Modes, modes, and more modes make for happy little racers. EA didn’t let us down, and
Championship Season 2000 will keep F1 fans content for longer than ever. It’s not that every mode is so different, but the depth you’d want and expect from
F1 is deeper than you might think. Let’s face it, F1 racing is already terribly complex, and some people won’t like having to worry about tire wear, fuel strategy, or aerodynamics. The people who get off on this will be in pit-heaven. The main modes are Championship, GP Weekend, Scenario, Training, and Time Trial. It’s nice to see a Training Mode, since driving these cars is very different from any other action on wheels. Training takes you through the speed, cornering, and strategy you need to master before coming in at the front of the pack. Scenario Mode is very unique. Instead of setting up your car or choosing a track, you’re thrust into a scene from the 2000 season with a specific objective needed to win. Make no mistake, this is an advanced mode, since the ability to make changes is turned off. However, it’s almost mission-based action is a nice change from straight racing.
The racing options: Change everything about your car, choose your team and driver, and then pick between one of 17 F1 tracks. Test-drive, qualify, and then race, with options to see telemetry and driving analysis for you and the other cars. Don’t like auto transmission? Choose manual. Having a hard time learning the controls? Change them. Want to try your hand against particular opponents? Set up the race grid yourself and then run it. Most everything you could want to change is present in F1 Championship, and between the long drag-out style of a Championship race and the shorter GP Weekend, you’ll be hooked by the way Season 2000 changes to fit the way you play. And just to encourage you to rent this one over the weekend, it’s easy to choose a Quick Start race, set the CPU Assist as high as it will go, and see what a Ferrari feels like at more than 200 mph.