Your Top 5 Need For Speed Games

[MagpieRacer]

1. NFS III: Hot Pursuit
2. NFS: Porsche Unleashed
3: NFS Shift
4: NFS: Most Wanted
5: NFS: The Run

I decided not to include Shift 2 based on this:

Marcus Nilsson, the executive producer of Shift 2: Unleashed, said this about why they decide to drop the Need for Speed name for Shift 2,

 

[Stradivis]

Got to try NFS Undercover (PS3). It's a very bad game. Didn't like it at all. Next I guess I'll try the newest Most Wanted, or The Run. Not really sure.

EDIT:
Sorry, but I had to say this: Undercover is crap. It tries to be Most Wanted (the original one), and it fails. It fails so bad it hurts. It's not fun, it's not fast, it's not even 25fps. Avoid it at all costs.

 

[X-DEVIL7675]

1-NFS Hot Pursuit 2 (PS2 Version) - I absolutely love this game. It's alot of fun, with many events, many cars and fun pursuits.One of the first games I ever completed, with many hours logged in. A great game.

2-NFS High Stakes/Road Challenge (PS1 Version) - One of the first games I've ever played, and one I've spent many hours on. Even though I never completed it, its sheer adictingness and fun gameplay make it one of my favorites in the series.

3-NFS Most Wanted (Original) - This game is considered to be the best NFS by alot of people and I can see why. Great career mode, large number of content and the return of police pursuits just make this a fantastic game, but there's something about it that prevents it for being my favorite.

4-NFS Hot Pursuit (2010) - A breath of fresh air after some "sub-par" games in the series, Criterion's first entry into the franchise is a great and fun game that goes back to the roots of the series, being the best recent NFS title (in my opinion).

5-NFS Underground 2 - A big improvement over the original. Underground 2 took the best things from the first game and improved them, adding free-roam, lots of events and a HUGE NUMBER of customization options (you can modify almost everything!). If it only had police pursuits...

This is my list, but I'm interested in playing both the original Hot Pursuit and the PC version of Porsche Unleashed (only played the PS1 version) after reading others' opinions. Does anybody think I should give them a go?

 

[Camaro69427]

1. Most Wanted (2005) - The BEST NFS IN GAMING HISTORY. I'm still waiting for a Prequel though.
2. Carbon - A worthy sequel to Most Wanted and my 1st NFS.
3. Pro Street - The tuning in this game was SUPERB
4. Most Wanted (2012) - Its a good game, but Multiplayer SUCKS
5. The Run - I like the plot behind this one

I find it nice to see that A LOT of people have the Original Most Wanted in their top 5.

 

[Stradivis]

1. Most Wanted (2005) - The BEST NFS IN GAMING HISTORY. I'm still waiting for a Prequel though.
2. Carbon - A worthy sequel to Most Wanted and my 1st NFS.
3. Pro Street - The tuning in this game was SUPERB
4. Most Wanted (2012) - Its a good game, but Multiplayer SUCKS
5. The Run - I like the plot behind this one

I find it nice to see that A LOT of people have the Original Most Wanted in their top 5.

TBH, the only thing I didn't like about Most Wanted was the cheesy storyline. And Nissan was missing (Skyline R34 and 350Z).

I hear lot's of mixed things about The Run, it's one NFS I ought to try some day.

Hot Pursuit (Criterion's) reminded me a lot of the original NFS, because of all the roads and visuals. The handling was too Burnout, but an overall good experience.

 

[Wolfe]

I hear lot's of mixed things about The Run, it's one NFS I ought to try some day.

The best way to explain it, I think, is that there's the driving side of things, and then the other stuff that makes up the rest of the gameplay. If you ask me, the driving experience in The Run is among the best the series has ever seen; the physics feel good, the roads and scenery are nice, and despite the repeating course sections you get a decent sense that you're zipping across the country. Unfortunately, the rest of the game is tarnished by asinine design decisions that restrict your choices for no good reason and hide unlockables behind dumb multiplayer- and Autolog-dependent goals.

So it's quite obvious to me why people hate the game, but it's also one of my favorite driving games and I enjoy going back through The Run over and over. Maybe that can help you get an idea of it. 👍

 

[wicken]

1. Need for Speed Hot Pursuit 2010
2. Shift 2 Unleashed
3. Need for Speed The Run
4. Need for Speed Most Wanted 2012
5. Need for Speed Pro Street

 

[XtremeBadass]

NFS III : Hot Pursuit
NFS Porsche Unleashed
NFS Underground 2
NFS Hot Pursuit 2010
NFS Most Wanted 2012

 

[I Love GT6]

1: NFS Most Wanted

2: NFS Underground

3: NFS Underground 2

4: NFS Carbon

5: NFS Pro Street

 

[Darren.]

Guess it would be a good idea to update my list, having bought some more NFS games.

1. NFS Most Wanted (Black Box) - Perhaps the best NFS game ever. It took NFS Hot Pursuit 2's iconic gameplay, NFS Underground's story and personaliation and smashed it into one epic game. It's still a game I play frequently on my PS2.

2. NFS The Run - This NFS was the last "true" NFS until Rivals. Sure, the story may not have been great, but the driving made it one of the best arcade racers on PS3 and 360. What's more, it's engine laid down the fundamentals for what would become NFS Rivals.

3. NFS Carbon - Essentially Most Wanted with enhanced personalisation. The only factor that make this a low ranking game was it's 4 hour career mode.

4. NFS Shift - SMS tried to take NFS into a whole new area, sim racing. It was a very good game with some great cars and tracks. While it couldn't take on GT, it was a lot better than GRID due to some better physics and a better interior view.

5. NFS Hot Pursuit 2 - The first game I got for my PS2, so I have fond memories of this one. It was essentially Racers vs Cops across a variety of tracks. The physics were very good for a 2002 title, although not nearly as good as the Underground physics.

Honourable mention: NFS Hot Pursuit (Criterion Games)- Don't get me wrong, this game is worthy sequel to Hot Pursuit 2, it's better in many regards. However, Criterion didn't include replay value to the game and the drifting is OTT. This is a very fun game regardless, and I can thank Criterion for one thing. Autolog. Practically every racing game on the market has copied the idea of tracking progress against my friends, IRL or online.

 

[Wolfe]

1. NFS The Run - The only recent NFS game I really like. Some annoying quirks, but a great driving experience with extraordinary replay value in The Run itself. That replay value is what earned it my #1 spot.
2. NFS Porsche Unleashed - The best physics of the classic era, with gorgeous point-to-point roads and attention to detail that really made it special.
3. NFS High Stakes - Virtually unlimited in car/track selection thanks to open modding for the PC version. Night, weather, varied track settings, 3D interiors; this was a great game for its time. Too bad the physics didn't age well.
4. The Need for Speed - My first 3D racing game with licensed cars, with the info and detail to get me started learning about everything I know today. Classic point-to-point roads and one of the better physics models in the series.
5. NFS Hot Pursuit 2 PS2 version - Great game with OK physics, but it lacks replay value and it began the shift in gameplay that continued into the string of games I've never liked; Underground through Undercover.

 

[ron24]

high stakes was my first nfs game. I wish I would have played the one's before that. its nice to see so many have high stakes and underground 1&2 and most wanted 2005 in there list. it was tough to pick my top 5 in order because I loved all nfs games from high stakes to carbon so much. i have not been a fan of nfs much since. they lost the main point of nfs games, that nfs was all about racing and was all ways was. they need to go from carbon back to the first nfs and then make a nfs from that.


1 underground 2
2 hot pursuit 2
3 high stakes
4 wanted, black box
5 carbon
+ underground 1
+the run

 

[Stradivis]

The best way to explain it, I think, is that there's the driving side of things, and then the other stuff that makes up the rest of the gameplay. If you ask me, the driving experience in The Run is among the best the series has ever seen; the physics feel good, the roads and scenery are nice, and despite the repeating course sections you get a decent sense that you're zipping across the country. Unfortunately, the rest of the game is tarnished by asinine design decisions that restrict your choices for no good reason and hide unlockables behind dumb multiplayer- and Autolog-dependent goals.

So it's quite obvious to me why people hate the game, but it's also one of my favorite driving games and I enjoy going back through The Run over and over. Maybe that can help you get an idea of it. 👍

The feeling of cruising open roads is something I relate a lot to NFS. The Need for Speed, Porsche Unleashed and Citerion's Hot Pursuit all remind me of that, and I guess that's the biggest reason why I am so inclined towards The Run.

It would be simply awesome if they made a new NFS that went back to the roots of the franchise, with point to point segments of roads, maybe even based on real life roads, with a somewhat less arcade-y physics. NFS Gumball anyone? 💡

 

[Kevster823]

1. NFS Hot Pursuit 2 (PS2 Version)
2. NFS Most Wanted (2005 version)
3. NFS Hot Pursuit (2010 version)
4. NFS Porsche Unleashed
5. NFS Carbon


My not favorite NFS Game is Undercover

 

[alex1369]

1. NFS 4 High Stakes PS1
2. NFS 6 Hot Pursuit PS2
3: NFS Shift PS3
4: NFS Underground 2 PS2
5: NFS 5 Porsche PC

 

[FT-1]

1. Need For Speed Underground 2
2. Need For Speed Most Wanted (Black Box)
3. Need For Speed SHIFT
4. Need For Speed Most Wanted (Criterion)
5. Need For Speed ProStreet

 

[GTracer98]

1) NFS Most Wanted 2005
2) NFS Underground 2
3) NFS Porsche Unleashed
4) NFS Hot Pursuit 2010
5) NFS II

 

[Sage Ages]

1. Most Wanted
2. Underground
3. High Stakes
4. Most Wanted: A Criterion Game
5. Hot Pursuit 2

Dat diversity.

 

[hobanator24]

From favorite to least favorite:

1. NFS Carbon because of good blend of tuners, muscle & exotic & Autosculpt.
2. NFS Underground 2 because of many customization options & Burnout 3 demo.
3. NFS Hot Pursuit 2 because it was the first NFS I've ever owned.
4. NFS III: Hot Pursuit because of Lamborgini Diablo SV.
5. NFS Most Wanted (2012) because of very unique dlc.

Personally, I don't care for any of the new NFS titles. Shift & Shift 2 were attempts at a sim racer, but were terrible compared to Forza & GT. If the new NFS titles featured more variety, I might change my mind. Even the original NFS title featured imports.

 

[TJ13]

Well for me
1 HP2010
2 MW 2012

Also I have notice one thing. Very few have had any Underground series as their favorite. P

 

[ron24]

Well for me
1 HP2010
2 MW 2012

Also I have notice one thing. Very few have had any Underground series as their favorite. P

ya but most had it in there top 5 list through.

 

[TJ13]

ya but most had it in there top 5 list through.

I know but true die hard fans would have it as their top game out of all NFS titles.

 

[Darren.]

I know but true die hard fans would have it as their top game out of all NFS titles.

I'm a die hard fan, but I just couldn't get into the Underground series as much as I could Hot Pursuit 2 or Most Wanted.

 

[GranTurismo916]

1. Underground
2. Carbon
3. Underground 2
4. ProStreet
5. I haven't played any others. :/

 

[Wolfe]

I know but true die hard fans would have it as their top game out of all NFS titles.

Why?

I grew up with The Need for Speed -- which spurred the purchase of my very first gaming wheel -- and followed the series with great interest up to Hot Pursuit 2. I'd consider myself a true die hard fan of NFS, or at least what it used to be; the Underground games were the first departure from the original formula. Not that they're terrible games, but I didn't like them and I didn't come back to the series until the string of Underground-like games ended with the release of HP2010.

 

[rallymorten]

A few updates to my year and a half old list:

5 best

1: Most Wanted '05 because wrecking cops never felt better
2: High Stakes/Road Challenge because Getaway and helicopters
3: Hot Pursuit because Diablo SV and god show mercy to the one's that hate that car
4: Underground because tuning without being the real rice simulator.
5: Hot Pursuit 2 because the last original NFS. That, and a lot more.

Aaaaand now the opposite list!

5 worst

5: Undergound 2 because too ricey
4: Pro Street because a good idea turned bad
3: Shift because same as PS. Plus there wasn't really a need for it (GT, Forza and the "old gold" aka ToCA Race Driver)
2: Hot Pursuit 2010 because Burnout. 2 names for 1 game
1: Most Wanted 2012 because same story as HP2010

 

[ron24]

I know but true die hard fans would have it as their top game out of all NFS titles.

again it comes down to there taste of nfs style games, I for one loved every NFS up till carbon but underground 2 was my #1 NFS . I didn't care for the last 6 well 4 undercover could have been good the run had old school nfs feel to it but could have been better. many didn't like the black box era , they liked burnout nfs era. or they liked before black box era or some liked them all.

 

[Darren.]

again it comes down to there taste of nfs style games, I for one loved every NFS up till carbon but underground 2 was my #1 NFS . I didn't care for the last 6 well 4 undercover could have been good the run had old school nfs feel to it but could have been better. many didn't like the black box era , they liked burnout nfs era. or they liked before black box era or some liked them all.

As far as I can tell the entire NFS fanbase hated Criterion's entries into NFS, myself being amongst them. They were all screaming for Black Box to come back, as they made good games.

 

[Wolfe]

Hot Pursuit 2010 was a good game in search of a good physics/collisions model. Everything about it was pretty great except for the way the cars flail about at high speed. I could hardly even play it on an HDTV with the input lag; but I'm used to a CRT.

 

[ron24]

As far as I can tell the entire NFS fanbase hated Criterion's entries into NFS, myself being amongst them. They were all screaming for Black Box to come back, as they made good games.

at least the nfs black box fans hated them. the only reason undercover was a mess ea rushed it out. the two things about black box is they made great games, there #1 focus was about racing not how many times can my car can get crashed and watch the crash cam a million times or do jumps with a super car. don't get me wrong I loved burnout but most nfs fans don't want them mixed. plus criterions seemed to slap black box in the face by taking the best things black box added to nfs and took them out.