NASCAR Heat on Game Boy Color is one of those old-school racers that somehow makes pixelated left turns feel intense. You’ve got a handful of real NASCAR tracks and drivers (well, as real as 8-bit gets), and the controls are simple—just gas, brake, and a surprisingly deep drafting system that actually matters when you’re fighting for position.

The AI isn’t pushover either—if you nudge someone into the wall, they’ll absolutely return the favor next lap. Graphics are obviously basic, but there’s something weirdly satisfying about the chunky car sprites and the way your engine sounds like it’s about to explode on the back straight. Not gonna lie, the difficulty spikes on some tracks, especially Daytona, where one wrong move sends you spinning into oblivion.

It’s not the deepest racer, but for a portable NASCAR fix in 2000, it did the job. Just don’t expect Forza—this is pure arcade chaos with a side of southern fried nostalgia.