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The 6 Best And 6 Worst Need For Speed Games
By SAMUEL STONE
Worst: No Limits
Despite features like story mode and car-specific racing challenges, fans were frustrated by microtransactions in "Need for Speed: No Limits" that seemingly gave an unfair advantage to those who paid great sums for upgrades. Though delivering a technically solid transition to mobile gaming, the game fell into the same freemium trap of many of its contemporaries.
Best: Most Wanted
"Need for Speed: Most Wanted" distinctively features open-world gameplay — plus,the Wii U port of the title has three secret vehicles for players to unlock patterned after Mario, Princess Peach, and Yoshi. The Guardian gave "Most Wanted" a perfect score, declaring the 2012 entry "a new standard for arcade-style racing games."
Worst: Speed (2015)
EA’s 2015 reboot, “Need for Speed," was admired for its design of the Los Angeles-inspired city of Ventura Bay, but lambasted for requiring a constant internet connection for full access to its features. Any connectivity issues affected the game's performance, which was scrutinized in Game Informer's review.
Best: Underground
"Need for Speed: Underground" revolved around a single-player career mode, which was a first for the franchise. "Underground" was well-received by fans and critics, selling over 15 million copies worldwide. IGN felt the drift and drag mechanics added a new layer of gameplay depth to the franchise, while fans compared the shift in aesthetics to the "Fast and the Furious" films.
Worst: The Run
EA heavily hyped up the release of “Need for Speed: The Run,” even hiring filmmaker Michael Bay to direct a commercial for the promotional campaign, but ultimately the title fell short. Critics found fault with its frame rate issues and relatively short races, while fans were disappointed in the game’s bare-bones story mode and odd A.I. behavior during races.
