Yellow car performing a donut in front of a cop car with flashing lights

Image via Electronic Arts

All Need for Speed games in order

Where it all began.

Anish Nair

Published: Sep 25, 2024 05:23 am

Every racing game fan has played games from the Need for Speed series, today’s most well-known racing game franchise. With entries dating back to 1994, here is every Need for Speed game in the order of their release.

All 25 Need for Speed games in order

The Need for Speed

A road with a van and a sports car seen from the perspective of a driver in their car — The first of many. Image via EA

Release date: December 13, 1994
Developer: EA Canada

The game that started it all. The Need for Speed was EA’s offering to the racing games genre, and it immediately found commercial success. The game was praised for its realistic tracks, cars, and commentaries, which was beyond the standards of what games in 1994 could provide.

Need for Speed II

Release date: March 31, 1997
Developer: EA Canada, EA Seattle

Probably the most recognizable racing game of its era, Need for Speed II expanded upon the original’s formula, creating more exciting, high-octane races. The selection of cars increased even further, while the interactive tracks featured shortcuts and alternate routes to get to the finish line faster.

Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit

Yellow sports car racing down the mountain road with the game's UI elements around the screen — Cops join the party. Image via EA

Release date: March 25, 1998
Developer: EA Canada, EA Seattle

Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit was the first game in the series to include an entirely new element to races: police chases. While speeding through tracks, police cars would arrive to arrest racers. This system was unique to the Need for Speed series at the time and became a staple going forward.

Need for Speed: High Stakes

Yellow sports car driving through a mountainous road with the sun setting in the background — The stakes get higher. Image via EA

Release date: March 1, 1999
Developer: EA Canada, EA Seattle

Need for Speed: High Stakes introduced vehicle damage to the series. Car performance was affected by how much damage the vehicle took during the race. High Stakes also upgraded the pursuit system with police calling for backup the longer the race goes and laying out road spike strips to slow down racers.

Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed

Red Porsche racing against a white Porsche and a black Porsche through a forested road — Porsche power. Image via EA

Release date: February 29, 2000
Developer: EA Canada, Eden Studios

Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed showcased the best cars from the Porsche brand, including an interactive story mode that took players on a journey through its history. The collection of Porsche cars and multiple game modes provided several hours of engaging gameplay.

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2

Yellow car being pursued by four cop cars and a helicopter in the background — The cops get stronger. Image via EA

Release date: October 2, 2002
Developer: EA Black Box, EA Seattle

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 was a return to form for the series, following in the footsteps of its predecessor from 1998. With updated graphics and many new supercars, both racer and cop, to choose from, Hot Pursuit 2 gave players the ultimate freedom to race or pursue.

Need for Speed: Underground

Orange car racing away from the track against a blue background — A new chapter begins. Image via EA

Release date: November 17, 2003
Developer: EA Black Box, Pocketeers

Need for Speed: Underground expanded upon the concepts introduced in High Stakes and Hot Pursuit, introducing players to the seedy world of underground street racing. The shift in tone from professional racing to street racing, complete with a new tuning system, turned Underground into an instant classic.

Need for Speed: Underground 2

Green sports car speeding through the streets of the city at night with a Burger King sign in the background — A worthy sequel. Image via EA

Release date: November 15, 2004
Developer: EA Black Box, Pocketeers, Team Fusion

Need for Speed: Underground 2 took everything fans loved about Underground and turned it up even further. With updated graphics, improvements to the tuning system, and a creative campaign, Underground 2 surpassed its predecessor and set a new standard for the NFS series.

Need for Speed: Most Wanted

Release date: November 15, 2005
Developer: EA Black Box, EA Canada, Team Fusion

Need for Speed: Most Wanted was the game that put the NFS series on the map. This iconic game featured a new story mode for its campaign. Players climbed the ranks of the underground racing scene by defeating all 15 members of the Blacklist while evading cops through increasing heat levels.

Need for Speed: Carbon

Green sports car followed by a yellow sports car passing through city hall on the street — Another fan favorite. Image via EA

Release date: October 31, 2006
Developer: EA Black Box, EA Canada, Team Fusion

Need for Speed: Carbon was the first game released for the PlayStation 3, featuring new realistic graphics in the series. The game also featured improved racing physics and a new race mode called “Canyon Duels,” equivalent to boss battles in other games.

Need for Speed: ProStreet

Black sports car getting ready to race on the track with lights in the background — A new visual era begins. Image via EA

Release date: November 14, 2007
Developer: EA Black Box

Need for Speed: ProStreet deviated from the formula that made the series successful, opting for a more simulation-based approach instead of Need for Speed’s classic arcade racing. Toning down the series’ signature high-octane racing in favor of realism caused the eventual downfall of ProStreet.

Need for Speed: Undercover

Red car speeding through the street with a bridge underpass in the background — The start of the decline. Image via EA

Release date: November 18, 2008
Developer: EA Black Box, Firebrand Games, Piranha Games

Need for Speed: Undercover placed players as an undercover cop, flipping the narrative compared to games like Most Wanted. However, despite its gritty storyline and a vast selection of cars, Undercover didn’t fare any better than ProStreet and became one of the least popular NFS games.

Need for Speed: Shift

Black sports car speeding through a racetrack with crowd seats in the background — New ways to drive. Image via EA

Release date: September 15, 2009
Developer: EA Bright Light

Need for Speed: Shift was another entry that leaned more into a simulation-based approach. Unlike ProStreet, however, Shift was well received by players with its improved visuals and smoother racing physics. Shift’s gameplay set a standard for many racing games going forward.

Need for Speed: Nitro

White sports car setting the street on fire racing against a yellow sports car with trees in the background — A platform shift. Image via EA

Release date: November 3, 2009
Developer: EA Montreal

Need for Speed: Nitro was released exclusively for the Nintendo DS and the Nintendo Wii. As such, its visuals and gameplay were significantly more simplistic compared to recent entries in the series like Shift.

Need for Speed: World

Black police car speeding away from the main street with buildings in the background — A different approach. Image via EA

Release date: July 27, 2010
Developer: EA Singapore

Need for Speed: World took a different approach from its predecessors and became the only free-to-play game in the NFS franchise. The game’s massive open-world and MMO-style gameplay were its main selling points, leading World to perform fairly well upon its release.

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (Remastered)

White sports car surrounded on the road by two police cars and a helicopter with trees in the background — A return to form. Image via EA

Release date: November 16, 2010
Developer: Criterion Games

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit was a 2010 remaster of 1998’s critically acclaimed Hot Pursuit. The game featured many familiar elements from the original with an increased focus on pursuits. Hot Pursuit’s robust multiplayer system thrived with the return of arcade-style races from previous entries.

Need for Speed: Shift 2 Unleashed

Three cars racing through the street during the evening with trees in the background — More simulation awaits. Image via EA

Release date: March 29, 2011
Developer: Slightly Mad Studios

Need for Speed: Shift 2 Unleashed improved upon the formula of the original Shift with an increased focus on vehicle depth and tournament races. Shift 2 Unleashed also featured a career mode as part of its main story, which ran through several competitions and culminated in a grand tournament victory.

Need for Speed: The Run

Four cars racing through the icy elevated road with mountains in the background — A unique storyline. Image via EA

Release date: November 15, 2011
Developer: EA Black Box, Firebrand Games

Need for Speed: The Run was a departure from the regular NFS standard, taking the focus away from arcade racing and towards the main story campaign. The campaign showcased a linear story throughout several real-world locations, making The Run a unique experience.

Need for Speed: Most Wanted (Remake)

Yellow sports car being pursued by police cars on the street with buildings in the background — Reviving the classic. Image via EA

Release date: October 30, 2012
Developer: Criterion Games

The remake of NFS: Most Wanted aimed to capture the magic of the original 2005 game. Even though the game was successful, it became abundantly clear that the remake was very different from the original, with less focus on the main story and more on the exploration and racing aspects.

Need for Speed: Rivals

Red sports car speeding alongside a black sports car on the street with trees in the background — Fierce competition. Image via EA

Release date: November 15, 2013
Developer: Ghost Games

Need for Speed: Rivals brought all the chaos of older titles, like Hot Pursuit and Most Wanted, and combined it with modern arcade racing elements. Rivals pits players against fellow racers who fight for their glory and cops who work in teams to bring them down in high-stakes pursuit sequences.

Need for Speed: No Limits

Sports cars driving away from the track with five men showcased against the background sky — Mobile gaming unleashed. Image via EA

Release date: September 30, 2015
Developer: Firemonkeys Studios

Need for Speed: No Limits was a mobile-exclusive game released for the Android and iOS systems. The game featured stunning visuals and smoother gameplay compared to other mobile games of its time.

Need for Speed

A car with "Ghost" on the license plate traveling down the evening road — The series’ revival. Image via EA

Release date: November 3, 2015
Developer: Ghost Games

Need for Speed was released as a reboot of the entire NFS franchise. The next-gen visuals were stunning and the car customization was expansive, however, the game fell short in other aspects like the main storyline and vehicle handling.

Need for Speed Payback

Three cars waiting to drive off into the track on a desert — Revenge is sweet. Image via EA

Release date: November 10, 2017
Developer: Ghost Games

Need for Speed Payback brought back the intense arcade racing of the older NFS games and turned it up to 11 with the revenge mechanic seen in games like Burnout: Revenge. Payback also showcased a strong storyline and even better car customization aspects than its predecessor.

Need for Speed Heat

Yellow car on the streets at night near a parked car next to a hotel — New systems introduced. Image via EA

Release date: November 8, 2019
Developer: Ghost Games

Need for Speed Heat featured several new cars, the most expansive car customizations to date, and a unique day/night cycle. Players would have access to different missions depending on the time of day. As the “Heat” level increased, players would gain better rewards while attracting more cop attention.

Need for Speed Unbound

Three people standing in front of their cars in a parking lot — A new experience. Image via EA

Release date: December 2, 2022
Developer: Criterion Games

Need for Speed Unbound is the final entry of the franchise. The game maintains a perfect blend of realistic cars and comic book-esque characters to create a unique visual presentation. Unbound’s gameplay features remained largely unchanged from Heat, leading to a satisfying racing experience.

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Author

Anish Nair

Freelance gaming writer for Dot Esports. An avid gamer of 25 years with a soft spot for RPGs and strategy games. Esports writer for 2 years and a watcher for 12 years. Aspiring author. Dad to a host of animals. Usually found trying to climb ranks in Dota 2, plundering the seas in Sea of Thieves, hunting large monsters in Monster Hunter World, or mining rare minerals in Deep Rock Galactic.