Which is the Best Need for Speed Game: Need for Speed is one of the world’s most well-known racing franchises. We decided to go through each and pick the seven best titles from EA’s arcade blast, which has spanned 25 years and created some fantastic games.
So far, the primary Need For Speed series has featured 24 distinct Need For Speed games. Players have grown up smashing, avoiding, and drifting their way through hundreds of courses and situations over numerous platform generations.
Need For Speed provides it all, from simple track racing to furious street action evading the authorities. Not every game has been a resounding success, but several have certainly captivated the hearts of many.
So, without any further ado, let us dive straight into the Best Need For Speed Games from bottom to top. Be sure to check out our Need For Speed blogs for more exciting content.
7. Need For Speed: Carbon (2006)
Despite a lessened emphasis on the Police aspect that fans had grown to enjoy over the years, Carbon’s on-road presentation was more than adequate for the time.
While it didn’t accomplish anything spectacular or truly original to reinvent the racing wheel, Carbon’s freer racing formula and wider open world meant that fans had countless hours to enjoy and waste away in the area of Palmont.
6. Need For Speed: Shift (2009)
The Shift was a real tonal shift away from the devastation and physical carnage of previous Need For Speed games, instead focusing on a focused driving simulation game similar to Gran Turismo or Forza.
While some of Shift’s arcadey origins did seep into the automobile handling, the game was a lot of fun. Shift offers something totally different yet equally gripping and entertaining, with licensed beauties ranging from Lamborghinis to Bugattis and world-renowned race venues such as the Nurburgring and Laguna Seca Speedway.
5. Need For Speed: Most Wanted (2012)
When it comes to the 2021 edition of Most Wanted, many similarities were drawn to 2008’s Burnout Paradise, but that’s not a negative thing.
Fairhaven, an open city loaded with valuables and smashable billboards, was a fantastic playground to explore, delivering all sorts of events throughout the varied landscape. It kept its traditional arcade-racer essence while also expanding the interconnectivity of the NFS online environment with the Autolog function.
4. Need For Speed III: Hot Pursuit (1998)
Many consider the 1998 edition of the ‘Hot Pursuit’ brand to be a defining moment in racing game history, as it polished and altered the police aspect.
You had to handle the impending danger of the police as well as compete against other high-speed adversaries to establish who was the king of the road. Crossing them would result in high-speed pursuits in which they would use spike traps, capture you for speeding, and essentially stop at nothing to bring you down.
When combined with a fantastic assortment of circuits and vehicles, many believe here is where the franchises truly took off.
3. Need For Speed Underground 1 (2013)
The Need For Speed equation was nearly complete and in full force by 2003, therefore it was a brave decision from EA to take out the whiteboard eraser, remove those ideas, and recreate NFS with a complete relaunch.
In retrospect, it was a brilliant move. Underground went on to sell well over 10 million units as gamers could not get enough of the game’s novel story aspect, a plethora of personalization possibilities, and thundering, pulsating music.
2. Need For Speed Underground 2 (2004)
Why not do it again, but this time larger and bolder?
The story component returned with a deeper look at underground life and the breadth of upgrades available for your vehicle. To capitalize on the novelty of its predecessor, Underground 2 added additional events to diversify the gameplay, and the wide breadth of its free-roam mode made it a more than suitable sequel.
1. Need For Speed: Most Wanted (2005)
Need for Speed: Most Wanted is a driving masterpiece. No matter how many times we play it, it’s the same adrenaline rush all over again. It avoided the awful reboot trend, and who would have expected that a game launched on Android, iOS, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 could be enjoyable? It might have been the best NFS game on mobile devices.
The fact that practically everyone could play the game, made it intriguing. It was inspired by Need for Speed Underground, but it distinguished itself with unique race circuits and top-notch driving mechanics. It was named the VGX Award winner for Best Driving Game. This is one Need For Speed game you should not pass up!