The Need for Speed

The Need for Speed (1994)

by EA Canada, Electronic Arts
Genres:Simulator, Racing
Game modes:Single player, Multiplayer
Story:Welcome to The Need For Speed racing game. Here you'll find spine-tingling action coupled with awesome graphics. As you race down an alpine road in your choice of eight high performance cars, you'll be amazed by the detail and realism. The sophisticated physics model recreates the feel of the cars themselves; you'll notice the difference in handling, breaking and just plain power. Plan your strategy for each track, there are six to choose from during regular play, and each demands a different style of driving. There's also a bonus track if you win the Tournament. There are four game modes to try, with an option to compete against another driver over a modem. With different cars, different tracks, and different styles of racing fueling your need for speed, you'll find your addiction growing to a fewer pitch. No need to worry, when you crash and burn in the game, there's always another day.Show more
user avatarAdded by @Durithiell
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Stories about this game (7)
What’s your memory of The Need for Speed?Share your favorite moments and see what others remember about this game.
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user avatar@Durithielluser avatar@Durithiell
January 22, 2025
I remember being blown away by the graphics at the time - nothing else was even close. And I was like "Those interiors look so real!". And it turned out they were 'real';) I've spent so many hours in it and I'd definitely play even more.
user avatar@Rep7icantuser avatar@Rep7icant
January 29, 2025
Back in 1996, this was my favorite racing game. I might have played the demo version with a friend for at least dozens of hours. The Special Edition was my first big box game, which I still have in mint condition. I remember I had to create a boot floppy disk in order to make it run properly on my AMD K5 with 8MB of RAM. It'd be great to play it again today with the 'Good Old Game Preservation Program' seal of compatibility and functionality. If GOG someday manages to release this game with online multiplayer, it's definitely a day one buy for me!
user avatar@krispy89user avatar@krispy89
January 31, 2025
This was my first forays into the Racing Genre on my Dad's 486 that ran DOS that had a physical "Turbo" button on the Case to increase the CPU clock speed. The Music, Gameplay, UI, and Car Showcases enthralled me for Hours, and I wanted to watch them again and again.
grafika muzyka poziom pościgów z policją sam grałem w nią na PC różny poziom wyścigów dla tego i chciałbym w nią zagrać też ponownie po tych długich latach .
We got our first PC, a Pentium II 90Hz if I recall correctly. One Saturday, my brother and me were watching TV, as you did in the 90s, when our father came back from the shops. But this time, he came with a new PC-Game in his hands out of the blue and we freaked out, my brother saw this title at his friend's before and that was enough for my father to gift this to us. Apart from that dearest special incident, I remember this game was never frustrating, just made fun and I looooved the viper
The original The Need for Speed (1994) isn’t just the start of a legendary racing franchise — it’s a foundational title in racing game history. Developed by EA and Road & Track, this game brought an unmatched level of realism, style, and presentation to the racing genre in the early ‘90s. It’s more than nostalgia — it’s preservation. Featuring exotic cars like the Lamborghini Diablo and Dodge Viper, authentic engine sounds, real-world stats, and detailed car showcases, The Need for Speed delivered a car lover’s dream. It wasn’t just about racing — it was about experiencing high-end machines in a way that few games ever had. The early versions even had police chases, replay cameras, and full-motion video segments — all groundbreaking for the time. Bringing The Need for Speed to GOG would preserve this important piece of gaming history in a DRM-free, easily playable format for modern systems. With updated compatibility and controller support, it could find a second life with retro fans and new players alike. GOG has become a home for classic PC games, and the original Need for Speed deserves to be there. It’s not just a great game — it’s where one of the biggest racing franchises ever began. Let’s bring it back, tuned up for today’s hardware, while honoring its place as a true trailblazer in the world of racing games.
user avatar@L0V3_user avatar@L0V3_
May 06, 2025
The one that started it all. Nobody knew it back then, but it turned out to actually be one of the most important racing games of all time, just because it started the most popular racing franchise. It just needs to be on GOG, it is an important piece of history.
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