History VideoGame / NeedForSpeedMostWanted

[[JustForFun/TheOneWith The one]] that changed [[HotPursuit police pursuits]] forever, featuring [[CoolCar the iconic blue and silver car]].

[[JustForFun/TheOneWith The one]] that fully evolved [[HotPursuit police pursuits]], featuring [[CoolCar the iconic blue and silver car]].

JustForFun/TheOneWith [[CoolCar the iconic blue and silver car]].

[[caption-width-right:350:''"Five grand, FIVE GRAND, says my boy will smoke this clown..."'']]

* DeathIsASlapOnTheWrist: Getting busted in the races [[spoiler:and in penultimate mission]] allows you to restart again or quit the race without penalizing you with fines and impound strikes to your car, however the number of times you get busted will be counted on your total career statistics.

* HeroAntagonist: Sergeant Cross. Although his CowboyCop behavior slides him more into NominalHero territory.

* NintendoHard: Dear Lord, Earl's boss race. Rog even warns the player in his voice message that he's the ''only'' guy stopping you from getting into Downtown Rockport.
** The whole game, arguably, due to a very notable case of RubberBandAI. Compare the AIs time if you total your car in a drag race, to you completing the event.
** Most of the police is also difficult to evade, depending on your car's current Heat Level. Even if you're good at the game, they're unforgiving and at times, they're also following an unpredictable pattern. Worse still, if you fail to lose them, there's a good chance your vehicle is impounded, and you'd get a GameOver. Good luck doing a "one car only" run early on in the game.

''Need for Speed: Most Wanted'' is a 2005 open-world RacingGame developed by EA Canada and [[Creator/BlackBox EA Black Box]] and published by Creator/ElectronicArts, and the ninth installment in the ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeed'' series. it was released in November 15, 2005 for UsefulNotes/MicrosoftWindows, UsefulNotes/PlayStation2, UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube, UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}}, and UsefulNotes/{{Xbox 360}}, the last of which had this game as one of its launch titles. It gained fame for being the first tuner culture game by EA that lets the player drive during daytime and to be chased by the police, as well as for its infamously over-the-top storyline. There was also a UsefulNotes/PlayStationPortable release called ''5-1-0''.

* DeathIsASlapOnTheWrist: Getting busted during the races [[spoiler:and in penultimate mission]] allows you to restart again or quit the race without penalizing you with fines and impound strikes to your car, however the number of times you get busted will be counted to your total career statistics.

* DeathIsASlapOnTheWrist: Getting busted during the races [[spoiler:and in penultimate mission]] allows you to restart again or quit the race without penalizing you with fines and impound strikes to your car, however you'll receive a number of times you've busted on your total career statistics.

* DeathIsASlapOnTheWrist: Getting busted in races [[spoiler:and in penultimate mission]] allows you to restart again or quit the race without penalizing you, however you'll gain a number of times you've been busted on your total career statistics.

** Compared to both ''Underground'' games, ''Most Wanted'' takes place in [[DaylightHorror daylight and the settings are even worse]], with added police pursuits and SeriousBusiness tones to dial in.

* DaylightHorror: In contrast to the previous games, the game is set in daylight. And how, it was overrun by street racers to the point beyond repair.

* MarathonLevel: Hastings is a 3-lap race on a 28.8km circuit and takes around 10 minutes to finish, and NFS World Loop is a 27.1km sprint race around the whole Rockport only available in quick race mode.

''Need for Speed: Most Wanted'' is the name of two street {{Racing Game}}s that are part of the overall ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeed'' franchise published by Creator/ElectronicArts. The first ''Most Wanted'' was developed by then-main ''NFS'' developer [[Creator/BlackBox EA Black Box]] and released on November 15, 2005 for UsefulNotes/MicrosoftWindows, UsefulNotes/PlayStation2, UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube, UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}}, and UsefulNotes/{{Xbox 360}}, the last of which had this game as one of its launch titles. It gained fame for being the first tuner culture game by EA that lets the player drive during daytime and to be chased by the police, as well as for its infamously cheesy storyline. There was also a UsefulNotes/PlayStationPortable release called ''5-1-0''. The 2012 game [[VideoGame/NeedForSpeedMostWanted2012 has its own page]].

The next game of the ''Need for Speed'' series, ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedCarbon'', is an (almost) ImmediateSequel that follows the continued adventures of the player. Rockport would be reused and modified in 2010's ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedWorld'', along with ''Carbon''[='=]s Palmont City.

JustForFun/TheOneWith [[CoolCar the iconic blue and white car]].

** Similarly, the level 7 police, with all of their [=SUV=]s[[note]]Jeeps in the 2012 game[[/note]], appear to be based on the SWAT.

* CameraScrew: When you make a jump, the camera will focus on your car's air moment while simultaneously [[BulletTime slowing everything down]][[note]]Complete with a disk scratching noise![[/note]], and when you use a [[MalevolentArchitecture Pursuit Breaker]], a similar camera view also shows the resulting damage and all the police cars being completely destroyed... only for you to realize that you couldn't see what's ahead of you, and you either crash into a wall, or worse, drive straight into a spike strip. Luckily, this can be turned off in the options menu.

* SloMoBigAir: As detailed in CameraScrew.

** Hitting posts or objects before diving into the corner will help you navigate the sector without letting off your acceleration due to reduced speed.

* DeathIsASlapOnTheWrist: Getting busted in races [[spoiler:and in penultimate mission]] allows you to restart again or leave without penalizing you at the cost of gaining number of times you've busted on your total career statistics.

* MightyGlacier: Challenge #46 featured a cost-to-state mission where the player has to drive a garbage truck. Sure, it's hilariously slow, but its huge size makes it very easy for taking down any cop that dares get in your way.

* DeathIsASlapOnTheWrist: Getting busted in races [[spoiler:and in penultimate mission]] allows you to restart the race again or leave without penalizing you at the cost of gaining numbers of busted on your carrer statistics.

* DeathIsASlapOnTheWrist: Averted; you actually have a limit in the earlier game on how many times a car can be stopped by the police.[[note]]By default it is three, but it can be increased up to five.[[/note]] If you ''do'' get arrested, you have to pay all the fines you accumulated with that car, which, depending on how reckless you are, can render you bankrupt. Let's not forget that, if all your cars are taken by the police, [[GameOver you lose the game]]. There are ways to increase a car's "lives",[[note]]"Impound Strikes" as they are called in-game[[/note]] and to [[DirtyCop make the police ignore the chase and let you escape scot-free]] but not only Lady Luck decides if you get those or not, but you only have fourteen chances to get them.

* FunnyBackgroundEvent: Sometimes when you are evading the police and you reach Cooldown, you may hear the police radio say they have managed to arrest a suspect. Unfortunately for that suspect, it's Razor.

Later on, Mia comes to pick you up from the police station after you're released due to lack of evidence,[[note]]You don't have a car anymore, how could Cross prove that you're a street racer?[[/note]] but of course, [[YouCantThwartStageOne not before Razor skyrockets to the top of the Blacklist with your car]]. However, you can get [[SecondHourSuperpower your first car]] and have a crack at defeating the Blacklist, while evading the police. All you have are your skills, your [[BulletTime Speedbreaker]] ability, your car, Rog, and Mia. You're going to need all that to beat the odds. It's you against the entire city, racers, police and civilians alike. At the same time though, the player will receive indications that someone in their inner circle is not who they seem to be, and there appears to be some truth in that...

The next game of the ''Need for Speed'' series, ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedCarbon'', is an (almost) ImmediateSequel that follows the continued adventures of the player. Rockport would be reused and modified in 2010's ''Need for Speed: World'', along with ''Carbon''[='=]s Palmont City.

** The main car of focus in the 2005 game is none other than the BMW M3 GTR (E46), with its pretty-looking blue and silver[[labelnote:*]]Or white in some cases; it depends.[[/labelnote]] livery. It's become the series' most famous (and yes, wanted) car ever since. It got to the point that not only did the ''Most Wanted'' 2012's mobile version had it as the last unlockable car, it would later appear as the "Most Wanted" car for the main version's ''Need for Speed Heroes'' pack.

* ImplacableMan: The player is essentially this in the game. You overcome all odds staked against you, defeat anyone who stands on your way, and never lets up on your mission to give Razor a good beating.

** Of course, there are the aversions. "Sonny" isn't likely to frighten anyone.

* [[WhereDoesHeGetAllThoseWonderfulToys Where Do They Get All Those Wonderful Toys?]]: It's insane to believe that the government would use expensive Corvette C6s as '''FEDERAL''' cruisers. Since they are reserved to be used against the most dangerous drivers, it's natural for the governmental bill to climb into the ''millions''.

* SecondHourSuperpower: The Lexus IS-300, the Fiat Punto and the Chevrolet Cobalt SS are the first options for you at the end of the prologue, and they have their strengths and weaknesses. However, if you played the previous game (''Underground 2'') on a non-Xbox 360 platform, you get an additional $10,000 bonus at the end of the prologue, which allows you to purchase the Volkswagon Golf GTI. While the IS-300 has better acceleration, the Punto has better handling, and the Cobalt SS has better top speed, the Golf GTI has all three, and can wreck the early Blacklist races with no problem. It also handles modifications extremely well.

The main plot of the 2005 game involves [[FeaturelessProtagonist the Player]] arriving in the city of [[WretchedHive Rockport]] with his blue and silver [[CoolCar BMW M3 GTR (E46)]][[note]]Which is also a rare ''racing version'' of the car![[/note]] alongside [[MsFanservice Mia Townsend]], in her own Mazda RX-8. After a close encounter with [[HeroAntagonist Sergeant]] [[DirtyCop Nathan Cross]], he runs into resident {{Jerkass}} [[BigBad Clarence "Razor" Callahan]], who [[BullyingADragon doesn't waste a second to insult the player]]. Mia tells him to simply race against the player to prove who's better, but Razor simply reminds her that he's Number 15 on the Blacklist, and thus the player cannot challenge him until he has a notable reputation. The player begins building a fame, meeting Rog on the way, and eventually manages to challenge Razor, who reminds him that [[AllOrNothing the winner gets the loser's car]]. Needless to say, Razor [[HopelessBossFight cheated and tampered with your BMW's oil system]], causing your car to malfunction and therefore lose the race. Finally, to rub salt into the wound, you're arrested by none other than Cross.

* VillainProtagonist: The Player. After all, compete in illegal races ''is'' crime. Which makes his rivalry with Razor to be EvilVersusEvil, or at the very best, ALighterShadeOfBlack.

* VillainProtagonist: The Player. After all, compete in illegal races ''is'' crime. Which makes his rivalry with Razor to be EvilVersusEvil, or at the very best, BlackAndGreyMorality.