“I feel the need, the need for speed!” 5 moments from NFS history

If putting pedal to the metal and unleashing your inner virtual boy racer is your thing, then chances are you’ve taken at least one Need for Speed game for a spin at some point. Since its inception way back in 1994, EA’s premier racing franchise has taken us on a whirlwind, adrenaline-fueled journey, complete with epic police chases, nitrous-infused drag races and hordes of cars which you can customise to the nth degree.

So, to mark the release of the latest chapter in the NFS story, we thought we’d take a look back at what are arguably 5 of the most iconic games to grace this legendary franchise's name from down the years.

Contents:

1. Need for Speed: Most Wanted
2. Need for Speed: Underground 2
3. Shift 2: Unleashed
4. Need for Speed: V-Rally 2
5. Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit

1. Need for Speed: Most Wanted

We kick things off this week by taking a trip back to 2005 with the ninth instalment in the NFS franchise, Need for Speed: Most Wanted. Set in the fictional city of Rockport, the aim of the game here is to become the most wanted of 15 racers, whilst also seeking to avenge one of the groups who stole your car.

However, what really made this game stand out was the police chases, which ratcheted up the difficulty as the game progressed, throwing obstacles such as roadblocks, SUVs attempting to ram straight into the front of your car and swooping helicopters seeking to gun you down, in your way.

Predictably this game was an absolute smash-hit (which was rebooted only 7 years later in 2012) that has arguably the most gripping, intense police chases the NFS world has ever seen.

2. Need for Speed: Underground 2

If, however, you were looking for more of a Fast and Furious meets Pimp My Ride style experience back in the mid-00s, then Need For Speed: Underground 2 would have been your game of choice. Whilst the soundtrack was a bit repetitive and driving between races sometimes felt like you were travelling to Mordor, the sheer depth of this game would mean you kept on coming back for more over and over again.

Although it had an engrossing career mode, as well as online and local multiplayer, Underground 2’s strength lay in the sheer wealth of customisation options on offer which allowed you to beef up your cars’ appearance, performance and even sound system if you like. 

While this game might be 18 years old already, there are few games which offer such “boy racer” thrills even now.

3. Shift 2: Unleashed

However, not all Need for Speed games are about street racing as the Unleashed games parked their tanks well and truly on Forza/Gran Turismo’s lawn by shifting the focus to track-based, realistic racing. Whilst Need for Speed: Shift offered plenty of thrills, Shift 2 built upon the already solid foundations of its predecessor to produce a thoroughly engaging racing experience.

Featuring 36 real-world tracks and 145 cars, the aim of the game here was to compete in a variety of different races, such as drifting, retro car, muscle car and endurance racing, in your quest to become FIA GT1 world champion.

Whilst it may not have been a “traditional” Need for Speed game, Shift 2 attracted plenty of plaudits and is considered to be one of the franchise’s strongest releases yet. 

4. Need for Speed: V-Rally 2

Of course, Shift wasn’t the only Need for Speed title which deviated from the franchise’s trademark formula, as NFS took things off road by lending its name to a couple of V-Rally titles. 

Although it’s essentially a Need for Speed title in name only, V-Rally 2 was an impressive game when it came out. With a multitude of tracks and cars from the 1999 WRC season, it also featured eye-catching visuals (for the time) and the gameplay managed to mix rally sim gameplay with arcade fun.

What’s more, it also featured a track editor which allowed you to design your own tracks that could be as easy or as difficult as you like.

5. Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit

We move back to more “traditional NFS” fare now with this week’s final title, 2010’s Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, which was a reboot of the 1998 game of the same name. Set in the vast open-world of Seacrest County, Hot Pursuit plunges you headlong into a gripping career mode as either a racer or a cop, with dedicated stories for both roles.

This game was also noteworthy as it was the first NFS title to feature “Autolog”, which was a new social interaction system that connected friends from head-to-head races and compared player stats.