Latest NFS News

EA has released the full carlist and tracklist for Need For Speed: Shift.

There are 67 cars and 18 tracks. The BMW M3 GT2 will be gracing the cover this year.

Cars:
2006 Aston Martin DBR9
2009 Audi R8 LMS
2008 Audi R8
2008 Audi RS 4
2007 Audi S3
2007 Audi TT 3.2 quattro
2006 Audi S4
BMW M3 E36
BMW M3 E46
BMW M3 E92
2008 BMW 135i Coupé
2009 BMW M3 GT2
2007 BMW Z4 M Coupé
2008 Bugatti Veyron 16.4
2006 Dodge Challenger Concept
2008 Dodge Viper SRT10
Falken Tire 2010 Ford Mustang GT
2010 Ford Shelby GT500
2007 Ford Focus ST
2006 Ford GT
2006 Need For Speed Shelby Terlingua
1996 Ford Escort RS Cosworth
2009 Chevrolet Camaro SS
2006 Chevrolet Cobalt SS
2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06
2006 Honda Civic Si
2000 Honda S2000
2006 Koenigsegg CCX
2008 Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4
2007 Lamborghini Murciélago LP640
2007 Lamborghini Reventón
2006 Lotus Elise 111R
2007 Lotus Exige S
2005 Maserati MC12 GT1
2008 Mazda MX-5
2006 Mazda RX-8
1995 Mazda RX-7
1994 McLaren F1
2007 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722 Edition
2007 Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG
2008 Mitsubishi Lancer EVOLUTION
2006 Mitsubishi Lancer EVOLUTION IX MR-edition
2003 Infiniti G35 (V35)
1997 Nissan 200SX (S14)
2009 Nissan 370Z (Z34)
2006 Nissan 350Z (Z33)
2009 Nissan GT-R SpecV (R35)
2008 Nissan GT-R (R35)
2000 Nissan Silvia (S15) spec.R AERO
1999 Nissan Skyline GT-R (R34)
1972 Nissan Skyline 2000GT-R
1992 Nissan 240SX (S13)
2006 Pagani Zonda F
2010 Pagani Zonda R
2008 Porsche 911 GT2
2009 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
2006 Porsche 911 GT3 RS
2004 Porsche Carrera GT
2007 Porsche Cayman S
2008 Renault Mégane RS
2007 SEAT Leon CUPRA
2006 Subaru Impreza WRX STi
2007 Lexus LF-A Concept
2008 SCION tC
1986 Toyota Corolla GTS (A86)
2008 Volkswagen Scirocco
2006 Volkswagen Golf GTI

Tracks:
Alpental
Autopolis International Racing Course
Ambush Canyon
Brands Hatch
Dakota
Ebisu Circuit
Glendale
Hazyview
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
London
Miytomi
Nordschleife
Road America
Rustle Creek
Silverstone
Circuit de Spa Francorchamps
Tokyo
Willow Springs

Added 5 more NFS Shift screenshots to the site (and also got the Shift section up and running).

What are your thoughts? Do you like the look of Shift so far?

We have received more screenshots revealing two more cars for Need For Speed: Shift

Nissan Skyline 2000 GT-R aka the "Original GT-R"

We just got hold of some new images from Need for Speed SHIFT and couldn't wait to put them on the site. With some new tracks and new cars revealed these are some of the most interesting screens released so far. In the first shot (above) you can see potentially the oldest car in the game the Nissan Skyline 2000 GT-R aka the "Original GT-R".

As you can see from the photo of the real thing and the screen capture from SHIFT the level of detail SMS have managed to get into the in-game model is incredible.

1994 Nissan Silvia S14
While not as old as the first GT-R today's second car today is almost as highly-thought of.

The Nissan Silvia has proved to be one of their most popular cars with 1994's S14 being the king of the range. In this screen here you can see a range of customisation options with some elements of the car left as stock such as the wheels while other areas have been tuned. Look closely at the rest of the image there are some very obvious hints to the track location and a few cars we've not spoken about yet.

First off, we would like to thank Bojan from NFSUnlimited for the use of his Hands on review since No one from NFSCars was available to attend the Recent community day.

Second, I apologize for the delay of posting this review. I was out of town for a last minute callout for work and had no recent internet availability to post this news.

Fact sheet

- First person view with detailed fully functional customizable cockpit
- Realistic and detailed driving engine
- True damage model
- Full replay
- Visual and performance customization
- 16 car races
- Lenghty career with several challenges
- Real world tracks

A large car manufacturer' s recent marketing campaign revolved around the word SHIFT. In their eyes it revives them and captures passion and commitment. In a sense we could apply the same slogan to the Need for Speed series: Need for Speed SHIFT aims to make the NFS series stand out again and to reclaim it's recently lost fame of being a top racing game.

I've heard plenty of rumours about the next NFS game being something completely different than anything we've seen in the series, but when I got see the game and play it at the Community Day event in EA UK's studios in UK in mid February, I was stunned. Even though I expected the series to shift away from it's original concept after seeing the first screenshot and reading the press release, I never imagined they would go that far. After seeing the series evolve since Underground 1, this game is a revolution. You begin feeling the change as soon as the race starts and you're flown over the starting grid: cars look incredibly detailed with racing-like body kits and the environment is outstanding. And then the camera ends in the cockpit of the car, yes inside the car with dashboard view, a feature not seen since NFS Porsche! But that's not all, the cockpit is fully functional, meaning working rpm and speedometer dials, HUD in the Corvette, fully functional rear view mirrors, they even went so far that if you look down (you have interior free look) you see the driver's legs moving when you shift gears, hit the brakes and gas! Yet with all these distractions in the cockpit, it's still surprisingly easy to get used to the interior view. I usually use either the bumper or the hood cam, but here in Shift, the interior cam was the way to go!

The realism doesn't end in the cockpit though: as soon as the race starts you notice that at full gas, your tires will start spinning and the car will not move like you're used to in an NFS game. The physics engine is completely new and never before seen in an NFS game. They say it's about as realistic as the one in Forza 2 or Gran Turismo and I have to agree. Having tried several different cars (Lotus Elise, Audi RS4, Chevrolet Corvette Z06, Porsche 911 GT2 and Pagani Zonda) I can say that each car handles very differently and mastering a powerful car like the Zonda will take a lot of effort and preferrably an analogue controller. Flooring the acceleration at low speeds in turns with a Zonda will end in spinning out and with bad luck hitting a wall. And crashing is not a good idea... your car will get damaged and your vision will be blurred for a while, like hitting your head hard into a wall. But once you get used to the car and start messing with the assists (turn off ABS and traction control to go hardcore, or turn on the driving line to go a bit casual), all the frustration will be gone and you'll start enjoying the demanding but genuine driving engine, the great sense of speed and the incredible detail in everything... the cockpit, the world and the AI controlled cars (or your car if you use the chase camera).

And what's best is that's not all Shift has to offer. Expect lenghty carreer with several challenges, 16 players races, online vs. real people, several real world tracks and tracks based on real locations (like downtown London), full customization, both interior and exterior, performance tuning and something that hasn't been seen in an NFS game for a while now: full race replays.

But like every other game around, Shift too is not perfect. There's several features that we would want in a racing game, but were not part of the demo we played, starting with night racing and weather effects. Another thing is visual parts affecting performance of the car, something that was present in ProStreet, but missing here. Also I would love to see one or two tracks based on roads (either real or imaginary). Remember the staged Alps and Coastal tracks in The Need for Speed?

Now if you are getting worried that this is not the Need for Speed you are used to, you'd be correct; it's not. It is completely different, but the core features are still here: great sense of speed and a large selection of top cars. The driving model does take a while of getting used to, but it's really enjoyable once you master it. With a few improvements and hopefully well made features like visual customization we can hope for a great product even before the traditionally November release date.


Additionally there are 5 newly released Screenshots in our NFS: Shift screenshots section.



Originally written by our friend Bojan of NFSUnlimited.net.

EA Games today announced massive plans for the Need for Speed franchise with probably the biggest plans in the game’s history and certainly the most exciting as we reveal what’s in store for the next 12 months. As the game expands to new platforms, new genres and new media, game teams worldwide are working hard to deliver the best game possible for all three games. We listened to the gamers when they told us they wanted a wider range of experiences and now we're able to reveal more detail about the games.

Keith Munro, vice president of marketing told us: "We recognize racing videogame fans are very passionate and unique -- they want customized gameplay experiences. Whether it’s more of a realistic driving game with accurate car physics or over-the-top cop chases, we are making different games for different audiences. Each game provides a deep, engaging and rich racing experience. We’re giving players the option to choose the best racing title that suits their style of gameplay."



Imagine a racing game built by racers for racers and you'll have a good idea of what to expect with Need for Speed SHIFT. It’ll introduce gamers into a level of realism never before seen in a Need for Speed title, offering an incredible authentic and immersive driving experience.

Need for Speed SHIFT has been designed to replicate the true feeling of racing high-end performance cars and features a stunningly realistic first-person cockpit viewpoint and an all-new crash engine which offers an unrivaled sensation of racing at high speed.

The game is being developed using a collaborative model with some of the best racing game talent from around the world. Some key names behind the game are Michael Mann (Executive Producer at Black Box), Patrick Soderlund (Senior VP of EA Games) and Slighty Mad Studios in London. SMS, or to give them their former name, Blimey, should be well-known to the racing crowd as the developers behind such classic racing games as GT Legends and GTR 2.

In addition to his credentials as the head of DICE, Patrick Soderlund is also part of a racing team that recently competed in the fourth edition of the TOYO TIRES 24H Dubai 2009, the first major race event of the year where his team ranked fifth. Soderlund and the SHIFT development team is committed to bringing the on-the-track experience to players across the world. You can read more about this event here.

Expect to be playing SHIFT in Fall 2009. It will be available on PS3, Xbox 360, PC and PSP.


Need for Speed NITRO (Working Title)


The game is being developed specifically for the Nintendo titles and comes with a unique visual design and new gameplay ideas. As you’d expect from all the Need for Speed games there’s a huge catalogue of licensed cars to choose from, all fully customizable to really show off your own style.

In Need for Speed NITRO gamers can build up their boost as they drift and drag behind their opponents and use it strategically to change the course of the race but they’ll always have to be on the look-out for cops!

Need for Speed NITRO is being developed by the EA Montreal team who have a strong history of developing for the Nintendo platforms and are designing the game specifically with the Nintendo hardware in full focus.

Need for Speed nitro will be available in Fall 2009 for the Nintendo Wii and DS.



Need for Speed World Online



Perhaps the most innovative of the games announced today is Need for Speed World Online. This is a Play 4 Free racing game designed exclusively for the PC. The game will give Need for Speed fans the most licensed cars, parts and game modes ever in Need for Speed’s history. Players will prove their racing supremacy through the sophisticated online matchmaking features and the more flamboyant gamers will get the chance to show off their skills through customizable rides and user profiles.

Need for Speed World Online will begin in Asia Summer 2009. The game is being co-developed with Black Box and EA Singapore.

please go to This Thread and report any major bugs you have found in Undercover.
The list will be compiled and sent on Friday AM.

A published a new cheatcode for Need for Speed Undercover on needforspeed.com, which unlocks the Shelby Terlingua Mustang.

The car was prototyped by one of our car designers, Mike Hayes, who then took it to Shelby to work on the real-life counterpart. There are a lot of impressive things about the Shelby such as the supercharged V6 under the hood but perhaps the most impressive is that you could actually drive the Terlingua in the game. To take the car for a test drive you should enter the code NeedForSpeedShelbyTerlingua into the codes section in the menu. Please note that this car only works in the Quick Race and Online modes and it's not possible to customise but why would you want to?

For a video and pictures of the Shelby Terlingua visit needforspeed.com

To unlock the Shelby Terlingua Mustang in quick race and online, enter NeedForSpeedShelbyTerlingua in the cheat codes menu.

Thanks to everybody that submitted their votes for the first ever Addon Awards.

And now for the winners...

NFS:HP Addon of the Year

1985 Cadillac Coupe De Ville by Taigo

NFS:PU Addon of the Year

'87-89 Porsche 911 Turbo S Slant nose (930S) by egorogr

NFS:HP2 Addon of the Year

Plymouth Hemi Cuda (1970) by MKIIITwinTurbo

NFS:MW Addon of the Year

BMW M3 E92 by McLaren_3Dcm

And the overall NFSAddons.com Addon of the Year is.....


Overall Addon of the Year

Ford GT by Zpectre

Today is the last day to cast your votes for the 2008 Addon Awards. So get your votes in if you haven't already! The winner will be announced tomorrow.

Happy Holidays to all the loyal NFSAddons visitors. It's been a great year, and I just wanted to thank everyone for visiting and hope 2009 is just as good.

Today also marks one week left to vote for the NFSAddons Addon Awards 08. Get your votes in!!

EA also wanted to give a little gift to everyone:
To help you celebrate the holidays we're going to reveal the secret NeedForSpeed.com on the cheat car. If you use this code Nfsdotcom73 in the cheat menu you'll find yourself the proud owner of a brand new and very well tuned Lotus Elise. This car isn't valid during the story mode but you'll be able to give it a go during Quick Race.