, etc. its actually despicable how technology is progressing backwards, getting more and more bare boned yet somehow more expensive than ever. what a joke honestly

[@huntervoelker4033]

I remember I used to play with my cousin and he would have me go backwards and smash all the people out of his way so he could win lol.

[@Ejoshg123]

Please look at a hockey game may I recommend nhl 06,14 or nhl hitz