Racing games come and go, but Need for Speed has managed to stay in the limelight, and for good reasons. With the series that spans decades, it is hard to crown the best Need for Speed game. Sure, Forza Horizon is enjoying its time at the top, but we all know that old arcade racing King is biding its time.

The secret to a great arcade racing game is not set in stone. However, you do need a few components to mix well for an arcade racer for it to become a hit. Need for Speed has reinvented itself time and time again, offered different flavors of arcade racing, and even dabbled in the simulation genre. So what is the best Need for Speed game? With 24 games in the franchise, everyone can pick their own favorite.

Need for Speed games have nostalgia on their side. So, if you love an NFS that everyone else hates, know that I understand (I personally, liked Need for Speed: The Run). However, if racing games aren’t your thing; take a look at our list of the best Anime Games for PC. You’ll find some hidden gems there that are definitely worth a playthrough!

26 Best Need for Speed Games

Platforms: PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Xbox, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS, Gamecube, PC

What’s not to like about Need for Speed: Most Wanted, the game has it all. From reckless cops to great car customization, and from responsive car mechanics to engaging game modes. The game even had Mia telling us to drive safely in real life, only Need for Speed: Carbon had a safety video. Need for Speed: Most Wanted is not just the best NFS game, but it is one of the best video games ever, period.

Even after all this time, the cop chases in Need for Speed: Most Wanted are the best in the series. As you progress through the story, cops deploy advanced tactics to stop your illegal racing. It even has a cop-heat system that increases the longer you keep cops on your tail. The cops would have SUVs ramming into you head-on while helicopters chased you in the sky.

The story was a simple tale of revenge and redemption, it engaged the player right from the start. The rival black list members all had unique personalities and customized cars to match, you actually had a chance to win their ride in Pink Slip races. The graphics were groundbreaking then and surprisingly hold up well today. The soundtrack also added to the overall experience.

Platforms: PlayStation 2, PC, Xbox, PlayStation Portable, GameCube, Nintendo DS, Game Boy Advanced

Need for Speed: Underground 2 offered us the first open-world Need for Speed to play. We got to drive to events and activate them to start racing. Or, if you’re like me, you’d just cruise around the open world, drifting around corners and listening to an awesome soundtrack. If you are a fan of night races, Need for Speed: Underground 2 had atmospheric night time races aplenty. The game also introduced SUVs to the roster. There are around 8 modes to choose from, but Outrun stands out. In Outrun you need a 1000m lead on your rival racer to win.

The only reason the game isn’t number one is the lack of cops and an almost non-existent story. You are taking part in illegal races with no one to stop you, which takes away from the overall experience.

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One

It might be controversial to rank Need for Speed: Rivals this high, but the short game had fun plastered all over it. There were multiple gameplay elements that made Need for Speed: Rivals a thrilling ride, but the inclusion of weapons called “Pursuit Tech” made it stand out. Weapons like electromagnetic pulses, shock rams, spike strips, and stun mines can be used both by the racers and the cops.

The arcade-style racer had over-the-top cop pursuits that often became chaotic. The game improved upon the formula of Hot Pursuit and increased the action. It also introduced an All-Drive system, which uses data collected from players to form racing AI. The game also allowed you to play as a cop taking down racers using shock waves, helicopters, and roadblocks.

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit allows you to play as a racer as well as a cop, with dedicated career modes for both. The game was developed by Criterion, the guys behind the excellent Burnout series (RIP). Criterion were already masters of arcade racing and tight handling, so naturally, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit had both in spade.

The new look and feel of the game surprised many and provided ample entertainment to thrill-seekers. It also holds the record of being the best-reviewed Need for Speed game of all time.

Platforms: PlayStation 2, PC, GameCube, Xbox

This is the game that introduced tuner culture to the need for speed franchise and became a blockbuster. Those were the days when The Fast and the Furious was all in rage, and EA struck when the iron was hot. It was the first game to introduce a storyline to the series and instantly became a hit among fans.

The game has a garage mode that allows players to fully customize their rides. It was also the first game that introduced drifting, the longer you drifted around corners the more points you gained. The feeling of accomplishment when you nailed that perfect corner while drifting was unmatchable. The driving mechanics of the game are responsive and easy to understand. But, they also reward mastery, drifting around a tight corner allows you to accelerate faster and it’s always fun to tailspin your friends off the track.

Platforms: PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3

The Shift series was a shift from arcade handling, pun intended. The game focused on delivering a simulation-like experience to the franchise. There was a cockpit view and a helmet camera, the latter became a staple way to play the game. The helmet would move according to the real-world physics of the car, and it added to the realism. While the game didn’t appeal to the general fans of the arcade-style Need for Speed, it is still considered one of the best NFS games that tried something new. Unfortunately, EA decided that the world of legal racing wasn’t profitable, and we haven’t seen another entry in this spinoff series.

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 2, GameCube, Xbox

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 was released just before Underground, and it’s considered one of the last games before tuner culture took over. The good guys versus the bad guys or cops against criminals was an exciting idea at that time. There were multiple new cop vehicles in the game, including a helicopter. It ran wonderfully on the PlayStation 2, however, the PC port struggled a bit. Won’t be a problem for modern PCs though.

it was an exciting game that allowed you to be reckless on the road. The soundtrack also had plenty of gems in it, One Little Victory by Rush and Ordinary by The Buzzhorn? Yes, please. The cop versus racer gameplay won it the “Console Racing Game of the Year” award at the Interactive Achievement Awards.

Platforms: PlayStation 4, PC, Xbox One

The reboot from 2015 took advantage of the new consoles on the block and offered stunning graphics. I was honestly blown away by how realistic the nighttime racing in the game looked. The driving was also fine-tuned and somewhat realistic compared to other arcade racers, even in the NFS series, but it was the story that took the game back to its roots. Like some older games, the story mode cut scenes were shot using real actors. Unfortunately, the story was half-baked and basically served as a prop to the racing. However, the game allowed you to race famous real-world drivers. The biggest downside was the always-online requirement and as someone with terrible Internet, I had trouble racing other players.

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 2, GameCube, Xbox, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, Macintosh

Need for Speed: Carbon was one of the shortest Need for Speed games, but introduced some unique new ideas to the franchise. One of which was “Canyon Duel”, a race mode where you have to stay close to the pack leader to accumulate points. The game also introduced team racing with a fairly decent teammate AI.

The graphics were impressive, especially the lighting at night (the game featured night time only). The game took advantage of PlayStation 3 and Wii as well as polished textures and detailed car models. One of the biggest shortcomings of Need for Speed: Carbon was the exclusion of cops. While they were there, they weren’t an integral part of the gameplay.

Platforms: PlayStation 3, PC, PlayStation 2, Wii

Need for Speed: Undercover tried something new with the story, but unfortunately it didn’t land well. Fans and critics both disliked the short campaign and voiced their displeasure online. One would think that the game that allowed you to be a cop would be interesting, but that wasn’t the case here.

Gameplay-wise, Need for Speed: Undercover checked all the marks. It had great street racing mechanics, action-oriented police chases, a fairly well-designed open world, and a lot of cars. So if you’re after a good quality racing experience, Need for Speed: Undercover has that covered.

Platform: PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation Vita, iOS, Wii U

Fans of the original Need for Speed: Most Wanted waited a long time for a sequel, and EA decided to reboot the series back from the ashes. The game had all the elements that made the first one a big hit, an open world, a blacklist to climb, and cops to lose. Unfortunately, the story failed to capture the magic of the original. While the original was a mysterious story of redemption, the reboot was corny and sometimes downright tacky.

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Thankfully, the new open world city was fun to drive around. With a healthy selection of cars and with the tight arcade-style handling of the cars, it was a blast to play.

Platforms: PC, PlayStation

The classic from 1997, Need for Speed 2 took the original game and made it better. It only saw release on PlayStation and PC, but it was an instant hit among racing enthusiasts. The knockout mode which automatically knocked out the last racer in each lap added another layer of tension to the races. Pure racing fans were a little disappointed by the decrease in difficulty of the sequel, but that only made the game more accessible for young gamers.

Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

The 24^thgame to release under the Need for Speed banner, Need for Speed Heat managed to gather a decent fan following. Ghost Games made a fun city to explore, with open world challenges to take whenever you like. I especially loved the drift challenges sprinkled across the game. One of the biggest selling points of this game was the aggressive cops. Getting boxed in by 4 Chevrolet Corvettes after getting rammed head on with a heavy SUV really makes you think about your in game life choices.

The day-night mechanic introduced in the game also refreshes the standard Need for Speed formula. During the day, you are doing legal circuit racing with no interference from cops. You earn cash for winning races during the day, which allows you to further purchase cars and upgrades. During the night, however, you’re taking part in illegal races and earning reputation. The greater your reputation, the more parts/cars you’ll unlock. However, if you get busted during the nighttime, you’ll lose all the reputation points plus some cash. The longer you are out at night, the more reputation you’ll earn. This risk-reward gameplay mechanic keeps you going, increasing the heat levels in hopes of getting more reputation.

Platforms: PC, PlayStation

This is where it all started, the OG Need for Speed. The game blasted into the gaming scene and instantly became a fan favorite. It had closed-circuit racing, but EA managed to make it look wonderful (at that time). It was a simple game that allowed you to race against AI racers. Sometimes good controls, simple yet well designed tracks, and serviceable graphics make for a good racing game. There isn’t much on offer in terms of content here, but hey that was 1994, this was the peak racing experience back then.

Platforms: PC, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360

The original Need for Speed: Shift was the hard-core simulation spin-off that didn’t take off too much. I’m not a huge fan of simulation racing, and back in the day lacked the patience to learn physics-based simulation racing. The Need for Speed: Shift did bring great-looking circuits.

There were also more than 60 supercars to play with. You also got to customize the looks of the cars as well as improve performance. Compared to what other juggernauts (Forza Motor Sports on Xbox and Gran Turismo on PlayStation) in the genre offered, Need for Speed: Shift’s offerings felt lackluster. To put things into perspective, Forza Motorsport 3 was released less than a month after Shift had 400 cars from over 50 manufacturers.

Platform: PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, Nintendo 3DS

Not a lot of people liked Need for Speed: The Run, however, it did bring something entirely new to the table. The game focused on the story and presented a linear experience. That’s right, you raced your way across the entire United States, from San Francisco to New York. To make matters worse, you were being chased by the mob as well as the cops. The experience may not offer much to fans of regular racers, but it did bring beautiful locations and some action-packed set pieces. Unfortunately, as fun as it was, it was a short game that lacked any real replayability.

Platforms: PC

This one was only exclusive to PC and mixed classic NFS elements with MMO. The World did have a huge map that connected Palmont from Carbon and Rockport from Most Wanted. It wasn’t the best Need for Speed game, but it certainly captured a sizable audience. There were more than 100 cars for you to obtain and drive in Need for Speed: World. There was also a new customization system that was done using skill points earned during races. EA turned off the servers for the game, so it is completely unplayable these days.

Platforms: PC

If you were craving standard rally racing back in 1997, Need for Speed: V Rally 2 would be your fix. It featured polished gameplay and a variety of modes for you to race in. The best part was the weather system that further provided a sense of being in a rally race. There is also a 4 player mode, if you have extra controllers, you’d be in for a great time with friends. There’s also a surprisingly good track editor, so you can race on the tracks you made.

Platforms: PC, PlayStation

Need for Speed: High Stakes bought exciting modes like Knockout and High Stakes. In Knockout the last racer is knocked out of the race each lap. The game also introduced racing for Pink Slips, a feature that made a big mark later with Need for Speed: Most Wanted. On the PlayStation, you can race against your friend by inserting your own memory card on their console. The loser would also lose their car immediately after a race ended. This “high stakes” gameplay probably ruined a ton of friendships.

Platform: PC, PlayStation 4, XBox One

Need for Speed Payback looked good on paper, it had a ton of different races, a great day-night system, and action-based gameplay. It also had an okay story to boot. However, the game also brought in loot boxes and microtransactions, turning the upgrade system into a joke. You spin a slot machine after winning a race, and that determines what upgrade you get. Of course, you can pay money to spin more and get even more parts for your cars.

There is some fun to be had with good drifting and open world exploration, however, the end game can be brutal in terms of microtransactions. Need for Speed Payback? More like Need for Speed: Paymore.

Platforms: PC, PlayStation

The original Hot Pursuit allowed you to be the cop and the racer. The game introduced split-screen racing on consoles and had serviceable graphics. The game offered tight controls with a decent selection of cars. The formula of cops chasing racers was a unique one and made for some good quality couch console gaming.

If you love escaping from the cops in modern Need for Speed games, you can thank Hot Pursuit for them. The grandfather of slipping away from the cops generated a whole subgenre of arcade racing. Around 8 NFS games after Hot Pursuit featured cops or the ability to play as one.

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360

Need for Speed: ProStreet just wasn’t fun. It was an average simulation-type game, outclassed by other games in the genre by miles. I can respect them for trying something new in the franchise. It’s not easy to move from the usual staples of a franchise and experiment, but the game felt rushed to release. The game needed more baking time in the development oven.

The game introduced realistic damage to cars, which was a good addition for purists. However, if you wanted something Need for Speedy out of it, you were out of luck. The game also featured real-world tracks for you to drive in, a great feature for purists. Sadly, the game didn’t take off, and we never got a sequel that would’ve improved its gameplay.

Platforms: PC, PlayStation

Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed was a dream game for Porsche fans. The game only featured cars from one German manufacturer, starting from the 1950s to 2000. That did limit the scope of the game, but each car was incredibly well designed. The game also allowed you to be a Porsche test driver. The only reason why this isn’t ranked higher is because of the Porsche-only restriction.

Platforms: PC, PlayStation

This isn’t actually a Need for Speed game and instead used the brand in North America to garner a following. While it wasn’t a true NFS, it was still a great rally racing game. A deep driving system with good graphics made it a must-have for rally fans at the time. Physics based handling is not everyone’s cup of tea, but the game had solid mechanics mimicking the feel of driving off-road. The locations were also mapped well, allowing for a deeper sense of realism.

Platforms: Android, iOS

We can’t have lofty expectations from a title exclusive to mobile devices. However, Need for Speed: No Limits manages to be a good-looking game. That sums up everything good about the game. The rest? Well, it had short races, restricted control over the car, limited ways to race, and yes, a ton of microtransactions.

It had decent gyro controls, rotating your phone to turn the car is always fun and it further enhanced the gameplay. It could’ve been amazing, but the limitations of mobile gaming limited the scope of Need for Speed V: No Limits.

If you are into mobile gaming, Genshin Impact is a title you definitely shouldn’t miss. Plus, you’ll be able to play the game with your friends on various other platforms too!

Platforms: Nintendo Wii, DS

Need for Speed: Nitro was only released on the Nintendo platform, and they decided to go with super-arcade style. There wasn’t anything realistic about the game, and it affected the gameplay somewhat negatively. The selection of cars was limited, and the tracks even more so. The story campaign was forgettable, I seriously can’t recall any detail except it was trying to be “super-hip and failing badly”. Nintendo racing fans at least have Mario Kart.

Conclusion:

These were the best Need for Speed games ranked. I know we all have our favorites, I’ve had friends that hated Need for Speed: Most Wanted, we are no longer friends now though. What is your favorite game in the series? Better yet, name your favorite song from the franchise, we would love a good nostalgia trip here.