| Electronic Arts has done it again. The Need | | | | revamped by also introducing a storyline to |
| For Speed racing series is back with a | | | | make it more interesting. The hundreds of |
| vengeance, and it is thanks to the huge | | | | different combinations of after-market parts |
| success with the Underground Series. Need For | | | | you could install to your car, gave the game |
| Speed came to life in 1994 with the title | | | | more variety and flair. |
| Road & Track Presents: Need For Speed. The | | | | |
| original game focused on realism and was more | | | | The soundtrack was excellent and fitted |
| of a driving simulator than an arcade style | | | | perfectly into the atmosphere of underground |
| racing game. It also included high speed | | | | racing. This was the first game in the series |
| police chases which gave the game a lot of | | | | that did not have exotic cars in its lineup. |
| popularity. Need For Speed II did not include | | | | The career mode introduced in Need For Speed: |
| the police car chases and had a more arcade | | | | High Stakes, came to full circle in |
| feel to it. | | | | Underground. Fans still missed a couple of |
| | | | things, namely network play and the high |
| Each of the first two games had also a | | | | speed police chases. EA rectified the absence |
| special edition. The sequel did not live up | | | | of network play in Need For Speed Underground |
| to expectations so EA brought back the police | | | | 2. The game had everything the first |
| chases in Need For Speed III: Hot Pursuit. It | | | | Underground had plus more. New racing modes |
| was still an arcade racing title but the Hot | | | | was introduced, new ways to customize your |
| Pursuit mode had more depth than the first | | | | car, more after-market parts, as well as the |
| game and made it more fun to play. You even | | | | free roaming world. Outrun races brought back |
| had the opportunity to be the cops. EA | | | | the feel of the police chases fans came |
| followed up their success by releasing Need | | | | accustomed too. EA was obviously doing |
| For Speed: High Stakes/Road Challenge in | | | | something right. |
| 1999. Fans had mixed feelings about this | | | | |
| installment and complained that the game had | | | | Need For Speed Most Wanted, the next release |
| too many similarities to Need For Speed: Hot | | | | in the series, will have all the strong |
| Pursuit. But the game had a couple new | | | | points of previous installments: the high |
| innovations. This was the first game of the | | | | speed, adrenaline rush police car chases that |
| series with damage models. It also had a | | | | was introduced in the first game, there are |
| career mode where you bought cars and | | | | rumors that there may be damage models in the |
| upgraded them as you progressed through | | | | game, but it is not certain, the demo may |
| racing tournaments. | | | | reveal more of this. There will again be a |
| | | | storyline in the game and the feel of the |
| The next installment of the series was Need | | | | Underground series will still be present, so |
| For Speed: Porsche Unleashed. Although it was | | | | you will still be able to pimp your ride. |
| a great success amongst Porsche fans and a | | | | Most Wanted also brings back exotic cars, but |
| great piece of work with the in depth | | | | there will still be import tuners. So you |
| coverage of the history of Porsche, it did | | | | will be able to tune those exotics also. |
| not have the variety of the previous games. | | | | |
| Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 made its | | | | There will also be quite a number of new |
| appearance two years later, but was not such | | | | racing modes to look forward to. The |
| a success as the first Hot Pursuit, due to | | | | objective of the game is to become the most |
| the huge presence of arcade style racing. | | | | notorious racer on the street by evading the |
| | | | police and leave your opponents hanging in |
| EA played their cards right with the release | | | | the dust. It is clear that EA has listened to |
| of Need For Speed Underground. The game still | | | | the fans throughout the series and |
| had an arcade feel to it and there were no | | | | implemented suggestions from the gaming |
| damage models. But did not compromise the | | | | community. Need For Speed always impressed in |
| game's success. The introduction of import | | | | the department of appearance and graphics, |
| tuners and car customization made it a hit | | | | and from what I've seen from screen shots and |
| amongst fans. The game was completely | | | | preview movies, the game looks stunning. |