Best Need for Speed Games, All 23 Ranked

Want for Velocity Unbound has introduced the sequence again into the highlight after Ghost Video games’ three video games beginning with a lot lambasted Want for Velocity 2015, however the place does it match amongst the remainder of the sequence? Right here’s our rating of the 23 greatest Want for Velocity video games.

23. Want for Velocity: Undercover

Undercover tried to give attention to the battle between cops and racers, including enormous freeway networks to an already giant map. Nonetheless, it was one of the vital boring video games within the sequence, with many of the occasions being uninspired and the world being empty. On prime of that, it suffered from horrible tech points at launch that made it unplayable for lots of people.

22. Want for Velocity Payback

Payback was usually enjoyable to play, with one of the vital different maps the sequence had seen in a very long time, however it was let down by just a few essential issues.

The primary letdown was the story, which tried and didn’t be an action-packed, Quick and Livid type motion flick. The worst side although, was the terrible use of microtransactions.

Should you wished to improve your automotive at a very good charge, you’d must spend real-world cash, and in-game upgrades have been left fully all the way down to luck, pushing you in the direction of spending your real-world cash. These two fundamental points made Payback an absolute chore to play.

21. Want for Velocity: Nitro

Nitro was a Nintendo unique, coming to the Wii and DS solely and being aimed on the youthful racing recreation fan. The precise motion was fairly good, however it severely lacked the quantity of content material that earlier video games within the sequence had. Extra tracks and vehicles have been wanted to make it value switching platforms for.

20. Want for Velocity (2015)

Ghost Video games’ 2015 reboot of the sequence was one other entry by which the dangerous outweighed the nice. It feels good to play and the night-only setting was stunning, however it was held again by an online-only requirement, boring occasions, a horribly tacky live-action story, and a few irritating bugs. There have been some positives that have been taken ahead, however it’s an entry greatest forgotten now.

19. Want for Velocity: The Run

The Run was fairly the change for the sequence, choosing a linear story strategy to the marketing campaign reasonably than an open world. You’d participate in particular person races throughout the US and a narrative performed between every occasion.

The thought merely didn’t work in addition to hoped, the story was overly severe, and the racing mechanics appeared to take a step backward from earlier entries, which was particularly annoying when it was the main focus greater than ever earlier than. Since The Run, Want for Velocity has gone again to being all about open-world racing.

18. Want for Velocity: ProStreet

ProStreet wasn’t a nasty recreation. It continued the pattern of specializing in avenue racing, however it misplaced the madness and over-the-top enjoyable of earlier video games within the sequence. It was superb, simply one of many extra boring entries.

17. Want for Velocity: Carbon

Carbon suffered from the destiny of coming after Most Needed. The extreme cop chases have been gone, however Carbon was nonetheless a fantastic avenue racer with quite a lot of type. It didn’t match what got here earlier than it, and with NFS seeing annual iterations on the time, it struggled to maintain up the tempo.

16. Want for Velocity 2

Most evaluations of the second recreation within the sequence cited the identical points. Graphics, each when it comes to the settings and vehicles, and the body charge have been poor compared to the primary recreation and different competitors. The precise racing was nonetheless loved by most, however it was a disappointing follow-up.

15. Want for Velocity: Porsche Unleashed

Porsche Unleashed, which focuses on simply the vehicles of the legendary German firm, obtained a greater variety of evaluations than every other recreation within the Want for Velocity sequence.

Some praised the brand new construction, which was extra like mini-games to point out off every of Porsche’s vehicles, than a cohesive marketing campaign, however others discovered it shallow and irritating.

14. Want for Velocity Warmth

The brand new recreation within the sequence is definitely a step ahead after Payback and the 2015 reboot. Palm Metropolis is a bit uninteresting and the cops might do with some balancing, however the give attention to the Day vs. Night time construction and well-designed occasions make Warmth probably the most pleasant Want for Velocity in about 5 years.

13. Want for Velocity: Shift

Shift was the Want for Velocity sequence’ first try at a monitor racing recreation. It was removed from the extra simulation type of Gran Turismo and Forza Motorsport, however it was a enjoyable mixture of Want for Velocity type and extra streamlined motion.

In fact, lots of people missed the cops, dramatic crashes, and avenue racing of the same old NFS video games, which put lots of people off Shift, however it was an admirable effort and helped maintain the same old components contemporary.

12. Want for Velocity: Excessive Stakes

The fourth Want for Velocity recreation, Excessive Stakes launched in 1999 and was a mushy reboot. Whereas the police chases have been enjoyable, the graphics have been improved, and the brand new profession mode was properly designed, it couldn’t compete with the likes of Gran Turismo 2, which launched just a few months later.

11. Shift 2: Unleashed

Want for Velocity’s second and remaining foray into the monitor racing world wasn’t a lot of an enchancment on the primary Shift recreation, however it nonetheless supplied a very good different to the likes of Gran Turismo and Forza Motorsport. It was nonetheless fairly arcadey, making it simple to choose up for racing novices, but it nonetheless required extra thought than the sequence’ avenue racing siblings.

10. Want for Velocity Rivals

Rivals was the primary Want for Velocity recreation on current-gen consoles and mixed the weapons-focused cop chases of Sizzling Pursuit with the various open world of the 2 Most Needed video games.

The map was probably the most different the sequence had seen, the drifting mechanics have been quite a lot of enjoyable, and the number of weapons added an additional layer of ways to the racing. The one concern was the cops have been a little bit overpowered, notably later within the recreation.

9. The Want for Velocity

The primary recreation within the sequence began properly, so it’s no shock that we’ve seen greater than 20 NFS titles since. The graphics have been praised on the time, the arcade-style gameplay was quite a lot of enjoyable, and the tracks have been actually well-designed. It launched features that grew to become synonymous with the sequence within the years to observe.

8. Want for Velocity Unbound

The latest entry on the listing, NFS Unbound is a refreshing change of tempo for the sequence. Probably the most noticeable side of Unbound is the distinctive over-the-top artwork type. Doing burnouts and drifts leaves behind a plume of stylized cell-shaded smoke, which after all, is customizable. I simply love the brand new cell-shaded look in Unbound.

There are quite a lot of enhancements underneath the hood in Unbound as properly, so it’s not simply all smoke and mirrors. The grip versus drift simplification of current entries will get left behind within the rear-view mirror as Unbound ups the complexity and issue of its dealing with mannequin. Now you can nook autos in between grip and drift relying on traction management settings and car drivetrain.

Talking of issue, Want for Velocity Unbound is well one of the vital difficult video games in your entire sequence. The strict calendar system forces day-to-day occasion administration and tremendously punishes getting busted by cops. There’s a authentic problem available right here that’s actually enjoyable to beat, however gamers who don’t like calendar deadlines in video games could also be turned off by this.

Incomes cash to purchase autos additionally obtained tougher as a result of excessive price of vehicles and the tough penalty for getting busted and dropping one-time occasions. It takes fairly a very long time to earn the high-end vehicles in Want for Velocity Unbound, however I discover it a fully refreshing change of tempo from video games that give vehicles out like sweet equivalent to Forza Horizon. You actually must earn your autos in Want for Velocity Unbound, however boy is it rewarding while you lastly do.

Criterion’s return to the sequence is prone to be hotly debated amongst NFS followers, however I for one benefit from the breath of contemporary air Want for Velocity Unbound offers.

7. Want for Velocity: Most Needed (2012)

After 2005’s recreation of the identical title, 2012’s Most Needed had lots to reside as much as. It didn’t fairly have the persona that the predecessor did, and the constant multiplayer integration was hit-and-miss, however it had quite a lot of enjoyable occasions. The driving felt the perfect it had for some time, and the town appeared nice.

6. Want for Velocity III: Sizzling Pursuit

The third recreation within the sequence launched the Sizzling Pursuit title, placing give attention to the cop chases greater than ever earlier than. Not solely have been the races thrilling and fast-paced, however Sizzling Pursuit overhauled the graphics, making it the best-looking recreation within the sequence at that time limit. This wasn’t the final we’d see of the subtitle both.

5. Want for Velocity: Sizzling Pursuit (2010)

The Sizzling Pursuit sub-series then obtained a reboot of its personal in 2010, specializing in pace and cop chases greater than ever earlier than. With spikes, EMPs, and different weapons on the disposal of each groups, racing by the mountains at 250mph was extra thrilling than ever earlier than. Typically, the all-out motion overshadowed the precise racing, nonetheless.

4. Want for Velocity: Underground

As a result of reputation of the second recreation, the primary Underground doesn’t get the credit score it deserves. Nonetheless, racing by the neon-drenched streets was nice and was the start of an aesthetic that NFS embraced for years. The tracks weren’t all the time the perfect, however it mixed enjoyable racing, stunning visuals, and cop chases in the perfect of the early Want for Velocity video games.

3. Want for Velocity: Sizzling Pursuit 2

Sizzling Pursuit 2 was the primary time that the sequence introduced collectively enjoyable daytime racing, a lovely and different map, and fast-paced cop chases into one package deal. Different NFS titles have had the aesthetics, however few have additionally boasted nice racing mechanics that have been simple to choose up however didn’t really feel overly arcadey.

2. Want for Velocity: Underground 2

Each time a brand new Want for Velocity comes round, everybody shouts about wanting it to recapture what made Underground 2 particular, and a few even desire a remake. Different NFS video games have harked again to neon-drenched avenue racing, however few have been fairly the identical in terms of persona mixing with drift-focused racing.

1. Want for Velocity: Most Needed

Most Needed had every little thing you’d need from a high-octane racing recreation. A different open world, thrilling cop chases, a enjoyable development system, split-screen multiplayer, and nice visuals.

Whereas Underground 2 is the nostalgic selection for a lot of, the primary Most Needed has turn out to be the NFS title that each new entry is in comparison with. Among the earlier titles had the persona, equivalent to Underground, whereas the likes of Sizzling Pursuit 2 had the open-world racing. Most Needed was the primary to have each.

That’s it for our listing of greatest Want for Velocity video games. What entry is your favourite? Do you want Criterion’s return with Need for Speed Unbound? Tell us and verify again for all issues gaming-related right here on Twinfinite.