History VideoGame / NeedForSpeed

** Even the "speedster" type of vehicles (with no windshield and roof to speak of!) gets more ridiculous. In 2010 version of ''Hot Pursuit'', racers can drive Mercedes-Benz SLR [=McLaren=] Stirling Moss Edition (of which only 75 units exist). Most Wanted (2012), however, brings ''one-of-a-kind'' Lamborghini Aventador J to the table as part of game's Ultimate Speed DLC pack.

* MarthDebutedInSmashBros: Some Nissan cars appeared in the Japan-only version before made it worldwide. Would you believe that the Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 made its debut on the Japanese version of NFS High Stakes (called Over Drivin' IV) before appearing in "Underground"?. The same thing goes to Nissan Skyline 2000GT-R (debuted in "Over Drivin': Skyline Memorial), Nissan 180SX Type-X, and Nissan Silvia K's Aero (both debuted in Over Drivin' GT-R)

* ''Film/{{Need for Speed|2014}}'' (2014 [[TheMovie film adaptation]])* ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedMostWabtedPepegaEdition'' (2020 GameMod created by the [[https://pepegamod.com/ Pepega Team]])

* ''Film/{{Need for Speed|2014}}'' (2014 [[TheMovie film adaptation]])
* ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedProStreetPepegaEdition'' (2023 GameMod created by the [[https://pepegamod.com/ Pepega Team]])

In February 2020, EA announced that the ''Need for Speed'' IP will go back to Criterion, while Ghost Games will be renamed back to their original name EA Gothenburg and become a support studio focusing on the [[UsefulNotes/GameEngine Frostbite Engine]]. Criterion's first project in their return was a remastered version of their ''Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit'' co-developed with Stellar Entertainment (who helped with the 2018 remaster of ''VideoGame/BurnoutParadise'') in time for [[MilestoneCelebration the game's tenth anniversary]], released for [=PlayStation=] 4, Xbox One, and Platform/MicrosoftWindows on November 6, 2020, and Platform/NintendoSwitch a week later on November 13. Criterion's next project, ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedUnbound'', is the latest major entry in the franchise. Released in December 2022[[note]]It was initially scheduled for a 2021 release, but ended up being delayed for a year due to the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic and Criterion shifting their focus on assisting Creator/{{DICE}} with ''VideoGame/Battlefield2042''[[/note]], the game features an art style that merges street art elements like the cel-shaded and graffiti-inspired art style of ''Nitro'' with the more realistic art style of other Need for Speed games.

* '''''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedUndercover'' (2008):''' Returned to the ''Most Wanted'' model of focusing on illegal street racing, with a ''Film/TheFastAndTheFurious''-style storyline. The game takes place in a large locale called the Tri-City Bay. It was trashed by critics for its bad frame rate, its cheesy storyline, and for being not as good as Creator/RockstarGames' ''VideoGame/MidnightClub: Los Angeles'' and EA's other arcade-style racing game from 2008, ''VideoGame/BurnoutParadise''. Pretty much sullied EA Black Box's reputation with the series. ''Undercover'' was released on the same platforms as ''[=ProStreet=]'' and it's the first ''NFS'' game on [[UsefulNotes/IOSGames iOS]], but it's also the last ''NFS'' title on [=PS2=] and sixth-gen consoles in general.

* '''''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedShift'' (2009):''' ''Shift'' was a second crack at realistic racing, this time from Slightly Mad Studios (an independent development team composed of people who worked on ''GTR'', ''[=GTR2=]'', and ''GT Legends'', a trio of well-received PC sim racers), with help from EA Black Box. Released on Windows, [=PS3=], Xbox 360, and several mobile platforms (including [=iOS=], UsefulNotes/{{Android|Games}}, Windows Mobile, Platform/{{Symbian}}, and [=MeeGo=]), ''Shift'' was much better received than ''Undercover''. A Xbox 360-exclusive DLC pack marked Ferrari's only appearance in any of the second and third era games until the make's full return in 2013's ''Rivals''.

** '''''Need for Speed: Most Wanted'' ([=iOS=] and Android, 2012):''' Developed by Firemonkeys Studios, a company formed from a merger between Firemint[[note]]The makers of ''VideoGame/RealRacing'' and ''VideoGame/FlightControl''[[/note]] and [=IronMonkey=] Studios,[[note]]Known for mobile versions of other EA titles, such as the praised mobile spin-off of ''VideoGame/DeadSpace''[[/note]] it is a version of ''Most Wanted'' 2012 for [[UsefulNotes/IOSGames iOS]] and [[UsefulNotes/AndroidGames Android]] that, unlike the main versions, takes place in closed circuits around Fairhaven. It includes a few cars not found in the Criterion game, including the Audi R8 GT Coupe, the Hummer H1 Alpha, and even (initially before the release of ''NFS Heroes'' on the main versions) the BMW M3 GTR (E46) from ''Most Wanted'' 2005 as the #1 Most Wanted car.[[note]]Actually, it's the Lamborghini Aventador, but the Bimmer is given to players for free when they beat the #1 Most Wanted.[[/note]]

** Then it got an original installment on [[UsefulNotes/IOSGames mobile]] [[UsefulNotes/AndroidGames devices]] (''No Limits'').

The subsequent game was ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedPayback'', released in 2017. Like the 2015 reboot, it features cops, car customization, and an open world. It's also ''not'' an always-online game like ''Rivals'', ''No Limits'', and the 2015 reboot were. ''Payback'' is set in Nevada, with a UsefulNotes/LasVegas setting as well as the surrounding desert.

The latest major entry is ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedHeat'', released on November 8, 2019. Set in the Miami-inspired Palm City, you'll build your way through racing's elite: participating in the Speedhunters Showdown by day, and risking it all for reputation at night, all the while dealing with the city's rogue police. Although it received a better reception than Ghost Games' previous two titles, it was not enough to save the developer's reputation; in February 2020, EA announced that the ''Need for Speed'' IP will go back to Criterion, while Ghost Games will be renamed back to their original name EA Gothenburg and become a support studio focusing on the [[UsefulNotes/GameEngine Frostbite Engine]]. Criterion's first project in their return was a remastered version of their ''Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit'' co-developed with Stellar Entertainment (who helped with the 2018 remaster of ''VideoGame/BurnoutParadise'') in time for [[MilestoneCelebration the game's tenth anniversary]], released for [=PlayStation=] 4, Xbox One, and Platform/MicrosoftWindows on November 6, 2020, and Platform/NintendoSwitch a week later on November 13. On March 1, 2021, [[https://www.polygon.com/2021/3/1/22307226/battlefield-6-release-date-need-for-speed-2021-delayed-ea-dice-criterion-codemasters EA announced]] that the next ''Need for Speed'' game has been delayed to 2022 so that Criterion can assist Creator/{{DICE}} with their next ''VideoGame/{{Battlefield}}'' game.

*** One achievement/trophy requires the player to win a certain event in a "bee yellow" Camaro. The name of the achievement? [[Film/{{Transformers}} "Flight of the Bumblebee".]]

** '''''Need for Speed: Undercover'' ([=PS2=]/Wii, 2008):''' Talking of the [=PS2=] version, both it and the Wii version were developed by a British studio known as Exient Entertainment. While the story and car lineup are mostly accurate to the Black Box-developed versions of the game, the map is entirely different -- and by that we mean it's a re-arranged version of Rockport with certain routes altered or omitted haphazardly. This version was received even worse than its seventh-gen counterpart, as on top of the recycling of ''Most Wanted'' and ''Carbon'''s assets, this version was a glaringly ObviousBeta with a multitude of its own issues, particularly in police chases and story missions. A new mode (similar to ''Hot Pursuit'' titles) was included to allow the player driving the cop cars trying to stop the suspects.

* ObviousBeta:
** The console and PC releases of ''Undercover'' were shipped with severe frame rate issues. Absolute death in a high-speed racing game. The [=PS3=], PC and Xbox 360 versions of the game at least got a patch that (mostly) fixes the frame rate issues, but ramped up the difficulty of the races as well. ''[=ProStreet=]'' had some framerate issues, too, but it didn't make the game unplayable.
** The Xbox 360 version of ''Shift'' [[http://web.archive.org/web/20091122051957/http://freakbits.com/xbox-360-crashes-accessing-playstation-store-0927 tried to access the PlayStation Store.]]
** The 2015 reboot was released on consoles without even a manual transmission option, which was a standard feature even in arcade racing games before the Criterion era. Some players even found a non-functioning "Semi-adjustable Gearbox" part, suggesting transmission tuning was cut. The PC version was delayed by 4 months to prevent the porting issues ''Rivals'' had. By the time the PC version came out, every version of the game was updated to include a manual transmission option, but other problems came to light: gear ratios for most cars were not only un-adjustable, but wildly inaccurate, and most cars ''magically grew'' extra gears when power upgrades not related to the transmission were added. A ''Civic'' can have up to 8 speeds in this game.

* '''''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedShift'' (2009):''' ''Shift'' was a second crack at realistic racing, this time from Slightly Mad Studios (an independent development team composed of people who worked on ''GTR'', ''[=GTR2=]'', and ''GT Legends'', a trio of well-received PC sim racers), with help from EA Black Box. Released on Windows, [=PS3=], Xbox 360, and several mobile platforms (including [=iOS=], UsefulNotes/{{Android|Games}}, Windows Mobile, Symbian, and [=MeeGo=]), ''Shift'' was much better received than ''Undercover''. A Xbox 360-exclusive DLC pack marked Ferrari's only appearance in any of the second and third era games until the make's full return in 2013's ''Rivals''.

It started out in 1994 with ''VideoGame/TheNeedForSpeed'', initially with a focus on allowing players to drive the [[ImprobablyCoolCar most exotic supercars]] in a variety of fantastic environments for their time, with games developed mostly by EA Canada for the UsefulNotes/PlayStation 1 versions and EA Seattle for [=PCs=] and non-[=PlayStation=] consoles. However, after seeing the success of the film ''Film/{{The Fast and the Furious|2001}}'' in 2001, EA decided to move the series to tuner car racing in urban environments, starting with ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedUnderground'' (2003), which was a commercial hit at the time. [[WideOpenSandbox Free-roaming environments]] were later added to the gameplay formula starting with ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedUnderground 2'' (2004) and were expanded upon in ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedMostWanted'' (2005) and ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedCarbon'' (2006).

Ghost Games took two years to develop the next title, a complete reboot of the series titled just ''VideoGame/{{Need for Speed|2015}}'' (commonly known for the sake of clarity as ''Need for Speed 2015''), released on UsefulNotes/PlayStation4 and UsefulNotes/XboxOne in November 2015, with a Windows version released in March 2016. The subtitle-free installment returned to the tuner culture aspects of the ''Need for Speed: Underground'' sub-series. In addition to the 2015 reboot, an original mobile installment called ''Need for Speed: No Limits'', developed by Firemonkeys Studios,[[note]]the developers of the ''Real Racing'' series and the mobile version of ''Need for Speed: Most Wanted'' (2012),[[/note]] was released around the world on September 30, 2015, after an initial beta release in Taiwan and the Netherlands earlier in the year.

The latest major entry is ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedHeat'', released on November 8, 2019. Set in the Miami-inspired Palm City, you'll build your way through racing's elite: participating in the Speedhunters Showdown by day, and risking it all for reputation at night, all the while dealing with the city's rogue police. Although it received a better reception than Ghost Games' previous two titles, it was not enough to save the developer's reputation; in February 2020, EA announced that the ''Need for Speed'' IP will go back to Criterion, while Ghost Games will be renamed back to their original name EA Gothenburg and become a support studio focusing on the [[UsefulNotes/GameEngine Frostbite Engine]]. Criterion's first project in their return was a remastered version of their ''Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit'' co-developed with Stellar Entertainment (who helped with the 2018 remaster of ''VideoGame/BurnoutParadise'') in time for [[MilestoneCelebration the game's tenth anniversary]], released for [=PlayStation=] 4, Xbox One, and UsefulNotes/MicrosoftWindows on November 6, 2020, and UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch a week later on November 13. On March 1, 2021, [[https://www.polygon.com/2021/3/1/22307226/battlefield-6-release-date-need-for-speed-2021-delayed-ea-dice-criterion-codemasters EA announced]] that the next ''Need for Speed'' game has been delayed to 2022 so that Criterion can assist Creator/{{DICE}} with their next ''VideoGame/{{Battlefield}}'' game.

* '''''[[VideoGame/TheNeedForSpeed Road & Track Presents: The Need for Speed]]'' (1994):''' The first game contained point-to-point open road tracks and several closed racetracks. The open roads featured AI traffic and police cars that chased the player. It was originally released on the [[UsefulNotes/ThreeDOInteractiveMultiplayer 3DO]] console, but when the 3DO flopped it was later ported to DOS PC in 1995 and the UsefulNotes/PlayStation and UsefulNotes/SegaSaturn in 1996. The PC version of the game, ''Need for Speed SE'' (the "SE" meaning Special Edition), added a few new cars and tracks as well. Developed by Pioneer Productions on the 3DO, DOS, and Saturn versions and by EA Canada on the [=PS1=], the latter of whom would develop all of the ensuing games until the ''Motor City Online'' spinoff.

* '''''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedII'' (1997):''' Released for [=PlayStation=] and UsefulNotes/MicrosoftWindows, ''II'' expanded on the car selection of the original with several contemporary concept cars, like the Ford Indigo and Ford [=GT90=]. The [[CoolCar McLaren F1]], then the world's fastest production car and still the fastest naturally-aspirated car, made its first franchise appearance in this game. The game abandoned open road courses for arcade circuits. ''Magazine/PCGamer'' criticized many of the tracks' extravagant and unrealistic scenery, comparing many of them to being akin to driving on magic mushrooms. ''NFS II'' also had a special edition release for the PC, which added seven new cars, a new track, a "wild" driving style, and 3Dfx Glide support. The PC version was also the first ''NFS'' developed by then-second series developer EA Seattle, which started a trend of EA Canada developing the [=PS1=] versions and EA Seattle doing the PC versions.

** '''''Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed'' (UsefulNotes/GameBoyAdvance, 2004):''' A portable version released four years after the original game, developed by Pocketeers, but ''not'' published by EA.[[note]]It was published by Destination Software in North America and Zoo Digital Publishing in Europe.[[/note]] Surprisingly for a third-party GBA game, it's 3D-rendered. Received much more mixed reviews than the originals, though only a few critics reviewed it.
* '''''[[VideoGame/NeedForSpeedHotPursuit Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2]]'' (2002):''' The sequel to the original ''Hot Pursuit'', but with more and bigger tracks, more cars, and more race types. ''Hot Pursuit 2'' was the last game in the series to focus on exotic cars for nearly a decade, and also the last game to have them, until 2005 ''Most Wanted''. Also, until a 2010 content download for ''Shift'' (see CoolCar on the main Video Game page) and later on ''Rivals'', it was the last game in the series to have cars from Ferrari. Most of the other games up to this point, except for ''MCO'' and ''Porsche Unleashed'', had at least one Ferrari. The UsefulNotes/PlayStation2 version was also the first ''NFS'' game by [[Creator/BlackBox EA Black Box]], who would become the new main ''Need for Speed'' developer for the next several years, while all the [[UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube other]] [[UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}} plat]][[UsefulNotes/MicrosoftWindows forms]]' combined version was the last ''NFS'' game by EA Seattle. It should also be mentioned that Black Box's ''Hot Pursuit 2'' for [=PS2=] is a ReformulatedGame [[http://nfs.wikia.com/wiki/Need_for_Speed:_Hot_Pursuit_2/Differences very different]] from EA Seattle's ''Hot Pursuit 2''. This game was also the first sixth-generation ''NFS'' game, and the only classic ''NFS'' game released on sixth-gen platforms.

* '''''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedUnderground 2'' (2004):''' Similar to the original ''Underground'', but with a [[WideOpenSandbox free-roaming city]] called Bayview. The game added a few new race modes, such as "Outrun" events in free roam where players have to beat another driver on the streets using any route they want by one thousand feet (three hundred meters), and "Street X", which were tight, nitrous-free, circuit-style races. Plus, new aftermarket parts including stereos and [[SpectacularSpinning spinning rims]] were added to the game. Also for what it's worth, it also introduced muscle cars and [=SUVs=] to the vehicle lineup, the latter of which had their own exclusive events in the game. ''Underground 2'' was released for the same platforms as the previous game, along with a mobile phone version. A UsefulNotes/NintendoDS version was released in 2005 with the ability to create custom decals using the system's touch screen.
** '''''Need for Speed: Underground Rivals'' (2005):''' A version of ''Underground 2'' for UsefulNotes/PlayStationPortable that's closer to the first ''Underground'' as it lacks an open world. Features exclusive cars within its vehicle lineup as well as additional songs on the soundtrack.
* '''''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedMostWanted'' (2005):''' Similar to ''Underground 2'', featuring muscle cars and exotics in addition to tuner cars while focusing on the re-introduced staple of the series: the police chases. Due to being thematically a lot less flashy than the ''Underground'' games, the visual customization for the cars is limited, dropping the purely visual options like the neon lights. The [[CoolCar iconic]] blue-and-silver [[MacGuffin BMW M3 GTR (E46)]] debuted in this game. The locale in this game is named Rockport, where the player tries to become #1 on the "Blacklist", the fifteen best racers in the city. Also released on the same platforms as ''Underground 2'', the well-received game was also one of the UsefulNotes/{{Xbox 360}}'s launch titles, which made it an early KillerApp for the platform. The [=PlayStation=] 3 would later get the [=PS2=] version of this game on the [=PlayStation=] Store in May 2012. To this day, several ''NFS'' fans point to this game as the series' highest point.

* '''''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedCarbon'' (2006):''' A more story-driven street racing game, with the player recruiting drivers to their "crew". The highlight feature was the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tōge tōge-inspired]] canyon races, which wound down narrow, twisting mountain roads, and the greatest danger was often driving off a cliff. Aftermarket customization also returned in full force with the "Autosculpt" feature, which allowed a greater degree of part customization. Takes place in a city called Palmont City. ''Carbon'' was released on all the same platforms as its predecessor, and was also the first ''Need for Speed'' game on UsefulNotes/PlayStation3 and UsefulNotes/{{Wii}}, but the last on [=GameCube=] and the original Xbox. Interestingly, it's also the ''only'' game in series released on [[UsefulNotes/AppleMacintosh Mac]] (specifically OS X).

** '''''Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered'' (2020):''' Criterion's first project since they got the ''NFS'' license back in 2020 is a remaster of their first ''NFS'' game, the first-ever remaster of any title in the franchise. Much like with 2018's ''VideoGame/BurnoutParadise Remastered'', this is primarily handled by Stellar Entertainment. It features cross-platform multiplayer, contains all the main DLC from the original [=PS3=] and Xbox 360 versions,[[note]]for PC players, this is the first time they get ''any'' of the main DLC from this game[[/note]] an updated photo mode, the new ability to set custom colors for most Racer cars and a wrap editor that was released in a later update, several graphical and quality of life improvements, and the glorious return of Autolog after having been shafted into the background for years. It runs at 1080p at 30 frames per second on UsefulNotes/PlayStation4, UsefulNotes/XboxOne and UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch docked, 720p at 30 fps on the Switch undocked, either 1080p at 60 fps in "performance mode" or 4K at 30 fps in "fidelity mode" on [=PS4=] Pro and Xbox One X, and up to 4K at 60 fps[[note]]the frame rate is capped to keep online multiplayer fair for all players[[/note]] on Microsoft Windows. The February 2020 update that added the wrap editor increased the performance of the ninth gen console versions to a full 4K at 60 fps, with the [=PS4=] Pro/Xbox One X versions can now go "uncapped" to 4K at 50+ fps.

* '''''[[VideoGame/NeedForSpeedMostWanted2012 Need for Speed: Most Wanted – A Criterion Game]]'' (2012):'''[[note]]That subtitle is what it says on the game's cover and its Metacritic entries. Its actual title is just ''Need for Speed: Most Wanted''.[[/note]] Criterion's second game in the series, a reboot of 2005's ''Most Wanted''. This reboot is much less like a sequel to the 2005 original and more like a sequel to ''VideoGame/BurnoutParadise'', but with cops, real licensed cars, a pseudo-realistic handling model, and the Autolog system. Takes place in a locale called Fairhaven City, differing from the first ''Most Wanted''[='=]s Rockport. It also marked the beginning of a new era for the series, as [[http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2012/06/22/criterion-takes-over-entire-need-for-speed-series.aspx then-Criterion vice president Alex Ward has stated in an interview,]] "It's not going to be spread anymore across different companies. Different studios have had a crack at it - it's definitely a Criterion gig now." As the following year's ''Rivals'' proved, however, Criterion would not hold onto the ''NFS'' franchise. It was released for Windows, [=PlayStation=] 3, UsefulNotes/PlayStationVita, and Xbox 360. The PS Vita received a few exclusive events for that version to make up for some necessary graphical drawbacks (though it never got any of the later DLC packs), the Xbox 360 (the only console other than PC to receive natively-developed versions of both ''Most Wanted'' games) received Kinect voice support in single-player, the [=PS3=] had [=PlayStation=] Move support, and the PC version had 60 FPS support, the overall best graphics, and one other benefit mentioned below.

** '''''Need for Speed: Most Wanted [[SuperTitle64Advance U]]'' (2013):''' The UsefulNotes/WiiU version of the game, which is graphically superior to the [=PlayStation=] 3 and Xbox 360 versions and contains a unique feature called Co-Driver, which allows a second player to join in using the Wii U [=GamePad=] to change many things in Fairhaven and enable dual controls, in case the person using the Wii Remote or Wii U Pro Controller is having trouble. The ''Ultimate Speed Pack'' is included in the game as standard and there are Nintendo-related {{Easter Egg}}s to be found. However, none of the later DLC[[note]]''Terminal Velocity'' (which adds Hughes International Airport to Fairhaven), ''Movie Legends'', and ''Need for Speed Heroes''[[/note]] were released for ''Most Wanted U'' and there is only a six-player limit in multiplayer compared to eight in the other console versions and twelve on the PC version. The release of this version of ''Most Wanted'' 2012 makes this game the first ''NFS'' game on any of the eighth-generation consoles.
* '''''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedRivals'' (2013):''' It is a SpiritualSuccessor to ''Hot Pursuit'' 2010 with elements of ''Most Wanted'' 2012 blended in while integrating single-player and multiplayer together, meaning you can play as a cop and stop other players' street races while co-operating with other cop players for example. Ferrari returns to the series once more since the content pack from ''Shift'' after four years. It is [[Creator/EAGothenburg Ghost Games's]] first title, having developed it with assistance from Criterion Games and EA Vancouver. ''Rivals'' was a launch title for both the UsefulNotes/PlayStation4 [[UsefulNotes/TheEighthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames and]] UsefulNotes/XboxOne, and is one of the few games that run natively in 1080p at 30 frames per second on both consoles, although it was also released for Windows (as per the norm), [=PlayStation=] 3, and Xbox 360, with Kinect voice support again on the Xbox platforms. The game also had a web-based companion app called the ''Need for Speed'' [[http://network.needforspeed.com Network,]] where racers and cops can track their progress, their Autolog records between them and their friends, and best of all, [[VideoGameCaringPotential help]] or [[VideoGameCrueltyPotential screw]] other drivers using [=OverWatch=]. With this game, ''Need for Speed'' [[http://www.polygon.com/2013/9/13/4728044/majority-of-criterion-staff-now-ghost-games-uk-core-team-down-to-16 made yet another developer shift]], and Ghost Games became the new developers for the franchise. The Xbox One version of the game is available in EA Access's Vault, while the PC version is available on the equivalent Origin Access.

'''Struggling to take back the pole position in UsefulNotes/TheEighthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames.'''\\\

'''An uphill climb ahead for UsefulNotes/TheNinthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames.'''\\\

* '''''Need for Speed: V-Rally'' (1997) and ''Need for Speed: V-Rally II'' (1999):''' The American market branding of ''V-Rally'', an [[DolledUpInstallment unrelated rally racing title]] made by the French developer Eden Studios and published overseas by Infogrames. ''V-Rally 3'' would be published without the ''NFS'' branding in 2002. Eden Studios would also develop the UsefulNotes/PlayStation version of ''Porsche Unleashed'' and the very old-school-''NFS''-like first two entries in the ''VideoGame/TestDriveUnlimited'' series.

** Both PC and UsefulNotes/PlayStation releases of ''High Stakes'' have this as their final career event, driving around most of the tracks the player has previously driven in different time and weather conditions.

* SpinOff: The ''V-Rally'' series (which only bore the ''NFS'' name for branding; was eventually passed to the ''Test Drive'' name later). ''Beetle Adventure Racing'' was envisioned as a ''Need for Speed'' title for the UsefulNotes/Nintendo64 but eventually became a VW Beetle-focused racing game. The ''Shift'' games are trying to draw a divide between themselves and the rest of the franchise, with the second game dropping the name and being called ''Shift 2: Unleashed'', albeit still using the stylized "n" logo the franchise used at the time.

%%* HollywoodCalifornia

** ''Underground'' and ''Underground 2'' feature early [=2000s=] gangsta rap in a family friendly game. This results in jewels such as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOfpX6lSNu4 "LAX" by Xzibit]] having entire stretches of 10 seconds of lyrics cut or silenced.

For a list of titles in the franchise in chronological order, click on the Recap page button above.

!!Entries in the franchise with their own pages:[[note]]The ''Hot Pursuit'' and ''Shift'' games all share a page.[[/note]]
[[index]]
!!!Classic Era
* ''VideoGame/TheNeedForSpeed'' (1994)
* ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedII'' (1997)
* ''[[VideoGame/NeedForSpeedHotPursuit Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit]]'' (1998)
* ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedHighStakes''/''Road Challenge'' (1999)
* ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedPorscheUnleashed''/''Porsche 2000''/''Porsche'' (2000)
* ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedHotPursuit 2'' (2002)

!!!Black Box Era
* ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedUnderground'' sub-series (2003–2004)
* ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedMostWanted'' (2005)
* ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedCarbon'' (2006)
* ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedProStreet'' (2007)
* ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedUndercover'' (2008)

!!!Autolog Era
* ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedShift'' sub-series (2009–2011)
* ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedNitro'' (2009)
* ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedWorld'' (2010–2015)[[note]]unofficially available as ''Soapbox Race World'' from 2017 onward[[/note]]
* ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedHotPursuit'' (2010)
* ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedTheRun'' (2011)
* ''[[VideoGame/NeedForSpeedMostWanted2012 Need for Speed: Most Wanted]]'' (2012)
* ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedRivals'' (2013)

!!!Ghost Games Era
* ''VideoGame/{{Need for Speed|2015}}'' (2015)
* ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedPayback'' (2017)
* ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedHeat'' (2019)

!!!New Criterion Era
* ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedUnbound'' (2022)

!!!Others
* ''Film/{{Need for Speed|2014}}'' (2014 [[TheMovie film adaptation]])
[[/index]]

** Only the first five games had vehicle showrooms with information about the cars, which was dropped later on.[[note]]''Hot Pursuit 2'' and ''Hot Pursuit'' (2010) had only a narrator giving information about the cars, and the 2015 reboot had written briefings about them.[[/note]]

* CameraScrew:
** ''Hot Pursuit 2'' rotates the camera around the car when doing a major jump, making it impossible to see what's ahead until you land.
** The ''Underground'' series and ''Most Wanted'' (2005) also had a slo-mo jump camera. The jump camera would also trigger whenever you crashed into traffic hard enough to launch into the air. ''Hot Pursuit 2'', ''Most Wanted'' (2005), ''Carbon'', and ''Undercover'' all had slo-mo cameras for whenever you hit a police roadblock. Fortunately, in every game before ''Carbon'', all of these cameras can be turned off.

*** ''Shift 2: Unleashed'': Nissan GT-R [=GT1=] and Maserati [=GranTurismo=] S ([[http://www.everyeye.it/public/covers/16122010/Shift-2-Unleashed_Playstation3_cover.jpg Red Maserati in the Normal Edition]], [[http://pspmedia.ign.com/psp/image/object/082/082478/NFS-Shift-2-Unleashed_LIMITED_PC_US_RP.jpg Orange Maserati in the Limited Edition]])

One consistent feature found in a majority of the franchise's games throughout the years is [[HotPursuit police pursuits]]. [[HammerspacePoliceForce Lots and lots of police pursuits.]] After being added to the side in the first game and removed in the second game in 1997, police chases would become the defining aspect of the ''NFS'' series starting with ''Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit'' (1998). Even the series' reboot, which is based on the originally police-free ''Underground'' games, has cop chases. ''Need for Speed II'', ''Underground'', ''Underground 2'', ''Underground Rivals'', ''[=ProStreet=]'', ''Shift'' and ''Shift 2'' are the only games in the series to not feature police at all. The player also has the opportunity to play as the police in ''Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit'' (PC version only), ''High Stakes'', ''Hot Pursuit 2'', ''Most Wanted 5-1-0'', ''Undercover'',[[note]]since technically, you play as an undercover police officer in all versions, although the option to drive police cars is only available in multiplayer modes of [=PS3=], Xbox 360, and PC versions, as well as both the single-player minigame and multiplayer mode in the [=PS2=], Wii, and portable versions,[[/note]] ''Nitro-X'', ''Hot Pursuit'' (2010), ''Rivals'', and in the multiplayer modes of ''Porsche Unleashed'' ([=PlayStation=] version only), ''Carbon'', ''Nitro'', and ''The Run'' (3DS and Wii versions only).

!!Entries in the franchise with their own pages:[[note]]The ''Hot Pursuit'' games all share a page.[[/note]]

** The police from ''Most Wanted'' (2005), are all similar to [[FantasyForbiddingFather Fantasy-Forbidding Fathers]] or {{Overprotective Dad}}s, which some people may relate to.

* FinalBoss: Eddie in ''Underground'', Caleb in ''Underground 2'', Razor in ''Most Wanted'' (2005), Darius in ''Carbon'', Ryo Watanabe in ''[=ProStreet=]'', [[spoiler:Chase Linh]] in ''Undercover'', Jawad in ''Nitro'', Marcus Blackwell in ''The Run'', [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamie_Campbell-Walter Jamie Campbell-Walter]] in ''Shift 2: Unleashed'', the Koenigsegg Agera R in ''Most Wanted'' (2012), Zephyr in the Cop storyline of ''Rivals'', the entire RCPD in the Racer storyline of ''Rivals'', Marcus King in ''No Limits'', the five Icons for each of the career paths in the 2015 reboot - including all of them alongside your allies doubling as a TrueFinalBoss, Lina Navarro in ''Payback'', Frank Mercer in ''Heat'', and Yaz in ''Unbound''.

*** In ''Need for Speed Rivals'', you have the option of downloading a free DLC that contains the mighty Koenigsegg One:1, a hypercar whose goal is to make an entire category class based on extreme high-performance vehicles with itself being the first. It has a power to weight ratio of exactly 1 (1360 PS to 1360 kg; hence the name "One:1"), meaning it can accelerate from 0 mph to 249 mph in just 20 seconds. It's very, very fast!

* FinalBoss: Eddie in ''Underground'', Caleb in ''Underground 2'', Razor in ''Most Wanted'' (2005), Darius in ''Carbon'', Ryo Watanabe in ''[=ProStreet=]'', [[spoiler:Chase Linh]] in ''Undercover'', Jawad in ''Nitro'', Marcus Blackwell in ''The Run'', [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamie_Campbell-Walter Jamie Campbell-Walter]] in ''Shift 2: Unleashed'', the Koenigsegg Agera R in ''Most Wanted'' (2012), Zephyr in the Cop storyline of ''Rivals'', the entire RCPD in the Racer storyline of ''Rivals'', Marcus King in ''No Limits'', the five Icons for each of the career paths in the 2015 reboot - including all of them alongside your allies doubling as a TrueFinalBoss, and Lina Navarro in ''Payback''.

** Even the "speedster" type of vehicles (with no windshield or roof to speak of!) gets more ridiculous. In 2010 version of ''Hot Pursuit'', racers can drive Mercedes-Benz SLR [=McLaren=] Stirling Moss Edition (of which only 75 units exist). Most Wanted (2012), however, brings ''one-of-a-kind'' Lamborghini Aventador J to the table as part of game's Ultimate Speed DLC pack.

** ''Carbon'', ''[=ProStreet=]'' and ''Undercover'' all feature the Dodge Challenger and Chevrolet Camaro concepts, due to [=5th=] generation production versions of these iconic American muscle cars arriving later. ''[=ProStreet=]'' in particular has a Nissan GT-R Proto (a pre-production SuperPrototype) available alongside a production Nissan GT-R.

** ''Carbon'', ''[=ProStreet=]'' and ''Undercover'' all feature the Dodge Challenger and Chevrolet Camaro concept cars. ''[=ProStreet=]'' in particular has a Nissan GT-R Proto (a pre-production SuperPrototype) available alongside a production Nissan GT-R.

However, the success was short-lived as after the critical and commercial disappointments of ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedProStreet'' (2007) and ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedUndercover'' (2008), EA retooled the series by experimenting with various developers and gameplay styles for a few years, with two vastly different ''NFS'' games being released annually. Games of note after this retool included the two ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedShift'' games (2009 and 2011) by Slightly Mad Studios, which had an organized track racing format similar to the failed ''[=ProStreet=]'', and Creator/CriterionGames' 2010 reboot of ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedHotPursuit'', which went to back to racing with exotics in a fantastic environment that added a focus on online social gameplay with their Autolog system. Autolog would be added in every ''NFS'' game since, and was even added in the spin-off to Criterion's own ''VideoGame/{{Burnout}}'' series, ''[[VideoGame/BurnoutCRASH Crash!]]''. [[Creator/BlackBox EA Black Box]] (the main developer from ''Underground'' to ''Undercover'') tried and failed to take back the franchise with free-to-play MMO ''Need for Speed: World'' (2010--2015) and cinematic racer ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedTheRun'' (2011). After a renaming to Quicklime Games in 2012, they were later shut down in April 2013.

** The mobile ''No Limits'' is also free-to-play, but surprisingly it handles the model much more tastefully (for one thing, you can actually earn its premium currency by completing daily assignments and other events). That said, the "fuel" concept (that is anytime you launch an event, including just restarting it, it costs you a limited resource that only gets replenished in time intervals unless you pay the premium currency) is very much of the "free-to-play" origin. It didn't help that the races are rather short either, making players feel like they've finished the race before even starting it. And lately the game also pushes mandatory ad breaks (that can only be bought over with real money) often after finishing races.

** And finally, it was retooled ''again'', now that the franchise has switched main developers once more, with an art style mixing realism with cel-shaded anime-styled characters and graffiti effects.

* GenreRoulette: This is a car racing game series that ''somehow'' keeps reinventing itself at the time. While all of them share the concept of racing cars, the exact circumstances of it change drastically between them.

** And finally, it's going to be retooled ''again'' now that the franchise has switched main developers once more.
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