{{Short description|1998 video game}} {{Multiple issues|{{Refimprove|date=November 2025}}{{Rewrite|date=November 2025}}}} {{Infobox video game | title = 3-D Ultra NASCAR Pinball | image = 3-D Ultra NASCAR Pinball cover.jpg | caption = North American box art | developer = [[Dynamix]] | publisher = [[Sierra On-Line|Sierra Attractions]] | series = ''[[3-D Ultra Pinball]]'' | platforms = [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]], [[Classic Mac OS|Mac OS]] | released = December 1, 1998<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pc.ign.com/news/5920.html |title=News Briefs |date=December 1, 1998 |website=[[IGN]] |archive-date=August 27, 1999 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990827040311/http://pc.ign.com/news/5920.html |url-status=dead}}</ref> | genre = [[Pinball]] | modes = [[Single-player]], [[multiplayer]] }}'''''3-D Ultra NASCAR Pinball''''' is a 1998 [[pinball]] [[video game]] for [[Windows]] and [[Classic Mac OS|Mac OS]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jones |first=Art |date=July 1999 |title=MacHome Product Review- 3D Ultra NASCAR Pinball |url=http://database.machome.com/action.lasso?-database=reviews&-layout=search&-response=/reviews/detail.html&-recid=33923&-search |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20001010185613/http://database.machome.com/action.lasso?-database=reviews&-layout=search&-response=/reviews/detail.html&-recid=33923&-search |archive-date=2000-10-10 |access-date=2025-12-12 |website=MacHome}}</ref> and the fourth game in ''[[3-D Ultra Pinball]]'' series. It was released under the title ''3-D Ultra Pinball: Turbo Racing'' in Europe.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Brence |first=Corwin |date=November 28, 2011 |title=Hardcore Gaming 101: 3-D Ultra Pinball |url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/3dultrapinball/3dultrapinball.htm |access-date=2025-12-12 |website=www.hardcoregaming101.net}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=3-D Ultra Pinball: Turbo Racing Manual |url=https://archive.org/details/3D_Ultra_Pinball-_Turbo_Racing_-_Manual}}</ref> The game uses an improved graphics engine first used in ''[[3-D Ultra Pinball: Thrillride]]'', which takes advantage of greater color depth and resolution up to 800x600 pixels.<ref name=":0" /> The game includes multimedia information about four [[NASCAR]] tracks,<ref name="Gamezilla" /> namely [[Bristol Motor Speedway]], [[Talladega Superspeedway]], [[Atlanta Motor Speedway]], and [[Watkins Glen International|Watkins Glen International Raceway]];<ref name=":2">{{Cite magazine |last=Strecker |first=Candi |date=1998 |title=NASCAR turns, tilts and flips the tables |url=https://archive.org/details/InterAction_Magazine_Holiday_1998_1998_Sierra_On-Line_US/page/n93/mode/2up? |magazine=InterAction Magazine |pages=90-92}}</ref> but only includes a single Speedway table alongside Garage and Pit Stop tables.<ref name="Gamezilla" />
== Gameplay == Up to four players play a virtual pinball simulation with a NASCAR theme.<ref name=":2" />
Players can play a full season of races racing as [[Dale Earnhardt]], [[Bobby Labonte]], [[Terry Labonte]] or [[Bill Elliott]]. The choice of driver only affects some graphics, and some callouts by the in-game commentators.<ref name=":0" /> Play begins on the Garage table in which the player uses a single ball to hit targets to improve their car for the race.<ref name=":0" /> This is followed by a 60-second qualifying lap on the Speedway table which determines the players starting position in the race.<ref name=":0" /><ref name="Gamezilla" /> Four ramps on this table represent the four turns of the racetrack.<ref name=":2" /> When the race begins, players have up to five balls or until a timer ends to finish the race. During a race players can start the Pit Stop table, to increase score and improve efficiency of their car.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1" /> The players finishing position in each race is tracked across an entire NASCAR season.
== Development == The pit crew on the Pit Stop table were [[Motion capture|motion captured]].<ref name=":2" />{{Video game reviews | rev1 = ''Gamezilla!'' | rev1Score = 79%<ref name="Gamezilla"/> | rev2 = ''Happy Puppy'' | rev2Score = 5/10<ref name="HappyPuppy"/> | PCGUS = 65/100 | CGW = 3/5<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=April 1999 |title=Reviews |url=https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_177/page/n177/mode/2up |magazine=Computer Gaming World |page=174 |issue=177}}</ref> | IGN = 3/10<ref name="IGN"/> }} == Reception == The game was nominated for "[[D.I.C.E. Award for Family Game of the Year|PC Family Title of the Year]]" at the [[2nd Annual Interactive Achievement Awards]] organized by the [[Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences]].<ref name="Computer1999">{{cite web |title=Second Interactive Achievement Awards - Personal Computer |url=http://www.interactive.org/iaa/finalists_pc.html |website=Interactive.org |publisher=Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences |access-date=28 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991104003923/http://www.interactive.org/iaa/finalists_pc.html |archive-date=November 4, 1999}}</ref>
Game reviews were mixed; ''IGN'' found the game to be sub-par without attention to detail, with dated physics and graphics, though found the design of the table to be clever.<ref name="IGN">{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=1999-01-28 |title=3D Ultra NASCAR Pinball |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/01/28/3d-ultra-nascar-pinball |access-date=2025-12-10 |website=IGN |language=en}}</ref>
The ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'' said the game does a good job of presenting the various stages of a race day, but that only die-hard NASCAR fans would enjoy it.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kujawa |first=Kraig |date=1998-12-03 |title=NASCAR runs out of gas |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune/108804715/ |access-date=2025-12-12 |work=Chicago Tribune |pages=71}}</ref>
''Gamezilla!'' found a solidly-constructed fun game with crisp sounds that is entertaining for a modest price, although doesn't break any "significant ground" in gaming.<ref name="Gamezilla">{{Cite web |last=Houghton |first=Suzanne |date=April 21, 1999 |title=GameZilla Review of 3-D Ultra NASCAR Pinball |url=http://www.gamezilla.com/reviews/n/nascarpinball.asp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010212073616/http://www.gamezilla.com/reviews/n/nascarpinball.asp |archive-date=2001-02-12}}</ref>
''HappyPuppy'' criticized the lack of depth.<ref name="HappyPuppy">{{Cite web |last=Garcia |first=Pablo |date=October 2, 1999 |title=3D Ultra NASCAR Pinball Reviewed |url=http://www.happypuppy.com/win/reviews/3dultrapin1.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001119004100/http://www.happypuppy.com/win/reviews/3dultrapin1.html |archive-date=2000-11-19}}</ref> == See also == *''[[NASCAR Racing]]''
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == {{portal|Video games}} * [[iarchive:nascarpb_exe|3-D Ultra NASCAR Pinball Demo on Archive.org]] * [https://www.mobygames.com/game/4085/3-d-ultra-nascar-pinball/ MobyGames]
{{NASCAR video games}} {{Dynamix}} [[Category:1998 video games]] [[Category:Classic Mac OS games]] [[Category:NASCAR video games]] [[Category:Pinball video games]] [[Category:Video games developed in the United States]] [[Category:Windows games]] [[Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games]] [[Category:Dynamix games]]