20 years of Need for Speed: Most Wanted. Looking back at one of the most successful racing games of all time

The Need for Speed ​​series has had both undeniable hits and resounding failures. But when it comes to the best installments, many remember the first Most Wanted, which turned 20 on November 15th. To celebrate, we decided to look back at what made it so great and whether it's worth playing today.

The very first game in the Need for Speed ​​series, Need for Speed, was released in 1994. It emphasized a realistic handling model, a luxurious fleet of Lamborghinis and Ferraris, and police racing. This concept was further developed in subsequent installments. High Stakes introduced full-fledged tuning, and Porsche Unleashed was entirely dedicated to the German brand's cars. Fans generally consider the threequel, subtitled Hot Pursuit, to be the best classic Need for Speed.

The first installments of the series enjoyed great success, but interest gradually began to wane. In 2003, the decision was made to focus on street racing. Need for Speed ​​Underground offered players night tracks, budget compact cars as vehicles, and advanced car customization options for the time. The result was immediate — 15 million copies sold, five times more than Hot Pursuit 2, which was released a year earlier. Need for Speed ​​Underground 2 skillfully built on the strengths of the original and also proved a hit.

However, we never saw a third installment. Instead, the developers at EA Black Box replaced night races with daytime ones, bringing back expensive cars and races against the police, which were absent from the Underground duology. Deviating from a successful formula often leads to commercial failure. But not this time.

Racing games rarely have a fully developed plot. However, Need for Speed: Most Wanted featured racer rivalries, set-ups, unexpected allies, and ubiquitous cops who fight street racing as a phenomenon. The plot isn't particularly outstanding, but it's pleasantly surprising in its presentation — instead of the comics from Underground 2, we were treated to live-action footage. One of the main roles is played by top model Josie Maran, who was remembered by audiences as the vampire Mariska from Van Helsing.

At the very beginning of the single-player mode, we lose our souped-up BMW M3 GTR, after which we're forced to drive cheap cars and seek recognition among the local racers. The ultimate goal is to reach the main villain, known as Razor, retrieve our car, and escape the city, where street racers no longer have a place.

The racing modes in Most Wanted are little different from those seen in the Underground duology. They include short sprints, laps, maximum speed checkpoints, and drag racing. Drifting, unfortunately, has been removed. However, you may encounter the police during competitions. And they really are a game-changer.

Confrontations with law enforcement aren't limited to encounters during races. To advance, you'll need to wage a real war with the cops. Challenges include pursuit time, the number of damaged cars, and much more. You can destroy police cars not only by hitting their bodies, but also by collapsing fragile objects, like a huge donut-shaped sculpture. To stop the pursuit, you need to break away and hide in a secure location.

But the cops won't let you get away that easily. They squeeze the protagonist's car into a box, lift helicopters into the air, and throw spikes that can instantly puncture your tires. As the game progresses, the confrontation with the police becomes increasingly difficult, and the final race proves a true test even for fans of the genre.

In addition to regular street racers, the game features unique bosses. After several victories in regular competitions and earning a certain number of points for confrontations with the police, you can challenge a particularly talented racer. Defeating them unlocks new competitions and earns tokens, including access to unique parts and the ability to steal your opponent's car.

Tuning is present in the game, but its capabilities are significantly limited compared to Underground 2. Gone are neon highlights and fine-tuning of individual body parts, as well as paint jobs for individual elements, such as exhaust pipes. However, the remaining features should be enough to customize the car's appearance to your liking.

Most Wanted sold 17 million copies, making it the most successful game in the entire series. The story of this racing game was continued in Need for Speed ​​Carbon, where the protagonist finds himself in a new city called Palmont. The game brought back some elements of Underground, such as night tracks and drift competitions, expanded tuning, and introduced a number of new features — most notably, canyon racing with the ability to fly off into the abyss and allies who assist during races. True, the game sold worse than its predecessors.

In 2012, another racing game was released, called Need for Speed: Most Wanted. However, it turned out to be completely different. In terms of gameplay, it's similar to Burnout Paradise, only much worse.

Racing games are released much less frequently now than they were 10-15 years ago. Typically, we're offered either a focus on maximum realism, like in Gran Turismo 7, or simpler arcade races, like in Forza Horizon 5. That's why 2005's Most Wanted remains unique. If you love racing games but for some reason missed this installment in the Need for Speed ​​series, it's worth catching up. You can also improve the slightly outdated graphics with user-made modifications.

Have you played Need for Speed: Most Wanted? Or do you prefer the Underground duology? Share your thoughts in the comments!