My top 10 Need for Speed titles of all time.

Its been 20 years, I think this is a good time to look back on how this series evolved, or devolved, whichever you prefer, and single out the games that shined between more than 20 released titles.

#10 NFS: Undercover

Undercover had everything, from the not so bad story to the graphics to the wide paint selection and amazing Autosculpt customization, even had one of the best and most varied car lineups in the franchise. It was set to be the best NFS… but it wasn’t even close.
What Undercover was missing is the most important part of any racing game; the physics. Undercover’s physics were drastically bad, the cars handled like jet-skis and its really sad knowing they got everything else in the game right, I spent most of my time in this game tuning cars.

#9 NFSIII: Hot Pursuit

There are a few sub-series in the franchise, the Underground, Shift, and Hot Pursuit series and as a whole I feel like the Hot Pursuit series pushes the physics aspect of the game like no other title, all three Hot Pursuit titles were phenomenal on the gameplay side (OK, perhaps the burnout physics of 2010 were a bit annoying), and have by far the best police chases in racing game history.

Every car and track are well-detailed and a narrator reads out some awesome info about them making the most badass car selection screen you will ever experience.

#8 NFS: High Stakes

This game felt like a lot like a Hot Pursuit game with great physics and graphics, intense police chases, its also the first title in the series to feature visual customization, I’m honestly spoiled between this and NFS3, just know they are both very close.

#7 NFS: Porsche Unleashed

I adored this game as it had amazing modes in Evolution and factory driver, where you play as a test driver for Porsche and do all sorts of challenges, this game was the last title to have a cockpit view other than the Shift series, the game had quite an impressive car list, and you could actually damage your car if you drive recklessly, something that is lost in more recent arcade racers.

#6 NFS: Underground

NFS Underground is one of the better overall NFS titles, and one I really enjoyed!
To me this actually had better physics than the more popular sequel, the cars handled great, but there’s not near as much content in the game, graphics were quite nice, cars looked a bit too shiny and reflective though, the car selection was nice as well.

This is the least popular game of what I’d call the “golden era” from Hot Pursuit 2 to Carbon, but still makes most of the newer NFS titles look like trash.

#5 NFS Hot Pursuit (2010)

An absolute gem. Deserves to hold the name of Hot Pursuit and the last truly enjoyable NFS made. Graphics were eye popping, the car lineup stunning, music fits the game so well, a nice long and challenging career mode and online races a giant step ahead of titles before it, the car selection screen is half of the enjoyment of the game, oh and I loved the new narrator.

Its true that this game started the hated Burnout physics era, but its just that badass factor that made us forget we were drifting through every turn even in AWD Lambos.

Rivals tried a similar idea, but failed, it simply didn’t hold the cool feeling that Hot Pursuit (2010) had, it had a boring car lineup and a not so challenging career mode, online was not as much fun either.

#4 NFS Carbon

The last game of the golden era, but I need not say that it isn’t the least.

NFS Carbon is a sequel to Most Wanted and it attempted to mix the Underground night racing, with Most Wanted’s cop chases, and really did a good job of it, you create a crew or club at the start of career and own territories by winning races in them, then eventually challenging the boss of that territory to a Canyon race, the idea of Canyon races is just awesome, but for some reason it has a ridiculous catch up setting, and the cars feel very different as if you are playing a different game in these races.

The story is not as immersive as Most Wanted or even Undercover, but its not too bad, graphics were amazing at its time, the game featured Autosculpt which made customizing so much more detailed, car lineup was one of the best in the series too.

Easily one of the best NFS titles overall and deservedly in the top 5.

#3 NFS Hot Pursuit 2

This is the beginning of the golden era, a series of 5 games that are arguably 5 of the best in the history of racing games.

What puts this so high in spite of what the game was missing is the same thing that put Undercover so low despite everything it had. Physics. The handling in this game is by far the best in the series, I don’t know what it is but the way the cars handle feels so satisfying, Police chases are also the most intense in the series and its quite hard to keep them off unlike the dumber AI cops of the newer games, and their cars actually weigh more than a cardboard box unlike Most Wanted, oh and did I mention the car selection screen is once again, BAD ASS? (Last time I say it I promise)

Championship mode gets daunting and hard in the later stages but every time you fail it makes you want to complete the challenge more, the soundtrack fits the game so well and keeps you in full focus through the races.

Hot Pursuit 2 didn’t have as much content as the top two sadly but its simply impossible to ignore just how they nailed the physics!

Each game of the top three has a trait that no other game in the franchise can beat, this game excels at gameplay.

#2 NFS: Underground 2

Ah… Underground 2, quite simply the most popular NFS title ever made, the reasons are simple, customization and and open world, the game has an unreal set of options for you to pimp out your car and you will probably spend much more time in the garage than on the streets, the options simply never end and there’s always a part you missed that will make your car look better, they didn’t stop at your cars looks though as they added fine tuning and dyno run to test your cars performance!

Career mode is one of the best in the series, Bayview is a stunning city, I absolutely loved the game modes, especially drift, street X was a nice idea too but they were quite easy to win, graphics were great for its time and the car selection was great too, and this game boasts what is arguably the best soundtrack in the franchise, period.
Seriously, if you somehow haven’t heard Snoop ft. The Doors Riders on the Storm yet, scrap reading this and go do that, its mesmerizing.

Each game of the top three has a trait that no other game in the franchise can beat, this game excels at customization.

#1 NFS Most Wanted

For almost every NFS fan… it always comes down to either Underground 2, Most Wanted, or Carbon. Lets start by the graphics, this is one of the biggest graphics jumps in the series, especially on PC cars looked stunning! Going into career mode you notice how they use full motion video, which mostly turns out so bad in other games its funny. Somehow Most Wanted made this style look cool again with a great setting and background and not so bad acting!

The story is the best in the series, is it a good story for a movie? No. Its as cliché as it can possibly get. but it’s the way they immerse you into the story with your car getting stolen, the usage of voice mail and text messages while progressing in the career, every time Razor sends you a message calling you “sweetheart” you just want to punch his face that much more…

The gameplay is fantastic, handling feels good, and the sense of speed on the highway is just awesome, shortcuts are everywhere in this game and its fun memorizing them to use them to your advantage. There is one big flaw in the gameplay, drifting, it feels like pulling a wardrobe on a rocky surface, the car just immediately loses all its momentum and control and that’s probably the reason there are no drift races in the game.

Cop chases are easily the most fun in the series, if not the most challenging, you will love dropping giant donuts on the police and running around in circles while the police just constantly crash each other and give you extra bounty.

Challenge mode is very, very hard in the end and has a respectable 68 challenges, career mode is quite long as well, car lineup is awesome and varied, there’s just so much to do in this game and I haven’t got bored of it not even after 10 years, its sad the reboot of this masterpiece was another hypercar riddled Burnout reskin… Most Wanted never deserved that.

Each game of the top three has a trait that no other game in the franchise can beat, this game excels at being a whole package, where everyone can enjoy it.

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Final Thoughts

All in all I’m a fan of the series and I do hope it keeps going in the direction of NFS 2015, If you are wondering why I didn’t have it on this list, I’m sorry but the physics are unbearable, even the Burnout physics didn’t feel this unpredictable and sometimes very numb, It would be in Undercover’s place for sure had they tried to make career mode interesting, and perhaps let the folk who don’t have stable internet connections play, and pause when life calls you, there was just so much to work on but don’t get me wrong, I do still love the direction the game is heading and by staying on that track it can only get better.