History VideoGame / NeedForSpeedTheRun

[[JustForFun/TheOneWith The one]] that brought the street racing action to the real-life UsefulNotes/UnitedStates.

[[JustForFun/TheOneWith The one]] that cinematizes an action-packed EpicRace across the UsefulNotes/UnitedStates.

[[JustForFun/TheOneWith The one]] where ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeed'' goes on an American tour... followed by a HellishCopter.

''Need for Speed: The Run'' is a {{racing game}} and the eighteenth title in the ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeed'' series. Published by Creator/ElectronicArts, it was released on November 15, 2011, with [[Creator/BlackBox EA Black Box]] developed versions for UsefulNotes/PlayStation3, UsefulNotes/MicrosoftWindows, UsefulNotes/Xbox360, while Firebrand Games developed the version for the [[UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS 3DS]] and UsefulNotes/{{Wii}}.[[note]]An UsefulNotes/{{iOS|Games}} version was planned to be developed by EA Mobile, but it was eventually canceled.[[/note]] Unlike previous entries in the series that were set in fictional locations, ''The Run'' features an extensive collection of races set against real-life locations, including the cities of New York, Chicago, Las Vegas, and San Francisco, and features a wide variety of real-life cars to drive in.

* NowWhichOneWasThatVoice: Particularly in the [[ReformulatedGame companion]] Wii/[=3DS=] versions, where the voice actors are credited but their roles aren't identified.

** Rival Races play this trope straight. It's Jack Rourke against a major rival throughout this cannonball run.

* EpicRace: The central theme of the game puts Jack Rourke in the namesake race across the country.

** The police cars depicted in the game are highly unlikely to be owned by an actual police department (and be used to the level they are used in this game), though this is standard practice for many ''NFS'' games, especially the ''[[VideoGame/NeedForSpeedHotPursuit Hot Pursuit]]'' games and ''[[VideoGame/NeedForSpeedUndercover Undercover]]''.[[note]]And even those have the excuse of taking place in a city with a stated street racing problem, resulting in developing a force dedicated to it, whereas this game takes place across the contiguous UsefulNotes/UnitedStates, making their appearance more conspicuous.[[/note]] For starters, the most common police car in the game is the concept version of the Ford Police Interceptor Sedan (based on the sixth-generation Ford Taurus) which obviously never saw service until production started in early 2012, whereas this game was released in 2011. Then there is the Porsche Cayenne Turbo for Highway police, a Nissan GT-R and even a Federal Cruiser version of the Lamborghini Gallardo [=LP550-2=] VB, which are utilized by the Federal police, when neither are used by law enforcement in the United States aside from rare exceptions.

* MidSeasonUpgrade: More like "Mid-Race Upgrade". During some races, you can stop by a nearby gas station and switch cars there. However, you have to regain back all those positions you took. Perhaps what plays the trope straight is that as Jack progresses through the Run, he gets into better and more powerful cars after his previous one gets totaled. [[spoiler:In Stage 8, Jack has his hands in an Audi vehicle which was use to CarFu the mob's HellishCopter, totaling it for good again. And finally approaching for Stage 9, he seeks Uri for a new set of wheels, which are high-end Tier 5 supercars]].

* RealityIsUnrealistic: While the game takes place over several days a real life cannonball run has been completed in around 25 Hours. While that record in particular was done using a car disguised as a police vehicle and spotters to distract police even older runs from the 70s managed to make it in around 40 Hours.

** The achievement "Got to the Chopper" after you complete Stage 8. [[Film/{{Predator}} Does it sound familiar?]]

* NoSidepathsNoExplorationNoFreedom: ''The Run'' was infamous for taking away many things from its formula, where the game itself threw away free roam which previous games were known for, in favor for a cinematic-style but extremely scripted linear story. There is absolutely no deviation to the story other than just going to the gas station to change cars. The Wii/[=3DS=] is far worse as you're in a FIXED car that is selected in the story.

** The police cars depicted in the game are highly unlikely to be owned by an actual police department (and be used to the level they are used in this game), though this is standard practice for many ''NFS'' games, especially the ''[[VideoGame/NeedForSpeedHotPursuit Hot Pursuit]]'' games and ''[[VideoGame/NeedForSpeedUndercover Undercover]]''.[[note]]And even those have the excuse of taking place in a city with a stated street racing problem, resulting in developing a force dedicated to it, whereas this game takes place across the contiguous UsefulNotes/UnitedStates, making their appearance more conspicuous.[[/note]] For starters, the most common police car in the game is the concept version of the Ford Police Interceptor Sedan (based on the sixth-generation Ford Taurus) which obviously never saw service until production started in early 2012, whereas this game was released in 2011. Then there is the Nissan GT-R and even a Federal Cruiser version of the Lamborghini Gallardo [=LP550-2=] VB, which are utilized by the Federal police, when neither are used by law enforcement in the United States aside from rare exceptions. A Corvette or a Viper would be a better choice for the Federal Cruiser.

** The police cars depicted in the game are highly unlikely to be owned by an actual police department (and be used to the level they are used in this game), though this is standard practice for many ''NFS'' games, especially the ''[[VideoGame/NeedForSpeedHotPursuit Hot Pursuit]]'' games and ''[[VideoGame/NeedForSpeedUndercover Undercover]]''.[[note]]And even those have the excuse of taking place in a city with a stated street racing problem, resulting in developing a force dedicated to it, whereas this game takes place across the contiguous UsefulNotes/UnitedStates, making their appearance more conspicuous.[[/note]] For starters, the most common police car in the game is the concept version of the Ford Police Interceptor Sedan (based on the sixth-generation Ford Taurus) which was not implemented until production started in early 2012, whereas this game was released in 2011. Not to mention the Nissan GT-R and even a Federal Cruiser version of the Lamborghini Gallardo [=LP550-2=] VB are utilized by the Federal police, when neither are used by law enforcement in the United States aside from rare exceptions. A Corvette or a Viper would be a better choice for the Federal Cruiser.

** The UsefulNotes/NewYorkSubway in the final race is somewhat capable of catching up to the even the supercar's top speed. In RealLife, the subway can only go up to 55 mph (89 km/h).

* PressXToNotDie: ''The Run'' uses this trope for moments where you're out of the car. [[spoiler:In the [=PS3=]/Xbox 360 version, this is literally the case in the opening cutscene where the first button you need to press is X.]]

* PaletteSwap: There are [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters loads and loads of variants]] for the same car. Mainly NFS Editions or ProductPlacement signature editions.

** The police cars depicted in the game are highly unlikely to be owned by an actual police department (and be used to the level they are used in this game), though this is standard practice for many ''NFS'' games, especially the ''[[VideoGame/NeedForSpeedHotPursuit Hot Pursuit]]'' games and ''[[VideoGame/NeedForSpeedUndercover Undercover]]''.[[note]]And even those have the excuse of taking place in a city with a stated street racing problem, resulting in developing a force dedicated to it, whereas this game takes place across the contiguous UsefulNotes/UnitedStates, making their appearance more conspicuous.[[/note]] For starters, the most common police car in the game is the concept version of the Ford Police Interceptor Sedan (based on the sixth-generation Ford Taurus) which was not implemented until production started in early 2012, whereas this game was released in 2011. Not to mention the Nissan GT-R and even a Federal Cruiser version of the Lamborghini Gallardo [=LP550-2=] VB are utilized by the Federal police, when neither are used by law enforcement in the United States aside from rare exceptions. Subverted in the Wii/[=3DS=] version, where its choice of police car is the Dodge Charger, which is very common in numerous police agencies across the country in RealLife; however, their choice for high-speed pursuits is still the aforementioned Lamborghini Gallardo [=LP550-2=] VB, which is a very rare choice for a high-performance police car.

* PaletteSwap: There are [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters loads and loads of variants]] for the same car. Mainly NFS Editions of ProductPlacement signature editions.