Just at The Starting Line: Game Mechanics’ Race Cars
by FEMAELSTROM, HSM team writer
“Auto racing began five minutes after the second car was built.” – Henry Ford
Imagine driving with 42 other cars at 190 miles an hour, in a pack so close that the cars around you are mere inches off of your front and rear bumpers, as well as your doors.
Imagine riding in a car where you sit above the muffler and the temperature reaches 13o degrees on a hot and humid southeastern afternoon.
Imagine sitting in a car and watching as those same cars that ride behind you, are about to intentionally ram into your back bumper to gain an aerodynamic advantage in your being rammed.
Imagine putting a 78.5 inch wide car through a gap that is 78 inches wide, (and sometimes 77) at that same 190 miles per hour.
Imagine races where the finishes have run so close that the record is a mere .002 seconds. That is faster than a blink…I just tested it.
This is NASCAR, and some of you may say, “Hey Strom, this is a publication about Sony’s PlayStation Home”, and you would be right. Except for a few games, like the Gran Turismo series and the NASCAR racing games, there is very little these two realms have in common. Until now.
The cars are really awesome, but the girl does not come with the pack.
Game Mechanics has released a line of NASCAR styled (not licensed) race cars. I have only seen the pictures, but allow this NASCAR fan to say this in one word: WOOOOOOOOOOT!
These items are absolutely a must for any fan of professional stock car racing in North America (and abroad of course.) The only thing missing from this car is the NASCAR logo, and the image of Jeff Gordon (a four-time champion) behind the wheel.
For race fans (and I have a few on my list) these are a must for decorating in what has to be one of the must-haves for race fans in Home, in the new “Race On” apartment, as well as the older racing owner’s suite. But why stop there? These cars will even look great in the Mansion Garage.
What makes this even better is the thought that Game Mechanics made the brilliant move of making the cars (there are four of them in all) take only three furniture slots each, so filling a garage will not hurt the slot counts too much. As an added bonus, the cars make sounds. The user can make the engine rev, and to any race or car fan, this is a plus and a beautiful sound. Say it with me: “Vrooooooom!”
The cars are available individually for $1.99 each, with all four available in a money-saving bundle pack for $4.99. They come in a model that is black, white and silver with the number 1 on the door, a yellow and blue #33, a purple, white and black #27, and a red, yellow and black #9. For fans this is a deal, and far cheaper than the $200,000 or more that a real NASCAR costs.
Great goodies from Game Mechanics.
One thing I would like to point out is that the timing of this couldn’t be any better. If there is going to be an item like this, this is the best time to do it. Because on February 24th, the Great American Race is (or, as it is officially named, The Daytona 500) will be run. This is where the 43 cars battle door-to-door and bumper-to-bumper at nearly 200 miles an hour for one of the greatest prizes in all motor sports: The Harley J. Earl trophy.
For those who love racing , this is a great feature and piece of furniture to add into any home (or garage). Game Mechanics has been engineering some really great racing items lately, and it is obvious that the folks over there are fans, and to that I offer a bow and my appreciation. Their “Contender” series centers around racing, and has some fun items. There is a steering wheel clock, a tire clock, a racing inspired bar and desk with a chair that looks like a professional racing seat. There’s also an engine BBQ and various garage decorations that help the total image. These all are well-made and styled, and help those that enjoy the racing life to make a corner of Home a little more in tune with the style of the auto-racing life.
More Game Mechanics cool.
To be frank, I do give Game Mechanics a huge set of thumbs up. They are making what they want here in Home. So many people tear down and dislike racing for reasons that have nothing to do with the real sport — and it is a real sport — that even in popular culture, it’s given little air time on the sports reports or broadcast. Far too many people are ready to complain that it’s a sport of “going ’round and ’round”, though it is really not, and it is far more complex than that.
I often say racing is like kissing somebody: it’s important to do it with somebody that knows what they are doing. Despite the criticisms from anti-race fans, Game Mechanics has gone forward and made a set of cars that are done well and celebrate racing. And, for those in North America, NASCAR. This is a great item for anybody who wants to display the racing life, and everybody should at least stop by the store and see that Game Mechanics did an excellent job. If they did this well here, imagine what they could do in other realms. `
I just bought the four-pack and am even more impressed with these replicas than I could have ever imagined. The attention to detail in the effort to make these cars look as real as possible goes deep into the real-world design of real NASCARs. There are details on these cars that I, as a deep fan, appreciate on the fan’s level. But for the non-fan, you can simply know that the team at Game Mechanics really did an absolutely amazing job in creating these cars.
To Game Mechanics, I say this: great job, people! Bravo and well done. Your attention to quality and detail has turned a head. You are on my list of developers to keep an eye on. For this, you get to do a victory lap, and maybe some burn-out donuts in your parking lot. You deserve it.
Now to close with a quote from NASCAR legend Darrell Waltrip, “Boogity boogity boogity, let’s go racing, boys!”
A quick thank you to MaeBell99 for helping me with the pictures. If she had not helped me in the pinch I was in to get this article written, it would of been just a lot of words.
February 21st, 2013 by FEMAELSTROM | 2 comments
FEMAELSTROM came to Home in June 2011 and never wanted to leave, even at weekly maintenance when he usually gets booted. The sand box environment appeals to the explorer in him and often is out and about as he ‘geeks’ out dressed like some sort of sci-fi character, while he people watches in popular public spaces. An artist and writer, FEMAELSTROM loves making friends and meeting people. He loves sci-fi and decorating Home estates and loves to respond “here” when people ask “where are you from?” in public places.
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I bought mine last night, and your right they are perfect for the mansion garage! great article Strom
I love the cars!!! The sound though doesn’t work completely in the JAM GAMES garage, no rev rev but it will start. I love it in there.
And it works great in the racing space varoom!!!
Some of the other things they did like the tire clock, tire pop/beer cooler are great too.
Maybe they’ll be the ones who come out with a hot rod Lincoln 50s car. I am hoping that HOME TYCOON does.
I’m not a racing fan but Idi like this stuff and I intend to watch the Daytona and not because of Danica Patrick, ok, I’m lying. Two women in there and I want to see how they do.