The series released its first title, The Need for Speed in 1994. Initially, it was designed exclusively for use on fifth generation video game consoles, but later on was reworked to be able to be used on all seventh generation consoles by 2008. All members of the series consist of racing cars on various tracks, with some titles including police pursuits in races. Since Need for Speed: Underground, the series has integrated car body
customization into gameplay.
customization into gameplay.
Need for Speed is the most successful racing video game series in the world, and one of the most successful video game franchises of all time. As of October 2009, over 140 million copies of games in the series have been sold.[1]
In June 2012, following Black Box's restructuring, British developer Criterion Games announced that it was in full control of the Need for Speed franchise.[2] However, in August 2013, Swedish and British developers Ghost Games, Ghost Games UK and Criterion Games joined forces for the foreseeable future of the Need for Speed series. At the time, Ghost Games UK staff consisted of 80% of former Criterion Games employees.[3][4]
Contents [show]
Gameplay[edit]
Almost all of the games in the NFS series employ the same fundamental rules and similar mechanics: the player controls a race car in a variety of races, the goal being to win the race. In the tournament/career mode, the player must win a series of races in order to unlock vehicles and tracks. Before each race, the player chooses a vehicle, and has the option of selecting either an automatic or manual transmission. All games in the series have some form of multiplayer mode allowing players to race one another via a split screen, a LAN or the Internet.
Although the games share the same name, their tone and focus can vary significantly. For example, in some games the cars can suffer mechanical and visual damage, while in other games the cars cannot be damaged at all; in some games the software simulates real-car behavior (physics), while in others there are more forgiving physics.
With the release of Need for Speed: Underground, the series shifted from racing sports cars on scenic point-to-point tracks, to an import/tuner subculture, and street racing in an urban setting. To date, this theme has remained prevalent in most of the following games.
Need for Speed: Shift and its sequel took a simulator approach to racing, featuring closed-circuit racing on real tracks like the Nürburgring and the Laguna Seca, and fictional street circuits in cities like London and Chicago. The car lists include a combination of exotics, sports cars, and tuners in addition to special race cars.
Most of the games in the franchise include police pursuits in some form or other. In some of the games featuring police pursuit, the player can play as either the felon or the cop.[5] The concepts of drifting and dragging were introduced in Need for Speed: Underground. These new mechanics are included in the tournament/career mode aside from the regular street races. In drift races, the player must defeat other racers by totaling the most points, earned by the length and timing of the drift made by the player's vehicle.[6] In drag races, the player must finish first to win the race, though if the player crashes into an obstacle, the race ends.[6]
The concept of car tuning evolved with each new game, from focusing mainly on the mechanics of the car to including how the car looks. Each game has car tuning which can set options for items like ABS, traction control), or downforce, or for upgrading parts like the engine or gearbox. Visual tuning of the player's car becomes important in tournament/career mode after the release of Need for Speed: Underground 2, when the appearance is rated from zero to ten points. When a car attains a high enough visual rating, the vehicle is eligible to be on the cover of a fictional magazine.[7]
Like all racing games, the Need for Speed series features an list of cars, modeled and named after actual cars. Cars in the franchise are divided into four categories: exotic cars, muscle cars, tuners, and special vehicles.[8] Exotic cars feature high performance, expensive cars like the Lamborghini Murciélago, Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, Chevrolet Corvette and the Ford GT; muscle cars refer to the Ford Mustang, Dodge Challenger and the Chevrolet Camaro; while tuner cars are cars like the Nissan Skyline and the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. The special vehicles are civilian and police cars that are available for use in some games, such as the Ford Crown Victoria in Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (2010 video game) and garbage trucks, fire engines and taxis in Need for Speed: Carbon.[8]
Originally the series took place in international settings, such as race tracks in Australia, Europe, and Africa.[9] Beginning with Underground, the series has taken place in fictional metropolitan cities.[10] The first game featured traffic on "head to head" mode, while later games traffic can be toggled on and off, and starting with Underground, traffic is a fixed obstacle.[10]
Development[edit]
The Need for Speed series was originally developed by Distinctive Software, a video game studio based in Vancouver, Canada. Prior to Electronic Arts' purchase of the company in 1991, it had created popular racing games such as Stunts and Test Drive II: The Duel. After the purchase, the company was renamed Electronic Arts (EA) Canada. The company capitalized on its experience in the domain by developing the Need for Speed series in late 1992.[11] EA Canada continued to develop and expand the Need for Speed franchise up to 2002, when another Vancouver-based gaming company, named Black Box Games, was contracted to continue the series with Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2.[12] EA Black Box has been the primary series developer on a yearly cycle from 2002-08. In 2009, EA brought in Slightly Mad Studios, due to sagging sales, and they released Need for Speed: Shift, and EA's own UK-based company Criterion Games came with Hot Pursuit in 2010. In 2011, Slightly Mad Studios released a sequel to Shift, Shift 2: Unleashed and EA Black Box released Need for Speed: The Run.
Series overview[edit]
Main article: List of Need for Speed video games
There have been 20 games released in the Need for Speed series. Six games were developed by EA Canada, two by Eden Games and two by Criterion Games.
All games of the Need for Speed-series by system
Title Year PC PS3 X360 Wii PS2 Xbox GCN PS1 iOS Mobile PSP
PSVita NDS
3DS GBA Others Developer Comments
The Need for Speed 1994 Yes N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Yes N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 3DO, Saturn Pioneer Studios
EA Canada 3DO version was the first version to be released
Need for Speed II 1997 Yes N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Yes N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A EA Canada
EA Seattle Prototypes and showcars available.
NFS III: Hot Pursuit 1998 Yes N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Yes N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A EA Canada
EA Seattle
NFS: High Stakes 1999 Yes N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Yes N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A EA Canada
EA Seattle Road Challenge (Europe, Brazil)
NFS: Porsche Unleashed 2000 Yes N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Yes N/A N/A N/A N/A Yes N/A Eden Games
EA Canada
Pocketeers Porsche 2000 (Europe), Porsche (Germany, Latin America)
NFS: Hot Pursuit 2 2002 Yes N/A N/A N/A Yes Yes Yes N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A EA Black Box
EA Seattle
NFS: Underground 2003 Yes N/A N/A N/A Yes Yes Yes N/A N/A N/A N/A Yes NDS Yes N/A EA Black Box
NFS: Underground 2 2004 Yes N/A N/A N/A Yes Yes Yes N/A N/A N/A Yes PSP1 Yes NDS Yes N/A EA Canada
NFS: Most Wanted 2005 Yes N/A2 Yes N/A Yes Yes Yes N/A Yes Yes Yes PSP Yes NDS Yes N/A EA Black Box
NFS: Carbon 2006 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes N/A N/A Yes Yes PSP Yes NDS Yes Zeebo EA Canada
EA Black Box
NFS: ProStreet 2007 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes N/A N/A N/A N/A Yes Yes PSP Yes NDS N/A N/A EA Black Box
NFS: Undercover 2008 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes N/A N/A N/A Yes Yes Yes PSP Yes NDS N/A Windows Mobile & Phone EA Vancouver
Exient Entertainment
Firebrand Games
Piranha Games
NFS: Shift 2009 Yes Yes Yes N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Yes Yes Yes PSP N/A N/A Windows Mobile, Android Slightly Mad Studios
EA Bright Light
NFS: Nitro 2009 N/A N/A N/A Yes N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Yes NDS N/A N/A Firebrand Games
EA Montreal Casual game, Nintendo exclusive, an improved version of the DS edition of the game called Need for Speed: Nitro-X, was released for DSiWare.
NFS: World 2010 Yes N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A EA Singapore Free-to-play MMO racing game
NFS: Hot Pursuit 2010 Yes Yes Yes Yes N/A N/A N/A N/A Yes Yes N/A N/A N/A Windows Phone, Android Criterion Games Wii version by Exient Entertainment
Shift 2: Unleashed 2011 Yes Yes Yes N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Yes N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Slightly Mad Studios Also known as Need for Speed: Shift 2 Unleashed
NFS: The Run 2011 Yes Yes Yes Yes N/A N/A N/A N/A No3 Yes N/A Yes 3DS N/A N/A EA Black Box Wii/3DS versions by Firebrand Games
NFS: Most Wanted 2012 Yes Yes Yes N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Yes Yes Yes Vita N/A N/A Wii U, Android Criterion Games The Wii U version was called Need for Speed: Most Wanted U, it was released in 2013.
NFS: Rivals 2013 Yes Yes Yes N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A PS4, XOne Ghost Games
Criterion Games
^1 The PSP version was called Need for Speed: Underground Rivals, it was released in 2005.
^2 This game was not released on the PS3, but the PS2 version is available as a digital download on PlayStation Network as of 2012.
^3 The iOS version was canceled due to low sales of The Run.
Installments[edit]
The Need for Speed (1994)[edit]
[hide]Reception
Aggregate scores
Aggregator Score
GameRankings (SAT) 95.00%[13]
(PC) 83.00%[14]
(PS) 68.50%[15]
Main article: The Need for Speed
The original Need for Speed was released for 3DO in 1994 with versions released for the PC (DOS) (1995), PlayStation and Saturn (1996) following shortly afterwards. The Need for Speed and its Special Edition were the only games in the series to support DOS, with subsequent releases for the PC run only within Windows.
The first installment of the NFS was one of only two serious attempts by the series to provide a realistic simulation of car handling elements (the other being Porsche Unleashed). Electronic Arts teamed up with automotive magazine Road & Track to match vehicle behaviour, including the sounds made by the vehicles' gear control levers. The game contained vehicle data with spoken commentary, several "magazine style" images of each car, and short video-clips highlighting the vehicles set to music.
Most cars and tracks are available at the beginning of the game, and the objective is to unlock the remaining locked content by winning tournaments. This version featured chases by police cars, a popular theme throughout the series, and also featured an obnoxious opponent who taunted the player if the computer won the race or the player is arrested.
Another version, called The Need for Speed: Special Edition, was released only for the PC in 1996. It featured support for DirectX 2 and TCP/IP networking, two new tracks, and time of day variations for most tracks.
Need for Speed II (1997)[edit]
[hide]Reception
Aggregate scores
Aggregator Score
GameRankings (PS1) 71.39%[16]
(PC) 68.25%[17]
Metacritic (PS1) 71/100[18]
Main article: Need for Speed II
Need for Speed II (NFS II) featured some rare and exotic vehicles, including the Ford Indigo concept vehicle, and featured country-themed tracks from North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. The PlayStation port of NFS II was the first PlayStation game to take advantage of the NeGcon controller, and the Dual Analog and DualShock controllers as well. A new racing mode was also introduced, dubbed "Knockout", where the last racers to finish laps will be eliminated. In addition, track design was more open-ended; players could now "drive" off the asphalt, and cut across fields to take advantage of shortcuts. Need for Speed II: Special Edition includes one extra track, extra cars, and support for Glide.
Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit (1998)[edit]
[hide]Reception
Aggregate scores
Aggregator Score
GameRankings (PS1) 85.63%[19]
(PC) 84.82%[20]
Metacritic (PS1) 88/100[21]
Main article: Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit
Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit added Hot Pursuit mode, where the player either attempted to outrun the police or be the cop, arresting speeders.
NFS III took advantage of the multimedia capabilities by featuring audio commentary, picture slideshows and music videos. This game was the first in the series to allow the downloading of additional cars from the official website. As a result, modding communities sprang up to create vehicles. The PC version was also the first game in the series to support Direct 3D hardware.
Need for Speed: High Stakes/Road Challenge (1999)[edit]
[hide]Reception
Aggregate scores
Aggregator Score
GameRankings (PS1) 84.38%[22]
(PC) 83.08%[23]
Metacritic (PS1) 86/100[24]
Main article: Need for Speed: High Stakes
High Stakes (North American and Australian title), also known as Road Challenge (European and Brazilian title), Conduite en état de liberté (French title) and Brennender Asphalt (German title), was released in the summer of 1999.
High Stakes introduced several new types of gameplay: High Stakes, Getaway, Time Trap, and Career. High Stakes was a racing mode; Getaway required the player to outrun numerous pursuing police vehicles; Time Trap is was a time lap trial; and Career was a tournament mode which incorporated a monetary reward system. Another innovation was the introduction of damage models, where after a race the player is given the option to purchase repairs. The mode also allows players, for the first time, to upgrade cars.
The PlayStation version of the game, released some months before the PC version, featured improved gameplay. The AI in the game was more advanced: the five AIs known as Nemesis, Bullit, Frost, Ranger, and Chump featured different driving characteristics. In the PlayStation version, the McLaren F1 GTR was based on the 1997 Long Tail, while the PC version was based on the original 95/96 version.
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