5 Best Need for Speed games

Ever played Need for Speed ?

You know you're hyped to read this. 

With the new Need for Speed arriving next week for Xbox One and PlayStation 4, a list of the best NFS games was long overdue.

NFS games have enjoyed over a decade of limelight and the family now has many members, some good and some better. The series' first game, The Need for Speed, was released in 1994. Since then, 21 more games have been released.

Story and gameplay both are given equal weight for this list. So without further ado, here's the 5 best Need for Speed games so far.

5. Need for Speed The Run

EA Black Box, 2011

Starting this list, The Run undoubtedly ranks high among its siblings. It had a good supporting backstory and great visuals. And also provided players with loads of cars to choose from.

This was the first NFS game ever to allow players to exit a car and travel on foot. That, plus the life-like police maneuvers and a wide selection of cars has earned The Run fifth position on this list.

1. 4.Need for Speed Hot Pursuit

Criterion Games, 2010

Anyone who has ever played Hot Pursuit will agree, this game had to be here. This is partially because it was the first NFS game to have received the  'Best Racing Game' award at E3.

Hot Pursuit allowed you to play as a police officer or a racer. It had over 60 cars, most of which were available to both racers and cops.The game had a nice background story to complement the well designed gameplay, giving this game a position on this list.

3. Need for Speed Carbon

EA Black Box, 2006

Continuing the story of Most Wanted, Carbon brought night-time-only racing back to NFS. The cars were all similar to those in Most Wanted, but little emphasis was given to police this time.

Carbon also saw the return of drift races to Need For Speed while drag races were removed. The concept of forming a crew was attractive and appreciated by fans. The game had good graphics and nice visuals while gameplay was smooth and gave players a real racing experience.

2. Need for Speed Underground 2

Electronic Arts, 2004

Upon its release in 2003, NFS Underground enjoyed wide appreciation from fans. The sequel, however, was celebrated even more. It had loads of customization options available for the players' cars, focusing on looks and performance simultaneously.

The game introduced new racing modes such as Underground Racing League and Street X, more tuning options, and even a new method of selecting races. It also featured a mode named "Outrun" that made it more realistic.

It is one of the few games which can be played over and over again. Even today, the visuals are still appealing and the story is strong.

And now for the number one....

Drumroll please......

1. 1. Need for Speed Most Wanted

EA Black Box, 2005

You knew it didn't you? Right from the point you saw this post you knew Most Wanted was the number one, it had to be. I agree, the game is so far the best Need for Speed game available. 

It featured great graphics, a brilliant and captivating story, and unforgettable police chases. The task of defeating the blacklist was a hefty but rewarding job. 

Though the number of cars was not that high, the story was strong enough to keep you from noticing. The game can be played over and over again and it just keeps getting better.

NFS MW was also the first game in the series to be released for Xbox 360. It is truly a work of art.

So, this was my list of best Need for Speed games. The upcoming NFS holds a lot of promise. However, it's doubtful that it may be better than Most Wanted. Only time will tell.

Do not agree with this list? What are your favorite NFS games? Be sure to comment below.