One of the best arcade racers of all time. This remaster doesn't do a whole lot to the original, but it was incredible playing through this game once more.

The handling proves that NFS can do tap-to-drift mechanics right, in fact, this is about as good as it would get for NFS's relationship with tap-to-drift handling models. There's a bit of wonkiness on the rare occasions you're at a low speed, but the cars feel incredible otherwise. Paganis can be whipped around turns at high speed, but get beat up easily. You can feel the weight of Bugattis and Bentlys in the corners, but they're built like tanks and hit like one too. I think this game does a good job of making sure the car with the top speed isn't gonna be the one you want to use every single race. In hot pursuit races, you may want something that'll take more of a beating.

The gameplay itself is some of my favorite need for speed has to offer. The races combined with the soundtrack and beautiful world make for some serene moments, flying through deserts and mountains at 250 mph will never get old in this game, going fast really feels like going fast. The interceptor events will really have you pissed at the guy you're taking down by the time you finally catch them off guard and ram them off a cliff. I think where this game really shines the brightest though is with some of the best events in any racing game I've ever played: the hot pursuit events. Racer or cop these events are always such an adrenaline rush. Playing as a cop slamming into racers in the turns. The absolute cool factor of calling in a helicopter and the earth quaking as it flies overhead. Watching racers hit a roadblock and taking them out with a 200 mph T-bone. As a racer weaving through roadblocks and past racers getting flipped on their roofs. The fear of seeing a veyron's lights flip on (like seriously those things are as close as it gets to a boss battle in this game). Barely making the finish line with only a sliver of health left. These races can get so intense when you've got a million things going on in front of you, and I really wish Need for Speed would do something like this again.

The presentation of this game is also incredible. Cars sound incredible in this game, aggressive and powerful. The way they start up when you select your car in an almost comically loud fashion, and the narration that gives an overview of the car really makes it feel like you're driving an important piece of car history. It's all the icing on top of this incredible game.

Overall, this is still some of the most fun I've had with a racing game, amazing cars, car sounds, soundtrack, gameplay, and handling. In a time when racing games have been in a bit of a slump, I'm glad they decided to remaster one of the best ones out there.