NASCAR Heat 2002 on the GBA is one of those racers that somehow makes tiny pixels feel fast. You pick your car—no deep customization, just a quick paint job choice—and then you're thrown into tight, arcade-style races where drafting actually matters. The tracks are scaled-down versions of real NASCAR circuits, and yeah, they’re simplified, but Daytona still *feels* wide compared to the short tracks.

The handling’s a little slidey, which takes some getting used to, but once you figure out how to nudge the AI cars without spinning yourself, it clicks. Pit stops are basically a button press (this isn’t a sim), but they add just enough strategy to keep you from flooring it the whole time. Honestly, it’s impressive how much speed they squeezed out of the GBA—you’ll catch yourself leaning into turns like an idiot. Not the deepest racer, but it nails the rush of bumper-to-bumper pack racing.