Every Need for Speed game, ranked
All 21 Need for Speed games we hold, spanning 1997 to 2022: 8 ranked by the GamingPickz Score and plotted below, the rest listed in release order so nothing in the series is missing. Together they carry 336,481 Steam reviews.
Where to start
- For the best-reviewed: Need for Speed Heat (GamingPickz Score 7.4), the highest-rated entry we can score.
- For canon order: begin with Need for Speed II (1997) and follow the release-order timeline below.
- For the money: Need for Speed Most Wanted gives the most score per dollar right now.
The Need for Speed games on the grid
Compare the whole catalogueThe same 8 games, plotted rather than listed. The two axes below are the ones the ranking is built from, so a game sitting high and right is a game the formula placed near the top. Change either axis to see the field a different way. Where we hold a publisher wordmark, the game is drawn as its mark rather than a dot.
8 games have both
Axes are fitted to these 8 games rather than the full 0 to 100 scale, because a filtered list shares a narrow band and would otherwise sit in one corner. End values are marked. A point on the left edge is the lowest of thesegames, not a low score.
Players. The share of Steam reviews marked positive, pulled toward the catalogue average in proportion to how few reviews stand behind it. A game with 200 reviews moves a long way toward the average; one with 200,000 barely moves at all. Without this a title sitting at 100 percent on nine reviews outranks Half-Life 2 at 98 percent on 278,000.
Popularity. A blend of two things that are not the same. Audience is how many people wrote a Steam review, which is a floor on how many played it. Reach is how many language editions of Wikipedia document the game, which is cultural footprint rather than sales. A game can score high on one and low on the other: a huge free-to-play title has audience without reach, and a landmark console exclusive has reach without a Steam audience at all. Where both exist they are averaged; where only one does, that one carries it.
- Multi-platform
- PC
Every point links to that game's entry. The value map and the reception map are fixed views of the same data.
How positions are decided
No paid placement, no favouritism, live third-party data
- Placed by the published method, not by us. Every coordinate is computed from the axis definitions and weights printed on this site. Nobody moves a point. See the axes.
- Nothing here is paid for. No sponsored placements, no promoted slots, no arrangement of any kind affects a position. If that ever changes it will be labelled and sit outside the ranking.
- No favouritism, including our own. The 16 games we have written full reviews of are scored by exactly the same formula as the other 1,510, from the same third-party inputs, and they land where it puts them. Our own opinion of a game does not enter its coordinates.
- A position is not an endorsement. It says how a game was received and what it costs, not that we recommend it. Where we do recommend something, it carries a written review with a name on it.
- Fetched from live third-party data. Player sentiment from Steam, critic aggregates as published on store pages, prices checked hourly, attention from Wikipedia. Each figure carries its source and the date it was read, and we do not adjust any of them.
Every game by critic score
The grid above is built from Steam data, so it can only place the Need for Speed games that were on Steam. This one uses the Metacritic critic aggregate, which the older console-only entries have too, so the whole series lands on a single chart: critic score against release year.
On Steam (also has a GamingPickz Score) Console-only (Metacritic only)
8 best Need for Speed games, ranked
Ordered by GamingPickz Score. Every figure links back to the source that produced it.
- 1
Need for Speed Heat
Best for: Playing through with a friend online
7.4GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceNeed for Speed Heat at a glance Released 2019 Studio EA Gothenburg Player sentiment 84% positive of 153,208 Critics 72/100 Price $69.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 50 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 84% shrinks to 84.0 on 153,208 reviews, then blends with the 72 critic aggregate, giving 7.4.
- 2
Need for Speed Payback
Best for: Playing through with a friend online
7.1GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceNeed for Speed Payback at a glance Released 2017 Studio EA Gothenburg Player sentiment 85% positive of 32,277 Critics 62/100 Price $29.99 Steam Deck unsupported Install size 30 GB Accessibility 0 declared features Raw 85% shrinks to 85.0 on 32,277 reviews, then blends with the 62 critic aggregate, giving 7.1.
Worth checking first- Players rate it well above critics, 85 against 62. Usually a sign it improved after launch, or that it delivers something reviewers undervalued.
- Valve rates it Unsupported on the Steam Deck.
Need for Speed Most Wanted at a glance Released 2020 Studio Criterion Games Player sentiment 77% positive of 27,849 Critics 78/100 Price $19.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 20 GB Accessibility 0 declared features Raw 77% shrinks to 77.1 on 27,849 reviews, then blends with the 78 critic aggregate, giving 7.1.
- 4
Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered
Best for: Playing with other people
7.1GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceNeed for Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered at a glance Released 2020 Studio Stellar Entertainment Limited Player sentiment 81% positive of 14,925 Critics 74/100 Price $29.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 45 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 81% shrinks to 81.1 on 14,925 reviews, then blends with the 74 critic aggregate, giving 7.1.
- 5
Need for Speed Rivals
Best for: Playing through with a friend online
6.8GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceNeed for Speed Rivals at a glance Released 2013 Studio EA Gothenburg Player sentiment 76% positive of 10,553 Critics 76/100 Price $19.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 30 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 76% shrinks to 76.3 on 10,553 reviews, then blends with the 76 critic aggregate, giving 6.8.
Need for Speed Undercover at a glance Released 2008 Studio EA Black Box Player sentiment 75% positive of 8,006 Critics 65/100 Price Not listed Steam Deck playable Install size Not stated Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 75% shrinks to 75.4 on 8,006 reviews, then blends with the 65 critic aggregate, giving 6.5.
Need for Speed at a glance Released 2020 Studio Ghost Games Player sentiment 69% positive of 29,486 Critics No aggregate Price $29.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 30 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 69% shrinks to 69.2 on 29,486 reviews, giving 6.4. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
Need for Speed Unbound at a glance Released 2022 Studio Criterion Games Player sentiment 60% positive of 60,177 Critics No aggregate Price $69.99 Steam Deck unsupported Install size 50 GB Accessibility 6 declared features Raw 60% shrinks to 60.2 on 60,177 reviews, giving 5.9. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
Worth checking first- Valve rates it Unsupported on the Steam Deck.
Only the 8 Need for Speed games with Steam review data can be scored and ranked. The complete series, scored or not, is charted in order below.
Best and worst entry
The best-received Need for Speed game we can score is Need for Speed Heat at 7.4. The lowest is Need for Speed Unbound at 5.9, a 1.5-point spread across the series. The GamingPickz Score is a composite of player sentiment, critics and popularity, computed the same way for every game.
How the series scored over time
GamingPickz Score against release year, 2008 to 2022. The later entries score lower than the earlier ones: the series has been trending down.
Cheapest way in, and best value
- Cheapest right now: Need for Speed Rivals at $19.99. Prices are read live from Steam and move.
- Best value: Need for Speed Most Wanted, the most GamingPickz Score per dollar in the series at its current price.
On a Steam Deck
Valve's own Deck compatibility rating for the Need for Speed entries on Steam:
- Playable: Need for Speed Undercover, Need for Speed Rivals, Need for Speed Heat, Need for Speed, Need for Speed Most Wanted, Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered
- Unsupported: Need for Speed Payback, Need for Speed Unbound
Platforms across the series
Where the 21 Need for Speed games have landed, counting every entry we hold:
| Platform family | Entries |
|---|---|
| PC | 18 of 21 |
| PlayStation | 14 of 21 |
| Xbox | 10 of 21 |
| Nintendo | 7 of 21 |
| Mobile | 2 of 21 |
The Need for Speed series, game by game
Every Need for Speed game we hold, in release order. Each description is the game's own, from Steam where it has a listing and Wikipedia for the older entries, never ours.
- 1997
Need for Speed II
Metacritic 71Need for Speed II is a 1997 racing video game released for PlayStation and Microsoft Windows. It is the second installment in the Need for Speed series, a sequel Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit was released in 1998. (Wikipedia)
Reception
Reception Need for Speed II was met with mixed reviews. Aggregating review websites GameRankings and Metacritic gave the PlayStation version 71. 39% and 71/100 and the PC version 68. (Wikipedia)
- 1998
Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit
Metacritic 88Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit is a 1998 racing video game developed for PlayStation by EA Canada and Microsoft Windows by EA Seattle, and published by Electronic Arts. It is the third major installment in the Need for Speed franchise, incorporating police pursuits as a major part of gameplay. Hot Pursuit remains… (Wikipedia)
Reception
Reception The PlayStation version of Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit received "favorable" reviews, just two points shy of "universal acclaim", according to the review aggregation website Metacritic . Next Generation called it "an excellent racer for both novice and expert enthusiasts. Hopefully EA will continue to improve the engine so that NFSIV offers a great two-player experience as well. (Wikipedia)
- 1999
Need for Speed: High Stakes
Metacritic 86Need for Speed: High Stakes, released as Need for Speed: Road Challenge in Europe, is a 1999 racing video game developed by EA Canada and EA Seattle and published by Electronic Arts for the PlayStation and Microsoft Windows. It is the fourth game in the Need for Speed series and a follow-up to Need for Speed III: Hot… (Wikipedia)
Reception
Reception High Stakes received "generally favorable reviews" from critics, according to the review aggregator website Metacritic . Next Generation stated that, while the game is fundamentally similar to its predecessor, it adds enough new features and gameplay modes to attract Need for Speed fans and newcomers. Similarly, IGN remarked that High Stakes refines the series' formula while introducing realistic elements, calling it "a well-rounded package. (Wikipedia)
- 2000
Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed
Metacritic 62Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed is a 2000 racing video game published by Electronic Arts for PlayStation and Microsoft Windows. It is the fifth installment in the Need for Speed series. Unlike other NFS titles, Porsche Unleashed centers on racing Porsche sports cars, with models ranging from years 1950 to 2000. (Wikipedia)
Reception
Reception The PlayStation version received "generally favorable reviews", while the Game Boy Advance version received "mixed" reviews, according to the review aggregation website Metacritic . Doug Trueman of NextGen gave a lukewarm review of the PC version. In the UK, Official UK PlayStation Magazine gave the PS version eight out of ten and liked its structure, but said that many of the 70 cars were indistinguishable, and criticised the lifespan. (Wikipedia)
- 2002
Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2
Metacritic 68Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 is a 2002 racing video game, the sixth installment in the Need for Speed series following Porsche Unleashed (2000) and the direct sequel to Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit (1998). It was developed by EA Black Box for the PlayStation 2, and a distinctly different version by EA Seattle for… (Wikipedia)
Reception
Reception Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 received "generally favorable" reviews on the PlayStation 2 and Xbox, while the Windows and GameCube versions received "mixed or average" reviews, according to review aggregator website Metacritic . In 2003 , the Academy of Interactive Arts Sciences awarded Hot Pursuit 2 with " Console Racing Game of the Year ". It was a runner-up for GameSpot s annual "Best Driving Game on GameCube" award, which went to NASCAR:… (Wikipedia)
- 2003
Need for Speed: Underground
Metacritic 77Need for Speed: Underground is a 2003 racing video game and the seventh installment in the Need for Speed series following Hot Pursuit 2 (2002). It was developed by EA Black Box and published by Electronic Arts. Three different versions of the game were produced: one for consoles and Microsoft Windows, and another for… (Wikipedia)
Plot
The game begins with a circuit race set in Olympic City , with the player driving a white Honda/Acura Integra Type R that sports a unique set of vinyl and a wide body kit . They dominantly win the race; only to be awakened from a daydream by a woman named Samantha. Samantha is the player's contact in Olympic City, touring them across the import culture scene and illegal street racing therein. (Wikipedia)
Reception
Reception Need for Speed: Underground received positive reviews according to review aggregators GameRankings and Metacritic . Both gave it a score of 84. 29% and 85 out of 100 for the PlayStation 2 version, 83. (Wikipedia)
- 2004
Need for Speed: Underground 2
Metacritic 65Need for Speed: Underground 2 is a 2004 racing video game developed by EA Black Box and published by Electronic Arts. It is the eighth installment in the Need for Speed series and the direct sequel to Need for Speed: Underground. It was developed for Windows, GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox. Game Boy Advance and… (Wikipedia)
Plot
The story takes place after the initial events of Underground , shortly after the player beats Eddie and his street racing gang The Eastsiders in Olympic City, along with Melissa. Revered as the best street racer in Olympic City, the player wins a race while driving a blue Nissan Skyline GT-R and promptly receives a call from an unidentified individual with an "invitation" to join his team, followed by a threat explicitly disclaiming that he is not… (Wikipedia)
Reception
Reception Need for Speed: Underground 2 received positive reviews. GameRankings and Metacritic gave it a score of 86% for the Mobile version; 83. 50% and 82 out of 100 for the PC version, 82. (Wikipedia)
- 2006
Need for Speed: Carbon
Metacritic 78Need for Speed: Carbon is a 2006 racing video game and the tenth installment in the Need for Speed series. Developed by EA Black Box, Rovio Mobile and published by Electronic Arts, it was released on October 31, 2006, for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, Xbox 360, GameCube, Windows, and Mac OS X, on November 17, 2006 as a… (Wikipedia)
Plot
Setting Carbon takes place within the fictional city of Palmont, which encompasses four boroughs linked by a highway system; Kempton, which houses the city's industrial complexes; Downtown, which houses the city's metropolitan and financial buildings; Fortuna, which houses the city's residential area; and Silverton, which houses the city's casino resort facilities. The city is also surrounded by three canyons known as East, West, and Carbon, which feature… (Wikipedia)
Reception
Reception Need for Speed: Carbon was met with generally positive reviews. IGN gave the PC version an 8. 2 out of ten and the PlayStation 3 version a 7. (Wikipedia)
- 2007
Need for Speed: ProStreet
Metacritic 73Need for Speed: ProStreet is a 2007 racing video game developed by EA Black Box and published by Electronic Arts. It is the eleventh installment in the Need for Speed series and a follow-up to Need for Speed: Carbon (2006). Unlike its immediate predecessors, which focused on the contemporary illegal street racing… (Wikipedia)
Reception
Reception ProStreet received mixed reviews from critics according to review aggregator Metacritic . GameSpot described ProStreet as a solid racing game, but remarked that it misses most of the features that made its predecessors interesting. IGN agreed, stating that the game lacks extra features outside of the races themselves, especially when compared to the open world aspect and police chases of previous Need for Speed games. (Wikipedia)
- 2008
You never thought it would turn out like this. An all-out chase where you're the hunted. And the hunter. Now you must get behind the wheel and risk everything to infiltrate a ruthless international crime syndicate and take them down. (Steam)
Plot
Maggie Q portrayed the character of Chase Linh, the game's main antagonist towards the end of the story. Setting The game's story and events take place in the fictional region of the Tri-City Bay, mainly during the daytime between sunrise and sunset. The region consists of four boroughs - Palm Harbor, a downtown city district; Port Crescent, an industrial port that also houses a naval base; Gold Coast Mountains, a mountainous region of observatories and… (Wikipedia)
Reception
Reception Reception of Undercover was mixed. There were complaints about the game's easy difficulty, repetitiveness, and poor texture maintenance. The IGN review went as far as recommending the game's rivals such as Rockstar Games ' Midnight Club: Los Angeles and EA's own Burnout Paradise . (Wikipedia)
- 2009
Need for Speed: Shift
Metacritic 83Need for Speed: Shift is a 2009 racing video game developed by Slightly Mad Studios and published by Electronic Arts for PlayStation 3, Windows, and Xbox 360. A separate version of the game was developed by EA Bright Light and simultaneously released for PlayStation Portable. Two mobile adaptations were developed by… (Wikipedia)
Reception
Reception The console versions of Need for Speed: Shift received "generally favorable" reviews, while the PlayStation Portable version received "mixed or average" reviews, according to review aggregator website Metacritic . IGN awarded it an Editor's Choice award and scored it a 9/10, citing among other things the exceptional quality of its driving experience and sound design. Official Xbox Magazine awarded Shift with a 9/10, praising its driver's view… (Wikipedia)
- 2009
Need for Speed: Nitro
Metacritic 70Need for Speed: Nitro is a 2009 racing video game and the fourteenth title in the Need for Speed series. It was published by Electronic Arts for the Nintendo Wii and DS platforms. The Wii version was developed by EA Montreal, who have previous experience with Nintendo consoles, while the DS version was developed… (Wikipedia)
Characters
There are 35 opponents with names in the Wii version of the game, although five of them are " leaders ", one for each city, and receive cinematic treatment in the form of a quick intro full motion video when the player first accesses a city in each cup. The street racing leader of Rio de Janeiro is Thiago. He drives a Volkswagen Type 2, 1969 Dodge Charger R/T and a 2009 Dodge Challenger SRT8. (Wikipedia)
Reception
Reception Need for Speed: Nitro received mixed reviews from critics. Mark Bozon from IGN stated that " Nitro is a blast despite its faults". Although 1Up. (Wikipedia)
- 2011
Need for Speed: The Run
Metacritic 69Need for Speed: The Run is a 2011 racing video game developed by EA Black Box and published by Electronic Arts. It is the eighteenth installment in the Need for Speed series and is Black Box's final entry in the series before the studio's closure in April 2013. Following an extensive marketing campaign, the game was… (Wikipedia)
Plot
Black Box version Jack Rourke ( Sean Faris ), an experienced street racer, finds himself in serious trouble with the Mob due to a massive debt with them. After narrowly escaping being crushed within his car at a scrapyard in Oakland , due to his failure to repay what he owes, Rourke evades his captors by stealing one of their cars. Heading to San Francisco, he makes contact with his friend Sam Harper ( Christina Hendricks ), a fixer who arranges his… (Wikipedia)
Reception
Reception Need for Speed: The Run was met with mixed reviews. Aggregating review website Metacritic gave the PlayStation 3 and Wii versions 64/100, the Xbox 360 version 68/100, the Nintendo 3DS version 65/100, and the PC version 69/100. The first review was published by Game Informer , which gave the game 7. (Wikipedia)
- 2013
Erase the line between single player and multiplayer in this street-racing rivalry between Cops and Racers. Seamlessly join a world where your friends are already racing and chasing (Steam)
Plot
The player can choose to play as either a racer or a cop. In the Racer story, the player assumes the role of a street racer known as Zephyr. In the Cop story, the player takes on the role of an unnamed, newly initiated police officer. (Wikipedia)
Reception
Reception Need for Speed Rivals was well received by critics at E3 2013 and was awarded with "Best Racing Game" from Game Critics Awards . Previewers who had access to Rivals called the game a spiritual successor to 1999's Need for Speed: High Stakes , citing similar gameplay style. Others called it an improved version of Criterion's Hot Pursuit , citing similar gameplay mechanics. (Wikipedia)
- 2015
Need for Speed: No Limits
Metacritic 67Need for Speed: No Limits is a 2015 free-to-play racing game for iOS and Android, and a mobile installment in the Need for Speed video game series, developed by Codemasters and published by Electronic Arts. It is the twenty-first installment in the franchise, the franchise's second free-to-play title, as well as the… (Wikipedia)
Reception
Reception Need for Speed: No Limits received mixed reviews. Critics praised the game's visuals, controls, and gameplay, but criticized its aggressive free-to-play system and short races. Review aggregator website Metacritic gave the game 67/100 based on 8 reviews. (Wikipedia)
- 2017
Set in the underworld of Fortune Valley, you and your crew were divided by betrayal and reunited by revenge to take down The House, a nefarious cartel that rules the city’s casinos, criminals and cops. In this corrupt gambler’s paradise, the stakes are high and The House always wins. (Steam)
Plot
Tyler "Ty" Morgan ( Jack Derges ), Sean "Mac" McAlister ( David Ajala ), Jessica "Jess" Miller ( Jessica Madsen ) and mechanic Ravindra "Rav" Chaudhry ( Ramon Tikaram ) are part of a crew in Silver Rock, Fortune Valley. Fixer Lina Navarro ( Dominique Tipper ) tasks them with stealing a precious Koenigsegg Regera belonging to Marcus "The Gambler" Weir. However, as Tyler arrives at the drop point, he finds Rav knocked out. (Wikipedia)
Reception
Reception Need for Speed Payback received "mixed or average" reviews from critics, according to review aggregator website Metacritic . Luke Reilly of IGN praised Electronic Arts for repairing the problems of the game's predecessor, Need for Speed , but criticized its "scripted" story, lack of police chases during free roam, scripted police chases, loot box -like mechanisms during customization, poor car handling, unrealistic car damage and several other… (Wikipedia)
- 2019
Hustle by day and risk it all at night in Need for Speed™ Heat Deluxe Edition, a white-knuckle street racer, where the lines of the law fade as the sun starts to set. (Steam)
Plot
The player (male player voiced by Andrew Lawrence , female player voiced by Jamie Gray Hyder ) arrives in Palm City for the SpeedHunters Showdown, a citywide exhibition that draws in racers who compete in sanctioned races throughout the day, and illegal street races at night. Lt. Frank Mercer (Josh Coxx), leader of the police's High-Speed Task Force, announces his intent to arrest all street racers in the city. (Wikipedia)
Reception
Reception Need for Speed Heat received generally positive reviews, according to review aggregator website Metacritic . Critics welcomed the overhauled progression system (compared to the predecessor Payback where one of the methods to gain upgrades for a car was to purchase loot boxes ) and the option to choose between day and night for increased race variety, but criticized the short story and lack of innovation compared to previous titles. Luke Reily… (Wikipedia)
- 2020
Ready to own the streets? Get behind the wheel of iconic cars and floor it through Ventura Bay, a sprawling urban playground. Explore overlapping stories as you build your reputation – and your dream car – and become the ultimate racing icon. (Steam)
- 2020
The open-world action in Need for Speed Most Wanted gives you the freedom to drive your way. Hit jumps and shortcuts, switch cars, lie low or head for terrain that plays to your vehicle’s unique strengths. Fight your way past cops and rivals using skill, high-end car tech and tons of nitrous. (Steam)
- 2020
Feel the thrill of the chase and the rush of escape behind the wheels of the world’s hottest high-performance cars in Need for Speed™ Hot Pursuit Remastered– a heart-pumping, socially competitive racing experience. (Steam)
Reception
Pre-release Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit was well received by critics at E3 2010 and was awarded with "Best Racing Game" from Game Critics Awards as well as several other media outlets. Other games in the category included Forza Motorsport 4 , Gran Turismo 5 , Test Drive Unlimited 2 and MotorStorm: Apocalypse . IGN stated that it had "an inspired level of connectivity", while 1UP. (Wikipedia)
- 2022
Race to the top, definitely don’t flop. Outsmart the cops, and enter weekly qualifiers for The Grand: the ultimate street race. Pack your garage with precision-tuned, custom rides, and light up the streets with your style. (Steam)
Plot
In Lakeshore City, the player (female player voiced by Elizabeth Grullon, male player voiced by Ian Nelson ) and their friend and partner Jasmine/Yaz (portrayed by Ashleigh LaThrop) refurbish an old junker car in their mechanic shop owned by their mentor Rydell (Dwayne Barnes). After winning a couple of street races, Yaz has a disagreement with Rydell over a car and grows tired of being stuck in the same job daily, and wishes to do something better. She… (Wikipedia)
Reception
Reception Need for Speed Unbound received "generally favorable" reviews from critics for the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions, while the PC version received "mixed or average" reviews, according to review aggregator website Metacritic . During the 26th Annual D. I. (Wikipedia)
Need for Speed, head to head
Two entries side by side on score, price, specs and reception:
Need for Speed vs other series
How Need for Speed stacks up against other series in the same genre, as a whole:
Also: Need for Speed vs Age of History, Need for Speed vs America's Army, Need for Speed vs Burnout Paradise, Need for Speed vs eFootball PES, Need for Speed vs Euro Truck Simulator, Need for Speed vs Forza Horizon, Need for Speed vs Heaven Island, Need for Speed vs Jurassic World Evolution, Need for Speed vs Project CARS, Need for Speed vs RAGE, Need for Speed vs Slime Rancher, Need for Speed vs Sniper, Need for Speed vs Stronghold, Need for Speed vs Transport Fever, Need for Speed vs Universe Sandbox
Common questions
How many Need for Speed games are there?
We hold 21 Need for Speed games in the catalogue, released between 1997 and 2022. 8 of them carry enough Steam data to rank; the rest are listed in release order below, including console-only entries with no Steam listing.
Which Need for Speed game is best?
By the GamingPickz Score, Need for Speed Heat rates highest at 7.4. That is a composite of player sentiment, the critic aggregate and popularity, computed the same way for every game, not our opinion. The full ranking is above.
What order should I play the Need for Speed games in?
Release order is listed below, from 1997 to 2022. For most series that is also story order, but we list dates rather than telling you a canon; the timeline is read from Wikidata.
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