ActionRacingSports

Celebrating 30 Years of Need for Speed

Just like yesterday, August 31, but 30 years ago, the world witnessed the birth of one of the most iconic sagas for arcade driving enthusiasts with the release of The Need for Speed, the original installment of Need for Speed. Since then, the series has continuously released one game after another to this day, now totaling more than twenty titles, with Need for Speed Unbound being the most recent.

Although the series has been somewhat underwhelming lately with the latest installments not quite hitting the mark, it managed to remain a major benchmark in the genre during its first two decades thanks to quality and spectacular productions that captivated the audience.

The Beginning of a Legend

The first game was originally released in 1994 for 3DO, although it later also made it to MS-DOS, Windows, PlayStation, and Saturn. This installment already featured some of the characteristics that would define the saga’s experience, such as illegal high-speed races on traffic-packed roads or the traditional police chases that have given us so many great moments over the years. As you can imagine, it was a commercial success and became a very influential production that inspired many titles from that era, which ensured its continuity to this day.

Source: GameStellar Official YouTube Channel

We’re talking about more than 20 games, including genre classics: over these 30 years, the series has experimented with all kinds of ideas and has tried to reinvent itself several times, as shown by those installments that dared to include open worlds. Among its most celebrated and beloved games are acclaimed works like the legendary Need for Speed: Most Wanted from 2005 (the best-selling installment of the series to date and the one that has had the most impact on players) and its 2012 reboot, both Need for Speed: Underground, 1 & 2, Need for Speed III, or Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit.

Source: EnciclopediaLusa Official YouTube Channel

The saga’s success even led to a film adaptation for the big screen in 2014 starring Aaron Paul and Dominic Cooper, which was panned by critics and disappointed at the box office.

Unfortunately, the latest attempts by EA to restore the series’ luster have not been very well received by its fan community: titles such as Need for Speed (2015), Need for Speed Unbound, Need for Speed Payback, and Need for Speed Heat have fallen short of expectations.

However, regardless of all this, it is undeniable that Need for Speed has set the foundation for many of the games we enjoy today, whether of higher or lower quality; it’s common for us to make inevitable comparisons: “It’s like NFS but with a twist…” or “It’s as if it were NFS but with less intensity…” Whether good or bad, we take the legendary title of the series as an inescapable reference, because, let’s be honest, who hasn’t enjoyed 3 or more titles from this saga at some point in their life? You can’t raise your hand, and obviously, neither can I 😉

Need for Speed has made history, and sure, it may have lost its way at some point, but hey, who hasn’t lost their way at some time trying to find themselves again? Haha, I got a bit philosophical, so I better say goodbye, inviting you to drop by the comments to leave us your opinion on this tremendous news, or, if you prefer, your favorite moments or titles from this massive driving saga! You know, gamer, we’ll be reading you! 🙂

What? Don’t remember all the titles of the saga? Don’t worry, just read below:

  • The Need for Speed (1994) – 3DO, Sega Saturn, PlayStation, PC
  • Need for Speed II (1997) – PlayStation, PC
  • Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit (1998) – PlayStation, PC
  • Need for Speed: High Stakes/Road Challenge (1999) – PlayStation, PC
  • Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed (2000) – PlayStation, PC, Game Boy Advance
  • Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 (2002) – PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, PC
  • Need for Speed: Underground (2003) – PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, PC, Game Boy Advance
  • Need for Speed: Underground 2 (2004) – PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, PC, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS
  • Need for Speed: Most Wanted (2005) – PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, PC, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Xbox 360
  • Need for Speed: Carbon (2006) – PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox, Xbox 360, GameCube, Wii, PC, Mac, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, PSP
  • Need for Speed: ProStreet (2007) – PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, PC, Nintendo DS, PSP
  • Need for Speed: Undercover (2008) – PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, PC, Nintendo DS, PSP
  • Need for Speed: Shift (2009) – PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, PSP
  • Need for Speed: Nitro (2009) – Wii, Nintendo DS
  • Need for Speed: World (2010) – PC
  • Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (2010) – PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, Wii
  • Need for Speed: The Run (2011) – PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, Wii, Nintendo 3DS
  • Need for Speed: Most Wanted (2012) – PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, Wii U, PS Vita, iOS, Android
  • Need for Speed: Rivals (2013) – PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC
  • Need for Speed (2015) – PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
  • Need for Speed: Payback (2017) – PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
  • Need for Speed: Edge (2017) – PC
  • Need for Speed: Heat (2019) – PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
  • Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered (2020) – PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch
  • Need for Speed Unbound (2022) – PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC

Info & Images Source: GameStellar Official YouTube Channel, EnciclopediaLusa Official YouTube Channel, VANDAL

Ange77us

🔹 Full time father 🔹 Sometimes writer 🔹 Always GAMER 🔹

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