STACK #181 Nov 2019

GAMES FEATURE

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2011: Shift 2: Unleashed The biggest shot yet at sim-styled racing, this boasted over 145 cars, 36-plus tracks and various racing disciplines. 2011: Need for Speed: The Run Cannonball Run met The Sopranos story-wise, while quick time events were introduced for – eep – getting out of your car! 2012: Need for Speed: Most Wanted Criterion made a return – and so did pure NfS. There was no story, just awesome open world racing. 2013: Need for Speed Rivals The series debut on PS4 and Xbox One, this one delivered pure cops vs racers, complete with weaponry! 2015: Need for Speed Another reboot, this gave players five storylines, five disciplines and lots of modding – with, controversially, no offline play.

EA’s Need for Speed is celebrating 25 years, having sold over 150 million games bearing the name in that time. With Need for Speed: Heat revved up and ready to go, we take a look back at some milestones in the long-running franchise’s history. Words Amy Flower

1994: The Need for Speed First appearing on the ill-fated 3DO console, it then came to PC, PlayStation and SEGA Saturn. The game toted a Road & Track licence, aiming for realistic handling of cars rather than arcade style. 1997: Need for Speed II Australian locations were included and ‘Knockout’ mode debuted. 1998: Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit Police pursuits came into core gameplay, with more cunning AI and the ability to play as a cop, plus downloadable vehicles debuted. 1999: Need for Speed: High Stakes New modes abounded, including ‘High Stakes racing’, ‘Getaway’, ‘Time Trap’ and ‘Career’, plus cars now showed damage, allowing repairs and upgrades post-race.

2004: Need for Speed: Underground 2 ‘Underground Racing’ and ‘Street League’ were introduced, along with open world environments – and SUVs… 2005: Need for Speed: Most Wanted The Nintendo DS gets its NfS debut, plus ‘Blacklist’ racers were introduced.

2017: Need for Speed Payback Go-go story, as players picked one of three characters with which to pull off movie-styled action sequences – plus, unsurprisingly, offline play returned.

2006: Need for Speed: Carbon The series debut on PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii, this one introduced crews to help your racer out.

2019: Need for Speed: Heat Hit the open streets of a fictionalised Florida, with sanctioned races by day, and not-so-sanctioned ones by night. Earn cash by day and rep by night – but the more of the latter, the more the cops will nip at your heels wanting to turn your pride and joy into a cube. With all this plus 127 cars – including the return of Ferrari – we’re keen to take this one for a spin. Plus, no loot boxes!

2007: Need for Speed: ProStreet Less arcade, more sim, this one went back to closed circuits rather than open road play. 2008: Need for Speed: Undercover The most obvious influence of Fast & Furious yet, as players became an undercover cop infiltrating the street racing world. 2009: Need for Speed: Shift Reboot time! This went back to more of a track- based sim feel, while in-car view returned. 2009: Need for Speed: Nitro The first Nintendo-only – Wii and DS – release for “casual gamers”, this focused on arcade-style play. 2010: Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Burnout geniuses Criterion hopped onboard, bringing back the cops-vs-racers emphasis – and introducing the in-game social media of ‘Autolog’.

2000: Need for Speed: Porsche 2000 Featured purely Porsche, and introduced the first NfS story mode, here involving a factory driver.

The Need for Speed soundtracks started out as pure electronica, but gradually veered off to include other genres. Several Aussies have featured in series releases over the years, including Spiderbait, Sonic Animation, Jerk, Wolfmother, The Presets, Airbourne, Pendulum, Regular John, Last Dinosaurs, Strange Talk, Knife Party, Calling All Cars, J Nitrous, Hook n Sling, Alison Wonderland, Royalston and DZ Deathrays.

2002: Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 The series debut on PS2, Xbox and GameCube, this also introduced rock music from the likes of Bush and Rush.

2003: Need for Speed: Underground Goodbye circuits, hello classic street racing, with appropriate tuner rides, upgrades and ‘Drag’ and ‘Drift’ modes.

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NOVEMBER 2019

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