The Need For Speed collection and discussion thread

[DigitalSpace]

These "collection and discussion" threads seem to be all the rage at the moment. And for some reason, I wanted to make one too. So let's take a look at one of the biggest and most popular racing franchises since the 32-bit era.

Someday I'll have access to a digital camera and I'll be able to provide a picture of all this stuff. But until then, you'll have to settle for a list.

PlayStation:
Need For Speed II (complete, non-GH)
Need For Speed III: Hot Pursuit (complete, non-GH)
Need For Speed: High Stakes (complete, non-GH)
Need For Speed: Porsche Unleashed (complete, non-GH - come to think of it, I'm not even sure if this had a GH release.)
Need For Speed: V-Rally (complete, non-GH)

PS2:
Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 (complete, non-GH)
Need For Speed Underground 2 (complete, non-GH)
Need For Speed Most Wanted: Black Edition (complete)
Need For Speed ProStreet (complete)

Gamecube:
Need For Speed Underground (complete, non-Player's Choice)
Need For Speed Carbon (complete)

GBA:
Need For Speed: Porsche Unleashed (complete)
Need For Speed Underground (cart only)
Need For Speed Underground (cart only)
Need For Speed Most Wanted (cart only)
Need For Speed Carbon: Own The City (complete)

(On a side note, with the exception of Porsche Unleashed, these were some of the best 3D racers on the GBA. I'd recommend starting with NFSU 2.)

DS:
Need For Speed Carbon: Own The City (complete)

Other:
Bumper sticker for Road & Track presents The Need For Speed. A friend found this in an old issue of EGM she had and gave it to me. It reads: "If you can read this I'm parked."

[Lemmi_Is_God]

the best one is the Original
3DO version

and its the only one i have, since its the best i didnt need any other version :D

[Nebagram]

First one I got was the 3DO version, which remains just sweet to this day... next one I got was Underground 2, lol. I did enjoy Carbon though, and this is definitely a series on my 'must complete' list. :)

[TheTrench]

I liked the Sega Saturn version, it was really fun.

[Drag0nsfyre]

Sweet NFS collection :) I'm suprised you did not do a video pinball one. LOL ;) which speaking of that did you ever get my PM :hmm: because I havn't heard back from ya.

[dusty]

The 3do version is the absolute worst version. invisible walls on the track ftl.

I remember not playing another version until 3 came out on the PS1 and being completely blown away. 3 is still one of the biggest leaps forward in a gaming series ever.

[Candycab]

I think alot of people like the 3DO version since it was more of a simulation compared to the others, I like it for this reason but I would hardly call it the best. Great for the hardware though.

Personally I think the Underground games are some of the worst crap Ive ever played, [ Ive never been a huge Ridge Racer fan but at least that takes a degree of skill to play ] but then I prefer simulations over arcade physics when it comes to racing games, unless maybe its a Rally based game.


The Hot Pursuit games are a blast to play though.

For my money the best out of all of them is Porsche Unleashed on the PC, I still play that from time to time and find that it holds up very well even today.

[Greg2600]

I got the first one on PC, which was revolutionary in the graphics and authentic simulation of the cars. The game itself was pretty dull. NFS2/SE was much better, and sported a very challenging and fun array of courses and cars. Driving all the scenery cars with cheat codes was a trip, especially the UFO and T-Rex! NFSIII (Hot Pursuit) was terrific, putting the cops into play. On the PC, it was the first simulation of its kind for street cars that had a large community of users making their own cars you could download. NFS IV: High Stakes was even more fun, with the homemade cars getting better, and the first chance at racing others on EA.com without using that stupid EA Matchplay garbage. NFS Porsche was without a doubt the best game, in terms of graphics, online play with actual collisions, and the real handling physics of the cars. However, with only Porsches, it didn't make a lot of sense. NFS Motor City Online was a tremendous game, with all those great muscle cars, but the online only form of it led to little interest and cancellation. NFS Hot Pursuit 2 was a good game graphically, but very boring and more or less pointless. That is where I stopped getting NFS games. I got them all in PC format, because of the homebrew tracks and cars you could download. NFS Underground and Most Wanted have no appeal for me whatsoever. I find the whole Street Racing concept dumb, and not to my taste. Test Drive was an exception because the cars were good. I have no interest racing Honda's and Suburu's over Ferrari's, Mustangs, Vettes, etc. NFS Carbon seems like it could be interesting, I'll see.

[Push Upstairs]

"High Stakes" is my favorite.

Too bad i went back to playing it after months of playing "Burnout 3".

Choppy city.

But its not nearly as bad as "Space Harrier 2" on Genesis versus "Space Harrier" on 32x/Saturn. That was like night and day.

Still love "High Stakes" though.

[RegSNES]

My fac NFS game is Hot Pursuit 2 on the PS2. Game still looks amazing to be the the sense of speed is amazing. The difficulty really jumped up about mid way through. I haven't really touched a NFS game since. The Undergound games I was on the fence about because it was all street racing. And I could really do without the hip-hip soundtrack.

[Oobgarm]

NFS III is still my favorite in the original series. I got into it right after getting my first PlayStation. High Stakes was cool, too.

Underground 2 is my favorite out of the newer, post-PSX titles. Most Wanted comes close, but I view the mechanics, customization, and overall breadth of NFSU2 to be the high water mark.

[cyberfluxor]

I don't own much of the NFS series but I did really like the Porsche Unleased for PC. <3

[Neil Koch]

I don't know if this would count as an offical release, but Best Buy has a NFS Collection with the 3 PS2 games for $30 . I don't know if this is a BB exclusive, but they also had one with the 3 Devil May Cry PS2 games as well.

[Anthony1]

I think the best ever Need For Speed was the very first Underground for Xbox 1. Now please understand that I could not stand Underground 2. Absolutely hated it. I don't like Carbon at all either. Most Wanted is pretty decent. But when the very first Underground came out on Xbox 1, man, I thought that was a damn good game, and very entertaining. Plus the graphics were just mind blowing at the time it first came out. I absolutely can't stand Underground 2, and it really sucks, because Underground 2 left such a bad taste in everybodies mouth that they think Underground 1 sucked too, when it didn't.


I also like the original 3DO version, but I must admit that I like it more for nostalgic reasons, then for it's actual merit as a good racing game. The truth of the matter is that steering your car in the 3DO version is like trying to steer a boat. It sucked. But as far as I'm concerned, it was the first Need For Speed, and when it first came out, I was totally blown away by it. My best friend bought it the day it came out for 3DO, and I played it with him all day that day, and I thought it was so amazing at the time, but the truth is, it doesn't age very well.


Need for Speed 3 on Playstation is a damn fine game, although I must admit they went a wee bit overboard with the red and blue lights on top of the cop cars.

[ig88vsbobafett]

Dont Forget to get the Collectors Editions of NFS HP 3

[DigitalSpace]

I just updated my list in the first post, and now I'm giving this a bump.

My favorite NFS game on each system I own an NFS title for:

PlayStation: III: Hot Pursuit
PS2: Most Wanted: Black Edition
Gamecube: Underground
GBA: Underground 2
DS: Carbon: Own The City (this was an easy choice since it's the only NFS game I own for the DS)

[roushimsx]

I was always disappointed with how Porsche Unleashed wound up on the PS1. The PC version is one of my favorite racing games ever, but the PS1 port is an ugly, feature-flimsy mess. :(

A few months ago I finally got around to picking up Hot Pursuit 2 for PS2 since I've always wanted to play that version. The PC version was pretty underwhelming, but since the PS2 version was done by the original dev team and since it was apparently pretty different under the hood, I figured it was worth a look-see. One of these days I'll play it...

Now, I've only really played the PC version of High Stakes, but is there any reason why you'd pick Hot Pursuit over it for PS1? I loved Hot Pursuit to bits and pieces, but once I picked up High Stakes on PC it pretty much rendered the previous game obsolete (much like Unreal Tournament 2004 compared to 2003).

ninja edit - nevermind (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Need_for_Speed_High_Stakes#Miscellaneous). Bummer. PS1 really got the short end of the stick when it came to NFS4 and 5.

You know what game totally would have kicked ass if they hadn't tried to shoehorn it into something else? Need For Speed: Motor City. I mean, even in its released form it rocked thanks to some awesome track designs and the most enjoyable driving model this side of Porsche Unleashed, but making it an online only, subscription-based game (and then killing it to funnel more money into Sims Online) was such a massive god damn mistake. :(

I keep hoping that one day the server software will get fully simulated and that we'll be able to play it again. :(

[SpaceHarrier]

Out of the ever-expanding number of games in the NFS series, I still only have the first Need for Speed on Playstation. I still play it, too. I tend to like those older, simpler games where you just go from Point A to Point B, then it ends.

I admire the Underground series, but just never got into 'midnight maximum tune' types.

[DigitalSpace]

I was always disappointed with how Porsche Unleashed wound up on the PS1. The PC version is one of my favorite racing games ever, but the PS1 port is an ugly, feature-flimsy mess. :(

Yeah, I was disappointed by it too. At least it's better than the GBA one, but that's not saying much.


A few months ago I finally got around to picking up Hot Pursuit 2 for PS2 since I've always wanted to play that version. The PC version was pretty underwhelming, but since the PS2 version was done by the original dev team and since it was apparently pretty different under the hood, I figured it was worth a look-see. One of these days I'll play it...

Hot Pursuit 2 was one of my first PS2 games, and I spent a lot of time with it. The PS2 version is a blast.


Now, I've only really played the PC version of High Stakes, but is there any reason why you'd pick Hot Pursuit over it for PS1?

I have to admit that I haven't spent much time with High Stakes, though that will change one of these days.