History VideoGame / NeedForSpeedHotPursuit

[[JustForFun/TheOneWith The ones]] that emphasized [[HotPursuit high-speed]] [[CarChase police chases]].

''Hot Pursuit 2'' is the sixth installment in the ''Need for Speed'' series and the sequel to ''III: Hot Pursuit'', featuring more and bigger tracks, more cars, and more race types. It was developed for [[Platform/NintendoGameCube GameCube]], Platform/{{Xbox}}, and [[Platform/MicrosoftWindows Windows]] by EA Seattle, and for the Platform/PlayStation2 by [[Creator/BlackBox EA Black Box]], who would become the new main ''Need for Speed'' developer for the next several years. ''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's ''[[VideoGame/NeedForSpeedMostWanted Most Wanted]]''), as following this game was ''[[VideoGame/NeedForSpeedUnderground Underground]]'', which would basically serve as a reboot by radically shifting the games' focus on racing heavily-customized import tuners in urban environments. ''Hot Pursuit 2'' was also the first sixth-generation ''NFS'' game, and the only classic ''NFS'' game released on [[UsefulNotes/TheSixthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames sixth-gen platforms]].

Criterion's game would receive a remastered version, titled ''Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered'', in November 2020 for Windows, Platform/PlayStation4, Platform/XboxOne, and Platform/NintendoSwitch. It includes all main DLC packs (with their campaigns now properly integrated with the main campaign), all vehicles except for three cars, the added ability to set custom colors and (via a free update) vinyls for most Racer cars, and cross-platform multiplayer. Stellar Entertainment, who helped with the 2018 remaster of ''VideoGame/BurnoutParadise'', helped with this remaster. ''Hot Pursuit Remastered'' also holds the distinction of being the first new ''Need for Speed'' game for a Nintendo platform since ''[[VideoGame/NeedForSpeedMostWanted2012 Most Wanted]] [[UsefulNotes/WiiU U]]'' in 2013, and the last-ever ''NFS'' game on [[UsefulNotes/TheEighthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames eighth-generation consoles]], as 2022's ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedUnbound'' is PC and ninth-gen only.

*** 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".]]

* SharkTunnel: The first ''Hot Pursuit'' has one as a segment in the Aquatica track, which is also available in certain versions of ''High Stakes''. The [=PlayStation=] version of ''III: Hot Pursuit'' also has a giant version of it as a secret track.

''III: Hot Pursuit'', as its name implies, is the third overall game in the ''Need for Speed'' franchise, and it reintroduced the police chases from the first game and improved the AI system, now utilizing several tactics to stop both the player and opponent, thus making the exotic car street racing more of a BloodSport compared to previous two titles, with each racer having different driving habits. The [[UsefulNotes/MicrosoftWindows Windows]] PC version provided the option to play as the police and catch speeders, while [[UsefulNotes/PlayStation PS1]] had unique secret tracks that could only be unlocked using cheat codes. Both versions, however, add the option for players to fine-tune their cars' performance and repaint their cars to unique colors. Also, the PC version was the first ''NFS'' that was easily modded with add-on cars, as well as the first to have official DownloadableContent.[[note]]In the form of, what else, free add-on cars; the game did not support any more tracks beyond the nine standard tracks in-game due to hard limits (which also applied to the cars).[[/note]] The Lamborghini Diablo SV made its franchise (and video game) debut in this game.

''Hot Pursuit 2'' is the sixth installment in the ''Need for Speed'' series and the sequel to ''III: Hot Pursuit'', featuring more and bigger tracks, more cars, and more race types. It was developed for [[UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube GameCube]], UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}}, and [[UsefulNotes/MicrosoftWindows Windows]] by EA Seattle, and for the UsefulNotes/PlayStation2 by [[Creator/BlackBox EA Black Box]], who would become the new main ''Need for Speed'' developer for the next several years. ''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's ''[[VideoGame/NeedForSpeedMostWanted Most Wanted]]''), as following this game was ''[[VideoGame/NeedForSpeedUnderground Underground]]'', which would basically serve as a reboot by radically shifting the games' focus on racing heavily-customized import tuners in urban environments. ''Hot Pursuit 2'' was also the first sixth-generation ''NFS'' game, and the only classic ''NFS'' game released on [[UsefulNotes/TheSixthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames sixth-gen platforms]].

Both games would eventually receive a reboot/SpiritualSuccessor for Windows, UsefulNotes/PlayStation3, and UsefulNotes/Xbox360 in 2010, simply titled ''Hot Pursuit'',[[note]]generally known as "''Hot Pursuit'' (2010)" to distinguish it from the others,[[/note]] the sixteenth ''Need for Speed'' title and the first game in the series developed by Creator/CriterionGames, the EA studio behind the ''VideoGame/{{Burnout}}'' franchise,[[note]]with some help by EA DICE, the makers of ''VideoGame/{{Battlefield}}'' and ''VideoGame/MirrorsEdge'',[[/note]] and features some online-focused "race and chase" gameplay, either through multiplayer or the then-new "Autolog" system that continuously compares your best times to those of your friends and challenges you to beat your friends' times. It takes place in a not-exactly-open-world environment called Seacrest County, which is based on the American West Coast states of California, Oregon, and Washington. The UsefulNotes/{{Wii}} also got its own ''Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit'' developed by Exient Entertainment the same year, though it was essentially a blander, buggier version of ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedNitro''.

Criterion's game would receive a remastered version, titled ''Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered'', in November 2020 for Windows, UsefulNotes/PlayStation4, UsefulNotes/XboxOne, and UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch. It includes all main DLC packs (with their campaigns now properly integrated with the main campaign), all vehicles except for three cars, the added ability to set custom colors and (via a free update) vinyls for most Racer cars, and cross-platform multiplayer. Stellar Entertainment, who helped with the 2018 remaster of ''VideoGame/BurnoutParadise'', helped with this remaster. ''Hot Pursuit Remastered'' also holds the distinction of being the first new ''Need for Speed'' game for a Nintendo platform since ''[[VideoGame/NeedForSpeedMostWanted2012 Most Wanted]] [[UsefulNotes/WiiU U]]'' in 2013, and the last-ever ''NFS'' game on [[UsefulNotes/TheEighthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames eighth-generation consoles]], as 2022's ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedUnbound'' is PC and ninth-gen only.

[[JustForFun/TheOneWith The ones]] that brought [[HotPursuit high-speed police chases]] to a whole new level.

[[JustForFun/TheOneWith The ones]] where police pursuits are... [[JustForPun hot]].

* OffModel: The majority of the cars from ''Hot Pursuit 2'' suffer from this on the [=PlayStation=] 2 version. However, this is somewhat averted on the inferior EA Seattle version (though there are a few cars that do this, like the Ford Crown Victoria and the [=McLaren=] F1 models).

** The livery of the NPC Eagle Talon police vehicle[[note]]Empire City cop in the [=PlayStation=] release; Redrock Ridge/Lost Canyons cop in the PC release[[/note]] resemebles the one seen in the Metro City Police Department from the TV show ''Series/{{Viper}}''. Heck, the Eagle Talon police car that it resembles can be seen in the background of a few episodes.

* VanityLicensePlate: ''Hot Pursuit'' (2010) and the EA Seattle release ''Hot Pursuit 2'' has the player driving with "[=ND4SPD=]" license plates. The [=PlayStation=] 2 release of ''Hot Pursuit 2'' meanwhile has their lettering based on the vehicle being used.

* VanityLicensePlate: ''Hot Pursuit'' (2010) and the EA Seattle release ''Hot Pursuit 2'' has the player driving with "ND4SPD" license plates. The [=PlayStation=] 2 release of ''Hot Pursuit 2'' meanwhile has their lettering based on the vehicle being used.

* BattleInTheRain: ''III: Hot Pursuit'' introduces this feature to the series, and some events in ''Hot Pursuit'' (2010) has the player driving in the rain.