10.10.2019

The best need for speed. The best races in the Need for Speed series

Almost every year the Need series For Speed pleases us with a new game. And 2017 was no exception, the shelves were attacked new part under the heading Payback, which again promised to restart the series and become one of the most important milestones in the development of the franchise.

It turned out for her, in the end, or not, let everyone decide for themselves (no!). Should we expect a new NFS in 2018? It's not clear yet. Therefore, I decided to give in to nostalgia a little and recall the five, in my opinion, the best parts of the most recognizable racing series in the gaming industry.

5th - Need for Speed: Shift Series (2009 - 2011)

After the release of the absolutely disastrous Need for Speed: Undercover (2008), Electronic Arts thought that the series needed a radical reboot. Ultimately, the new authors of future games were Slightly Mad Studios - known to the gaming community for the GT Legends and GTR 2 projects.

The first attempt by the new team to turn NFS into a serious car simulator turned out to be controversial. Despite the rather addictive gameplay with races on real tracks, the game was criticized for its strange physics and boring career mode.

Chic study of car dealerships was one of the main features of the game.

Nevertheless, Shift sold well and two years later saw the light of its improved version - Need For Speed: Shift 2: Unleashed. Where the developers tried to take into account the mistakes of the predecessor and focus on innovations.

It was already difficult to blame the second part for the career mode, because the developers added licensed championships.

True, the shortcomings of the first part still scared the audience away and Shift 2 sold very poorly. As a result, EA decided to drop further development series towards serious motorsport and broke off relations with Slightly Mad.

Revolutionary, at that time, the Autolog system turned the usual multiplayer into a real multiplayer challenge.

But despite the sad end, these games turned out to be one of the most original and unusual in the series. For which they leave the fifth place of my top.

4th place - Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed / Porsche 2000 (2000)

In 2000, EA suddenly decided to conduct a small experiment on the series. The place of adrenaline chases was replaced by a unique trip along the autumn European tracks, and hot sports cars were replaced by a journey into history and a run-in of production cars of the Porsche brand, produced from 1950 to 2000. Moreover, for a detailed acquaintance, the developers built into the game a whole interactive encyclopedia, which made it possible to examine and “feel” each car in detail.

No drive and passion, only spiritual satisfaction from driving a beautiful car.

To enhance the aesthetic pleasure of the gameplay, the developers slightly complicated the physics of the behavior of cars, due to which the game finely balanced between arcade and serious simulator.

But despite all the great features of the game and a fairly large number of dedicated fans, Porsche Unleashed was a commercial failure. After which Electronic Arts even decided to cover the series. True, over time, the project still became a cult and remains so to this day, and therefore it gets the fourth place in my top.

3rd place - Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit (1998)

After a very mixed reception of Need For Speed II, the developers listened to the criticism and in Hot Pursuit decided to return the series to its roots, concentrating the gameplay on the adrenaline battles of racers with cops as much as possible.

The physics in the game has become more arcade-like, due to which the emphasis has shifted from driving to the side of sensations of speed from chases.

In addition to the beautiful, for those times, graphics and high-quality soundtrack, the game was noted for the opportunity to take on the role of a policeman. This concept turned out to be so successful that the players did not even notice the simplification of the beloved encyclopedia and the absence of expensive videos.

In 2002, a sequel was released for the game, and in 2010 a full-fledged remaster. Although the games turned out pretty good, they never managed to earn the level of cult that the original Hot Pursuit had.

As a result, the third part was sold with a record circulation for the series, and the mechanics and concept incorporated in it determined the face of the franchise for long years forward. For which she gets the third place in our top.

2nd - Need for Speed: Underground Series (2003 - 2004)

While on the screens of cinemas with might and main thundered xf "Fast and the Furious", thus forming a layer of a new culture, EA, having decided on a bold step, radically changed the image of its racing series.

So the world saw Need For Speed Underground, which, unexpectedly for everyone, offered to change from boring expensive sports cars to massive Japanese small cars, and change picturesque landscapes to the roads of a night metropolis.

Oncoming traffic and a crazy sense of speed, complemented by an amazing licensed soundtrack, created a great street racing atmosphere.

At the same time, no one was particularly embarrassed by the outrageously simplified physics and the monotony of the tracks. Why, after all, now most of the time the players were in the garage, where, using tuning, they turned their inconspicuous factory cars into unique works of art.

E Ron Don Don…

Needless to say, the sales of the game were so crazy that exactly a year later the sequel fell on the shelves - Need For Speed: Underground 2

Conceptually, the new game has not changed one iota, only the scope has changed: an open world, an increased variety of tuning and cars, stylish plot inserts with a Playboy star in leading role and a huge public relations company.

The tuning of the second part could boast of an extensive number of different items for modifying the car, and many at some point simply did not have time for racing.

The success and impact of the series was so phenomenal that street racing became not only a popular topic of conversation, but also formed a separate game genre, where every second one released his race through the night streets.

According to the plot, the player was required to defeat the fifteen most influential racers, each of which is not just a name on the board, but a separate character.

The icing on the cake, in the new project, was the return of the already solidly forgotten police and supercar fleet. The game again caught on adrenaline battles with the cops, where each meeting with representatives of the law turned into a truly hardcore test not for the faint of heart.

Chases were not just an additional mechanic, but a very important part of the gameplay.

As a result, Most Wanted became real collectively of all the successful finds accumulated in the series over twelve years. Thanks to this approach, the game attracted both a new audience, who fell in love with street racing, and an old one, who loves to ride on autumn tracks in sports cars from the pursuing police. This is what made the game almost an ideal race for all generations of Need For Speed fans, for which it gets the first place in my top.

***

Let in last years, the legendary series is not doing well. But we very much hope that this is only a sign of a slightly prolonged crisis of self-determination. After all, after all, the series is only twenty-three years old, and its best times are yet to come.

Back in the glorious 90s, the phrase " Need for Speed" has become synonymous with racing". And although this is not the only successful racing series, so far no one has succeeded in surpassing its popularity (or at least repeating it). Why? Perhaps the answer to this question can be found by analyzing the 10 best parts of Need for Speed.

There are a great many such ratings, polls and TOPs, and, as a rule, they categorically do not coincide with each other. In one stubborn rating that I happened to see, a monster called NFS: Rival flaunted in the first place! So I had to create my own poll, which, we hope, will allow us to judge gaming sympathies relatively objectively.

Most cool games NFS

10. Need for Speed: ProStreet (2007)

Street racing? No, have not heard

ProStreet managed to cling to the last car of the departing train with its frail hands and jump to the last step of our rating. Many seasoned NSF fans prefer to spit in disgust when they accidentally meet ProStreet on the street. And all because this game was "not like everyone else": the focus was shifted from street racing to more professional rides on the racetracks. Now the car could be smashed into the trash, and this, to the delight of rivals, seriously reduced its driving performance. Gone are the cops, and with them the free-ride mode in the open world.

Such buzzwords as “traction control” and “abs” appeared in the settings - not every student knew about the possibility of turning them off, as a result of which the entire monitor spattered with saliva, cursing the disgusting control. In addition, different types of races required the use of different types machines. All this created a feeling of isolation from the series - fans of racing simulators like Colin Mcrae Rally might like this game, but fans of the series wondered what had become of their beloved NSF. ProStreet cannot be called a failure, nor a success - it was unusual, sometimes misunderstood, with its pluses and minuses.

9. Need for Speed: The Run (2011)

The Run pleases with a well-drawn eagle and the nature of America

The guys from EA are not afraid to experiment, and in The Run, players again saw a number of innovations. The NFS has a storyline. Of course, he was present before, but in the "Race" he is put at the forefront - he cannot be overlooked. The main character is involved in a mafia showdown and now, in order to part with the mafia friends, he needs to win the race from San Francisco to New York, which involves 50 people and hit a good jackpot. And for the first time in the NSF, this very main character discovered that you can get out of the car! Not in the middle of the race, of course (it's not GTA before us, after all), but during some sharp plot twists, you will have to leave the car and run from the bad guys on your own two, enjoying the action that unfolds behind your back.

All races are part of one large race. Since the journey goes through all of America, a variety of exciting locations are included: rocks, forests and deserts, cities and villages, night and daytime arrivals - for every taste. Therefore, the main plus, in addition to the plot, is the graphics - at the highest level. By cons - despite the variety of locations, races become boring over time and seem to be of the same type. Indeed, with rare exceptions, only the “sprint” and “chase” modes are presented here (although the escape from snow avalanche truly epic, but such events are rare in the game). So, like ProStreet, NFS Run has received mixed reviews.

8. Need for Speed: Undercover (2008)

Developers know that in order for stupid gamers to understand that they are driving fast, the picture must be carefully blurred.

Gaming critics were harsh: Igromania, which had praised ProStreet the year before (8.0), gave NSF "Undercover" a 6, accusing it of all mortal sins. Representatives of another reputable publication, Playground, were in solidarity with their colleagues, giving Undercover a score of 5.9. But, of course, the opinion of some authoritative critics is nothing for us, compared with the point of view of experienced schoolchildren who vote for Undercover. Why did this part fall in love with a certain part of the players and critics did not like it? And which of them to believe?

Let's start with what is most striking: the fleet is taken from ProStreet (new cars can be counted on the fingers), and physics, it seems, has not undergone noticeable changes in a year. The cops were picked up from Most Wanted, after making police chases easier. Like everything else: racing is pretty easy, especially in the first half of the game.

In general, the game leaves a feeling of some unfinished work - as if EA decided to create some kind of Bridge Vonted and Underground 2, but good idea ditched a terrible implementation. Nevertheless, the game has found its fans - it can be recommended to beginners who have just started their acquaintance with the NFS series. But the rest will be boring.

7. Need for Speed: Most Wanted (2012)

How could the idea to create Most Wanted 2012 even come about? It all started in 2010 when EA changed the development team. Instead of Black Box, which worked from 2000 to 2010 on all parts of the NSF, the Canadians gave work on the racing series to Criterion Games. Their first project was the creation of Hot Pursuit, which we will return to a little later. Probably, a successful debut powerfully covered the developers and they decided to encroach on the sacred - NFS: Most Wanted. With no relationship the same MW to the received game does not have. At all.

Most Wanted 2012 breaks many patterns - even those that shouldn't have been broken at all. For example, the plot is fundamentally absent: the player simply appears in the middle of the city. Who is he, what is he doing here, why is he driving - invent yourself. A bunch of cars are parked all over the city - any of them can be taken for free to participate in races. The passage boils down to defeating 10 racers from the "black list" of the original MW - this is the only reference to the first part. To fight with the leaders of this rating, you need bonus points that are earned in regular races.

The game has nice graphics, good races, there is a multiplayer mode (although there are no police in it), but the strange decisions of the developers bring all good ideas to naught: the lack of a plot and a car for free kill any motivation and interest in passing. And the Most Wanted brand only adds to the disappointment: after all, any gamer, seeing these 2 words, looks forward to seeing something completely different.

6. Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (2010)

Hot Pursuit was undoubtedly a success for Electronic Arts: the transfer of the NFS series to Criterion Games allowed the series to be refreshed after not the most successful predecessors. Some of the innovations implemented in Hot Pursuit made it possible to break the applause of critics, who did not skimp on good ratings for this game. What is special about her?

For the first time in a long time, 2 full-fledged campaigns were provided in the game: not only for the street racer, but also on the side of the cops. And we can say with full confidence that never before in the NFS series has so much attention been paid to the game for the police - so in this regard, the new product managed to reach the heights of the legendary NFS 3. And thanks to Autolog, with an Internet connection, the game appeared in all its glory: the multiplayer mode allowed up to 8 people to be involved in a race or chases. At the same time, Autolog allows you to see the results of your friends in order to try to surpass them - the reward for this is not only a sense of satisfaction, but also special bonuses (experience points).

Among the pleasant little things, it is also worth noting the change of day and night - in the "Hot Pursuit" the sun can go below the horizon right during the race.

5. Need for Speed: Carbon (2007)

Although NFS: Carbon is traditionally rejected by many fans of the series (at least, fans of the Underground and MW), this did not prevent him from enlisting relative support from critics - the ratings of the same Igromania and other publications allow us to conclude GPA 7.5. Yes, and there are also fans of this toy. What did Carbon bribe them with?

The first is a good tuning system, with all the usual bells and whistles that after the Underground were cut down in Vantede Bridge. The second is the nighttime atmosphere of a small town. In general, Carbon has gathered an audience due to a certain similarity with NFS: Underground. Similarities in good sense of this word - the graphics are really nice: raindrops, a variety of tracks, including a dangerous mountain serpentine - all this is a plus. But it was not without its downsides.

command system only the lazy did not spit. And there is a reason: you don’t have enough crustacean teammates in other games? Great, now they will destroy other people's nerve cells in Need for Speed. In Carbon, you have to race with your own “gang”, which, in theory, should help to get victories. Sounds interesting, but only in theory. In practice, the behavior of partners generates infinite set questions, the answer to which may be a disappointing medical diagnosis. And the captures of the districts, obviously taken from the GTA, force several times to go through the same type and too easy to intrigue races.

This is the whole of Carbon: endless unpretentious races are diluted with overly complex and annoying "duels" with bosses on a mountain serpentine. And these extremes, without any middle ground, enrage. From my subjective belfry, going through NFS: Carbon more than once is a punishment. But it will do for once - and it will probably be fun at times.

4. Need for Speed (2015)

Even at the development stage, according to many statements by Electronic Arts, it became clear that they decided to create the best game in the series, designing this event as a restart of the entire NFS line. The new game was supposed to collect all the best that was invented in this genre before it. For this, the project was handed over to a third development team, Ghost Games. The excitement was pumped up, the trailers were intriguing, everyone froze in anticipation ... So what?

As a result, we got good game, which failed to become the "swan song" of Electronic Arts. From the first minutes, everything is fine: excellent graphics and video inserts, like in Undeground, immediately immerse you in the game. But, the first joy passes, and you understand that the plot is painfully predictable: “I came to the city - I decided to conquer local hangout". At the same time, it is not clear why everyone is trying to help the main character and who he is in general. And the whole street racing party looks, to put it mildly, ridiculous. A pleasant trifle: the role of the main opponents is played by 5 real, world-famous street racers who starred for this game. But in fact, this does not save the script at all.

I am glad that all cars are initially open - you just need to collect the necessary amount. And fine-tuning, in theory, allows you to make the car behave as you like - either smoothly enter turns, or fly into them on a drift. This is in theory. And in fact, to understand all these settings and determine how changing them will affect the car, you will have to spend a lot of time.

The love of developers for drifting is noticeable to the naked eye - in practice, only by setting the car for drifting, you can more or less cope with it on the road. But even the most ideally tuned and pumped car will not be overlooked by rivals - for balance, the characteristics of opponents' cars are automatically “tightened up”. As a result, most of the game can be easily completed with the "starter" Subaru.

Much attention is paid to visual styling - you can decorate the car as you like. As for bumpers, spoilers, suspensions and other joys of external tuning, the developers decided to add realism and displayed in the game only those details that really exist for a particular model. And if there are no other bumpers for your Nissan IRL, then you cannot change it. However, tuning can be confidently attributed to strengths this NFS.

What is the result? We have Need for Speed with amazing graphics, but a deserted city, a weak storyline and lazy cops who are dumber than in Most Wanted. Based on the average critic score, the game received a well-deserved 7 out of 10, which is quite fair. A good attempt, which probably became the best in the last decade, but, alas, the new Need for Speed is not able to cause the enthusiasm that Undeground and Most Wanted once managed to cause.

3. Need for Speed: Underground (2003)

It was this game that marked the beginning of an entire era. Against the backdrop of the fast and furious films gaining popularity, the release of NFS: Undeground turned out to be incredibly timely. Night racing, expensive cars and endless tuning successfully combined in one arcade. Naturally, it was not without old-fags, who immediately declared that “the NSF is no longer the same”, “ara-tuning for cattle” and in general, it used to be better.

But in fact, the success of Undeground was well deserved. The tracks were thought out to the details: different areas of the city had their own atmosphere and successfully intertwined with each other. Something similar happened with the proposed game modes: classic races were competently diluted with drift and drag tracks, thanks to which the Underground did not bother. Well, the glorified tuning allowed anyone who fancied himself a street, pardon the word, a racer, to hang stickers, flashlights, spoilers and other irreplaceable attributes on the car as much as you like.

Yes, here it was not even close to realism - there were no policemen in the game, and the physics clearly went beyond common sense. But instead of pretentious and expensive supercars, the players had to drive on less "thoroughbred", but cool cars that could be seen on the streets of their city. NFS: Underground was able to give the feeling of unprecedented speed to an entire generation, becoming one of the best arcade racing games of its time. And signature music E Ron Don Don"turned into a real meme, recognizable all over the world so far.

2. Need for Speed: Underground 2 (2004)

What new could have been invented in less than a year? By all the laws of the genre, after the success of the Underground, it was impossible to rivet something better in the shortest possible time. And according to the very laws, Underground 2 was supposed to be a hack for quick money: add new tracks, new vinyls and spoilers, a couple of cars and send it to the shelves. But it wasn’t there - choosing between a stable income and an adventurous release is fundamentally new game, EA was not afraid to take a chance and add a lot of innovations to the sequel.

The main revelation of the second series was an open world where you could freely move between races, looking for new shops with useful gear for tuning along the way. In addition, there are new race modes and the ability to choose a sponsor. The set of available cars has grown significantly - despite the fact that some cars, like jeeps, were absolutely useless in the race and were sold purely “for the soul”. The races themselves have become a little easier - too many nerve cells of gamers were destroyed by the first Undeground at the last levels, they might not have been enough for the second time. However, this simplification did not spoil the game.

1. Need for Speed: Most Wanted (2005)

NFS: Most Wsnted was the pinnacle of NFS evolution. Most Wanted was good at everything: new racing modes (such as radar); the long-awaited return of the cops, surprisingly done right - the chase was balanced, kept in suspense, allowing you to wind around the world for a long time, fighting for your freedom.

The entire list of topics

Hello my dear readers! Back in the dashing 90s, the phrase "Need for Speed" became synonymous with the word "". And although gamers can play any other games, but so far no one has been able to surpass the popularity of this particular one (or at least repeat it). Is it so difficult? Maybe we will get the answer to this question if we analyze all the parts and find out which Need for Speed is the best?

You can find countless ratings of such a plan, polls and TOPs on the Internet, and, mainly, opinions different people catastrophically does not match mine. Analyzing information on the Internet, I saw that in one chart some guy put a part of 2013 in first place, Rival.

That was the reason why I shared my own opinion with you and wrote a post about my gaming addictions.

Which Need For Speed is the best - parts ranking

For some reason, I doubt that any of the readers of this article played the 1994 part. But it was then that the first series of world races was released. And already the very first game influenced the future parts, because the company amazed everyone with its implementation, and the graphics, which by those years were simply breathtaking. Just think that the game was released in the last century, and to this day it scatters around the world in billions of copies as soon as the company releases a new part.

Oddly enough, the last step in my rating is Rival, the game was released 3 years ago. This set became popular due to the ability to play online, in addition, the player himself could choose who he wanted to be: a racer or a policeman. Since the creators of the game were completely loaded with technical issues, they did not have enough imagination to name the cities somehow.

Games with friends on a grid and constant rivalry, a real picture and constant changeable weather. It was only thanks to the network strategy that this part paid off, but car tuning could have been better…

A small video reviewer about this cult game:

Moving on, on our course - Shift

This game, by and large, does not have a storyline, but it has become quite popular and has found its player. Well, yes, after all, not everyone sits down at the computer to watch an exciting story, someone just wants to compete in sports cars with other gamers, hearing the sound of the engine, albeit virtual, and this is what NFS Shift provides.

The developers immediately noted that they would pay more attention to the cars themselves than to something else.

Do not judge me harshly, but I will not add The Run to my list, since it was created for the third generation Sony PlayStation, and, according to many gamers, turned out to be a failure. The creators focused on excellent graphics, but even in spite of this, terrible tuning and an unfinished story "interrupted" a high-quality picture.

Then in my ranking comes a part called ProStreet

The emphasis was shifted from street racing to more professional race tracks. Now the car could be beaten to smithereens and this, to the delight of competitors, reduced its driving performance several times. The police disappeared, and with them the free ride around the world.

Such a buzzword as “traction control” and “abs” appeared in the setting - not all gamers realize that they can be turned off, as a result, everyone complained en masse about disgusting control.

Besides, for different types races need to use different types of machines. All this creates an effect of isolation from the world - fans of the racing simulator Colin Mcrae Rally could play this part, but NSF fans were at a loss what happened to their favorite game. It can be called the most unfortunate part, but it is far from successful either - it is unusual, sometimes misunderstood, with its pluses and minuses.

The Run

The developers of the company are not against experiments, and in this part, the players again saw a lot of updates. NSF already has a storyline.

Of course, it was before, but it was not visible so brightly. The main character is drawn into the mafia showdown and now, in order to part with the enemies on good terms, the guy needs to win the race, where 500 people take part and give the money won to the mafia. And for the first time in the game, this character realized that you can leave the car and just walk down the street. Not simultaneously with the race, of course (it's still not GTA).

All races are part of one big show. Since the hero will travel across the country, a variety of exciting attractions are included: mountains, rivers and megacities and villages, night follows day, here gamers will see races - for every taste.

Therefore, the main advantage of this part, in addition to the development of the storyline, is the graphics - it is worthy. To the minus - despite the variety of attractions and beautiful picture, races become the same type over time and quickly get bored. Perhaps this is the reason for such mixed responses.

In the rating of parts of the NSF, I could not help but add "Undercover"

Game critics were very strict: Igromania, exactly a year ago, wrote a lot of positive reviews of the ProStreet series, but this time she gave the next part only 5 points, accusing the creators of every mortal sin. Other colleagues in the shop had the same opinion, the authoritative publication Playground wrote that Undercover is the worst of all the previously presented parts.

But, of course, the opinion of all experienced critics cannot be compared with the point of view of gamers who wrote only positive reviews of Underground. What is the reason for such disagreements? And what opinion should be believed?

Let's start with what we looked at the most: the creators took the car park from Prostreet (there are so few new cars that you can list them on the fingers of one hand), and physics, most likely, has not changed in 12 months. The cops were picked up from the Most Wanted, the cop chases got easier. Like the rest of the game, the races are relatively easy, especially when you get through the first half of the game.

In general, there is a certain lack of completion in the game - as if the creators wanted to make the second part of the Bridge Vonted, but a great idea was ruined by poor implementation and advertising. Despite this, the game has found its fans - it is recommended to beginners who have just discovered the world of racing. But for those who have already played NSF, it will seem boring.

The best nfs for tuning is, of course, Underground!

It was this series that launched a new era.

At that time, the films "Fast and the Furious" became popular, and the release of this part of the NSF hit the nail on the head. Racing at night, expensive cars and unique tuning are successfully combined in this game. Of course, there is room for oldfags who immediately commented that "EA already releases the wrong games."

But if you look, this part was a success completely deservedly. The creators thought out the tracks to the smallest detail: many different areas were endowed with their own atmosphere and successfully combined against the general background of the game.

Something similar can be traced with the proposed game modes: the classic race was competently diluted with drift and drag track, thanks to which the Underground could not get bored. Well, the well-known and popular tuning allowed everyone who considered himself a street, sorry for the word, a racer, to fasten as many stickers, lights, spoilers and other invariable attributes on a car as your heart desires.

Yes, not here in question about reality - there are no cops in the game, and physics has clearly been pushed beyond the boundaries of reality. But instead of cool and expensive cars, players could drive not so elite, but cool cars, which were often found on city streets. This part gave a feeling of breakneck speed for a whole generation, and rightfully became the best racing arcade of those times.

Further, in my rating, the second part of the sensational Underground

What new things can you come up with in less than 12 months? By all laws gaming business, after the success of the previous part, to create something more original in a year is simply unrealistic. And according to the same laws, the second part was supposed to be a game for quick money: they added new tracks, new vinyls and spoilers, several cars and sent them to stores. But this is absolutely not the case - I make a choice between stable income and an adventurous decision for a completely revamped game, EA took a chance and added an unrealistic amount of new ideas and solutions to the sequel.

The main revelation of this part is an open world in which you can easily move between races, while visiting new stores with useful goods to improve your car. In addition, the creators have added new race modes, now you can apply for sponsorship. The number of free cars has grown several times - at the same time, many cars, like a jeep, did not help much in the races, but were bought just to ride with the breeze.

And what is the last need for speed?

This is what I wanted to ask you. Have you already played this part? If yes, share your opinion and write which part of NSF is your favorite. I will be glad to your comments! Subscribe to and always stay up to date. Bye, dear friends!

Text agent Q.

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