By:
Electronic Arts

In attempting to capture the feel of both an arcade racer and a driving simulator, Need For Speed III: Hot Pursuit accomplishes neither.

Originally released for the 3D0 in 1992, the first Need For Speed title captured the hearts of diehard racing fans everywhere. Electronic Arts went the high road, and with the help of Road & Track, one of, if not the most popular car enthusiast publications in the US, licensed a wide variety of cars from across the performance spectrum. Cars from the Mazda RX-7 to the Ferrari 512TR and everything in between were accurately represented. Each car's shape, weight, handling characteristics and performance were extracted from Road & Track's extensive database of facts and figures, amassed from the publication's 50+ years of automotive coverage. Even the individual shifting noises were specific to their respective car. This distinction between cars was portrayed beautifully in the game. The Acura NSX's forgiving handling stood in sharp contrast to the Dodge Viper's torquey demeanor, which was tamed only by a skillful hand on the wheel, and a light foot on the gas.

Although Road & Track's help was dropped, these features were carried over to Need For Speed 2, and later, Need For Speed 2 SE. Unfortunately for fans of the series, the powers that be at Electronic Arts opted to drop the realism from NFS3 in favor of gameplay which tries to appeal to a broader audience.