GameOrder.gg — Need for Speed Checklist
GameOrder.gg — free franchise play orders and collector guides
Print date:
Franchise Directory
The Need for Speed franchise has 18 entries. Play in Release Order for newcomers, Chronological Order for lore completionists.
Your progress is saved in your browser — no account needed.
| OwnedYour shelfOwn | # | Title | Year | Platform | CIBComplete In BoxCIB $ | WarningsFakes · Region · Audio | Find / Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Need for SpeedOptional ⓘ | 1995 | PlayStation | SimpleWhat is CIB? →— | — | ||
| 2 | Need for Speed IIOptional ⓘ | 1997 | PlayStation | Simple— | — | ||
| 3 | Need for Speed III: Hot PursuitOptional ⓘ | 1998 | PlayStation | Simple— | — | ||
| 4 | Need for Speed: UndergroundEssential ⓘ | 2003 | PlayStation 2 | Simple— | — | ||
| 5 | Need for Speed: Underground 2Essential ⓘ | 2004 | PlayStation 2 | Simple— | — | ||
| 6 | Need for Speed: Most WantedEssential ⓘ | 2005 | PlayStation 2 | Simple— | — | ||
| 7 | Need for Speed: CarbonEssential | 2006 | PS3 | —— | — | ||
| 8 | Need for Speed: ProStreetOptional | 2007 | PS3 | —— | — | ||
| 9 | Need for Speed: UndercoverOptional | 2008 | PS3 | —— | — | ||
| 10 | Need for Speed: ShiftOptional | 2009 | PS3 | —— | — | ||
| 11 | Need for Speed: Hot PursuitEssential | 2010 | PS3 | —— | — | ||
| 12 | Need for Speed: The RunOptional | 2011 | PS3 | —— | — | ||
| 13 | Need for Speed: Most Wanted (2012)Optional | 2012 | PS3 | —— | — | ||
| 14 | Need for Speed: RivalsRecommended | 2013 | PS4 | —— | — | ||
| 15 | Need for Speed (2015)Recommended | 2015 | PS4 | —— | — | ||
| 16 | Need for Speed: PaybackRecommended | 2017 | PS4 | —— | — | ||
| 17 | Need for Speed: HeatRecommended | 2019 | PS4 | —— | — | ||
| 18 | Need for Speed: UnboundOptional | 2022 | PS5 | —— | — |
Spot an error or missing game? Let us know →
Essential marks the installments that carry the spine of Need for Speed's main story and world-building — the ones collectors and lore-focused players treat as must-play for the core narrative. On GameOrder, Essential titles include Need for Speed: Carbon, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, Need for Speed: Most Wanted, Need for Speed: Underground, and Need for Speed: Underground 2.
Recommended entries meaningfully enrich the franchise — strong stories, fan favorites, or connective tissue that pays off after the essentials, without being strictly required. Recommended picks here: Need for Speed (2015), Need for Speed: Heat, Need for Speed: Payback, and Need for Speed: Rivals.
Optional games are fair to skip for continuity; they are side paths, experiments, or lighter fare that fans can pick up when they want more, not when they need the main plot. Optional tagged titles: Need for Speed II, Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit, Need for Speed: Most Wanted (2012), Need for Speed: ProStreet, Need for Speed: Shift, Need for Speed: The Run, Need for Speed: Unbound, Need for Speed: Undercover, and The Need for Speed.
Spinoff titles sit apart from the primary saga — different genres, timelines, or branding — and are best treated as extras after you know the heart of the series. No Spinoff tags appear on these rows.