So many things have to happen for a racing game to stand out. It has to have advanced driving mechanics, car customization with depth, deeply engaging tracks, and more. The wish list for video game racers is so long, which is why a game can fail for not having it all.
Need For Speed has proven time and time again, that it is a phenomenal gaming franchise with exceptional racing titles. Games such as Need For Speed: Underground have tremendous nostalgic value. We are thrown for a loop because more of these games aren’t backward compatible. These are the Need For Speed games ranked from worst to best.
Updated by Russ Boswell on June 15th, 2021: The Need for Speed name has become synonymous with Arcade Racing over the years and the franchise has managed to crank out an impressive 24 titles. With no signs of stopping, and development currently underway for their next release, this list has been given an update. Some of the best Need For Speed games out there are lesser-known, strange, or just overlooked. With 24 different titles released on a wide array of platforms and almost 30 years since the franchises’ inception in 1994, what is the best Need for Speed game? Here’s a look at an updated list of the best Need for Speed games, ranked.
20 Need For Speed
It’s hard to leave the original Need for Speed off a best-of-the-best list, considering the franchise wouldn’t be anywhere near as popular as it is today had its 1994 darling not set the stage for the future. The title that started it all was considered quite the leap-forward for its time, offering players some amazingly entertaining arcade-style racing, with interesting tracks, and great visuals (from a 1994 standpoint).
By today’s standards, Need for Speed seems like an incredibly lackluster release that features a handful of cars and tracks. Its spot on this list isn’t a dig at the title in any way, it’s simply an acknowledgment that NFS has evolved by leaps and bounds in the modern age. These impressive titles should definitely be thankful for their origins, which helped elevate them into a series that’s still ongoing almost 30 years later.
19 Need For Speed: Nitro
Need For Speed: Nitro was a bit of an “experiment” for the franchise. The title released exclusively on Nintendo consoles (the Wii and DS specifically) in 2009 and aimed to make the Need for Speed brand “even more exciting” by elevating the racing experience and cutting out unnecessary fluff. The end result was supposed to be a game that played and felt better for younger audiences while still appealing to longtime fans of the series.
Unfortunately, developers missed the mark when it came to the overall vision for Nitro. The gameplay was solid but many of the features that fans had come to know and love felt “forced” or were straight-up missing. It also felt “watered-down” compared to the rest of the franchise, with fewer cars and tracks than its predecessors.
18 Need For Speed: V-Rally 2
Need for Speed: V-Rally 2 may not seem familiar to a lot of players thanks to its unconventional titling and focus on Rally racing. The release dropped in 1999 for the PlayStation and would release again in 2000 for the Dreamcast. If it doesn’t look familiar to those of you that played the Dreamcast, it’s because the title was renamed to Test Drive V-Rally, omitting the Need for Speed moniker.
The reason for this is that V-Rally isn’t a “traditional NFS” game. It’s actually a sequel to the original V-Rally and produced by the same studio, Eden Studios. Past its unconventional naming and Rally focus, V-Rally 2 is actually a pretty impressive game. It features a multitude of tracks and vehicles, fun gameplay, four-player support, and even offers up a track editor. It may only be a Need for Speed title in name, but it’s a great addition to the franchise regardless.
17 Need For Speed: The Run
In 2011, the Need for Speed franchise took a stab at creating a story-based adventure, unlike anything they’d created in the past. Most traditional NFS titles saw players starting out as newbie racers and had them competing to gain “respect” in order to rise through the ranks and become the best of the best. Need for Speed: The Run, tosses this premise in favor of something far more compelling; a literal race across the country with the player character’s very life at stake.
The Run spans the countryside and forces players to outrun opponents, police, and even the mob, all for a taste of freedom. It’s an experience that fans are not used to seeing from the series, and the overall story and gameplay mechanics work extremely well. It’s a cult classic for many but, unfortunately, it’s incredibly short and doesn’t offer much in terms of replayability.
16 Need For Speed: Heat
Need For Speed: Heat marks the latest entry in the franchise, bringing the total number of games to an impressive 24. At first glance, Heat seems like a formula for absolute success, with incredible visuals, tight driving mechanics, and the iconic gameplay elements that fans of the series crave. There’s an open world to explore, car customization, sim-style upgrading, arcade racing action, and even intense police chases.
Heat has all the elements of an iconic title but it’s been met with mixed reviews, with players either loving the installment or lambasting it. It’s definitely not the greatest NFS experience players have seen but it’s still a blast for anyone looking for a modern racer.
15 Need For Speed: ProStreet
The series tried to go for both an arcade-style and a simulation for this ProStreet, resulting in a bit of a mess in the final product. Things are tighter in the game, as the focus is more on the legal side of racing, which doesn’t exactly translate into the “fun” side of things.
Still, ProStreet can be considered underrated since it brings in a sense of realism that the Need for Speed series didn’t feature before. It’s certainly not the best in the series but is still worth checking out.
14 Need For Speed II
Back in the day, there could be no cooler game than Need for Speed II. The title didn’t have a great campaign mode or the most creative flair, but it made up for all that with flash and style. Not to mention the abundance of cars and tracks to race on.
The biggest problem with the title was its buggy nature, as glitches were common to find and interfered more than a few times with gameplay. Its sleek nature still deserves praise, as the game was lauded for making the cars look extra realistic.
13 Need for Speed: Rivals
It wouldn’t be out of the ordinary to compare Need For Speed: Rivals to Burnout Paradise. Both games have cinematic crashes, and both games are open-world. Unfortunately, Need For Speed: Rivals has its fair share of bugs and glitches. Had the game been more polished, it could have been an exceptional launch game for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The concept of the game looks good on paper, but it had poor execution. Still, Need For Speed: Rivals is one of the best Need For Speed games thus far.
12 Need For Speed: Porsche Unleashed
The game’s expertise with bringing Porsche cars to the forefront can also be considered its negative point. It brings in a narrow point of view in the racing world, as Porsche is the only brand featured. That’s not to say the game isn’t enjoyable, as this might be the classiest entry to date.
There’s also the fact that Porsche Unleashed is the first game to bring an actual story, as players can engage in this plot in addition to their racing exploits. The focus on completing stunts is another aspect with a certain charm.
11 Need For Speed: Undercover
Although police chases are still a significant part of this Need For Speed Installment, players play the part of an undercover police officer. To infiltrate a crime syndicate, players compete in street races and drive stolen cars. The speeds you can reach in this game are absurd. This heart-pounding adventure is a ton of fun, and it’s why Need For Speed: Undercover is considered one of the best Need For Speed games to date. The game even has role-playing game elements that allow players to improve their licensed real-world cars.
10 Need For Speed: Carbon
9 Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit
This stunning open-world racing game pits players against the police or outlaw drivers. Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit was the first game that allowed players to be behind the wheel of a police car. It contains a story-mode for the most wanted driver and a policeman.
From the makers of the Burnout series, Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit is a ton of fun. This 2010 game stood out when it released. Its driving mechanics and exotic vehicles are extraordinary. Future Need For Speed games should take inspiration from Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit.
8 Need For Speed: Most Wanted (2012)
Set in an open world, 2012’s Need for Speed: Most Wanted aimed to please long-time fans by bringing back the plus points of the original and combining it with elements from other games. More than anything else, exploring the city is the main selling point.
The one negative point is the lack of appeal in single-player mode, as there just isn’t as much quality in races here. The game does its best job in pushing the boundary of multiplayer racing, with competitions carrying the sense of thrill the fans love.
7 Need For Speed (2015)
As one of the most anticipated Need For Speed games to be released, Need For Speed (2015) brought back the underground feel but added updated graphics and a more immersive open-world. However, it failed to deliver on many of Need For Speed’s most renowned qualities like car customization and race variation. The game didn’t contain drag races like it should have. The concept should have worked but the execution was poor. Despite its unforgivable flaws, Need For Speed (2015) is one of the best games of the Need For Speed franchise.
6 Need For Speed: Shift
It was with this entry that the series completely dived into the simulation aspect of things. Need for Speed: Shift is akin to games like Gran Turismo and Forza in that learning how to drive is the heart of the matter and excelling here is the key to victory.
It has no story, which can be a turn-off for long-time fans but the shift toward simulation means a level of originality can be found in this game. Highly detailed cars and points of view are perfect for fans to get their racing dreams on.
5 Need For Speed: Underground
It wouldn’t be out of the question to place Need For Speed: Underground higher on this list, given the amount of customization. It laid the foundation for the other Underground and subsequent Need For Speed games. NFSU proved that even a Dodge Neon or Honda Civic could be turned into a race car. The game released on consoles such as the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and PC. NFSU’s drag races and time attacks were fun. This game released around the time that The Fast and the Furious released, so the underground car scene was trendy.
4 Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit 2
The Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit game series contains a couple of Need For Speed’s most recognizable games. Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 came back with improved gameplay, better open-world environments, and some of the finest exotic vehicles of all time. The game even allows players to go off-road, which is something that was rarely seen in video games when it released. When we think of Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit 2, we can compare it to games like Forza Horizon. Unfortunately, the series has taken a downturn since this game’s release.
3 Need For Speed: Most Wanted
Need For Speed: Most Wanted is a masterpiece driving game. It avoided the trend of bad reboots, and who could’ve guessed that a game that released on consoles such as Android, iOS, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 could be enjoyable? It may have actually been the best on mobile devices.
The fact that almost anyone could jump into the game made it appealing. It took after the Need For Speed Underground but also differentiated itself with unique race tracks and top-notch driving mechanics. It won the VGX Award for Best Driving Game. This is one Need For Speed game you can’t miss!
2 Need For Speed: Shift 2 – Unleashed
The career mode of Need For Speed: Shift 2 – Unleashed is its highlight. Its races feature a wide range of tracks against top-tier drivers. Need For Speed: Shift 2 – Unleashed is a huge improvement over its predecessor. As a game that released in 2011, the graphics don’t look that dated. According to ea.com, “SHIFT 2 Unleashed redefines the racing simulator genre by delivering authentic and true-to-life, dynamic crash physics, plus insanely detailed real-world cars, drivers and tracks.”
1 Need For Speed: Underground 2
The soundtrack could have had more variety. Listening to the same songs playing over and over was frustrating. However, Need For Speed: Underground 2 had enough car variety and customization to make the game stand on that alone. The career mode is the high-point of Need For Speed Underground 2, but the online and local multiplayer weren’t bad either. The game has the most customization of any Need For Speed game, and it’s why it’s considered the best Need For Speed game of all time.
NEXT: 10 Open-World Games To Play If You Loved Grand Theft Auto V
