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Need For speed
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Need for speed
This was the game that started it all. With more than 100,000,000 copies sold worldwide, Need for Speed is the World’s number one racing series, but it all started here. Tracks in NFS were created with Soft Image, software that at that time was only available to the film industry. Need for Speed, which was released in 1994 on the fledgling 3DO console - and later for PC, Sony PlayStation and Sega Saturn - was the first true 3D racing game, with some cars having as many as 70 polygons. -
Need for Speed II
Fans of the series would have to wait until 1997 for the next Need for Speed game and by then, things had changed slightly. Gone were the police chases and simulation-style handling of the first game, replaced with more accessible, arcade-style gameplay. One thing that remained the same was the ability to enter cheat codes to get special cars otherwise not available in the game. Some of the secret cars available included a school bus, Volkswagen Beetle and an old west-style wagon. -
Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit
The cops were back in Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit, and they were looking to make up for lost time. Unlike the police in Need for Speed, these cops had a few tricks up their sleeve to keep the peace on the game’s eight tracks, as well as one bonus track. Spike belts, roadblocks and more aggressive artificial intelligence made getting by the cops in Hot Pursuit more difficult. They also had more powerful cars, including a turbocharged Eagle Talon coupe and Lamborghini LM002 SUV. -
Need for Speed High Stakes
Roman numerals were dropped for the fourth title in the NFS series, High Stakes, but the same racing experience was intact, with a cool new feature. The ability to race for ‘pinks’ was added in High Stakes, truly making the title live up to its name. In the new mode, if you lose to your opponent, they get your car, turning the pressure up past a boiling point. Also introduced in High Stakes were 3D car interiors, and vehicle damage, giving NFS racers a true driving experience. -
Need for Speed Porsche Unleashed
The first, and to date, only, NFS game to feature the vehicles of one manufacturer, Porsche Unleashed featured models from the German performance automaker from 1950-2000. Its ‘Evolution’ mode, which allowed racers to buy and unlock Porsche cars from 1950 on in chronological order was also a genre first and brought many new fans to both Porsche and the NFS series. With a total of 86 cars available, for a true Porsche fan, there was no substitute for Porsche Unleashed. -
Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2
It was back to basics for the sixth Need for Speed title, Hot Pursuit 2. The game was divided into two types of gameplay – World Racing and Hot Pursuit. World Race included three different race types that were slightly different from one another, whereas Hot Pursuit brought back the arcade-style racing that NFS fans fell in love with. The PlayStation 2 version of HPII was developed by Black Box Games, beginning an association that has spanned many titles and continues today. -
Need for Speed Underground
In 2003, the NFS universe, and racing games everywhere, changed forever with the release of Underground. Moving away from the exotic supercars of the first six NFS titles, Underground focused heavily on illegal street racing and the import ‘tuner’ market, which had grown exponentially in popularity with the release of blockbuster film The Fast and the Furious. Underground was the final track-based NFS game until the release of ProStreet in 2007. -
Need for Speed Underground 2
With the resounding success of Underground – which sold more than 15 million copies worldwide – Underground 2 came out in 2004 and built on the success of its predecessor. The biggest change for Underground 2 was an ‘explore’ mode that allowed players to drive around the city, Bayview, in an effort to find races. Graphics were tuned up for Underground 2, with some cars featuring 5,000 polygons. -
Need for Speed Most Wanted
Need for Speed Most Wanted Continuing in the story-based, open world vein of the Underground games, Most Wanted was released in 2005 and added several interesting new types of gameplay to the NFS universe. Most Wanted was also a launch title for the Xbox 360. Most Wanted continued on the outstanding sales of Undercover and Undercover 2, selling more than 16 million copies worldwide. -
Need for Speed Carbon
Need for Speed Carbon Released in 2006, Need for Speed Carbon took customization to the next level with the addition of the AutoSculpt feature that allows players to shape and mold exterior modifications on their vehicles to their liking, which brought a new dimension of fun and excitement to online races. Nighttime racing and drifting both returned in Carbon, returning to the dark and dingy backdrop of the city seen in Underground. -
Need for Speed ProStreet
Need for Speed ProStreet Need for Speed ProStreet was released in 2007 and was a return to the simulation-style track racing that won fans over for the first time when The Need for Speed was released 13 years earlier. Speed Challenge races added another new wrinkle to ProStreet, making it the ultimate test of speed and control. ProStreet was a massive hit, selling nearly 9 million copies in its first 18 months of release. -
Need for Speed Undercover
Need for Speed Undercover The Need for Speed series got another dose of Hollywood magic with the release of Undercover. Actress Maggie Q plays a federal agent and is your character’s only contact to the outside world as you go undercover to foil an international crime syndicate in Tri-City. Singer and actress Christina Milian makes an appearance as Carmen, a friend you encounter throughout your travels.
