Road & Track Presents The Need for Speed

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Road & Track Presents The Need for Speed

Developer: Pioneer Productions, Electronic Arts Canada

Genre: Racing

Number of players: 1-2

Release	Date	RRP	Code
US	1996-08^[3]	$49.9549.95^[3]	T-5009H
EU	1996-07-05^[1]		T-5009H-50
BR	1996-10^[4]	R$69.9969.99^[4]	193246

ESRB

ELSPA

USK

Tectoy

Road & Track Presents The Need for Speed, is a racing game developed by Pioneer Productions and published by Electronic Arts for a number of consoles including the Sega Saturn.

In Japan, this game was significantly altered and released as Nissan Presents Over Drivin' GT-R.

Gameplay

Cars

	Ferrari 512TR
	The Ferrari 512TR derives from the popular Ferrari Testarossa model (the star of Sega's arcade classic, OutRun). Only 512 vehicles were ever produced.
	Toyota Supra Turbo
	The Toyota Supra Turbo
	Acura NSX
	The Acura NSX is an Acura-badged version of the Honda NSX, renamed for North American consumers.
	Mazda RX-7
	The Mazda RX-7
	Porsche 911 Carrera
	The Porsche 911 Carrera
	Dodge Viper RT/10
	The Dodge Viper RT/10
	Corvette ZR-1
	The Corvette ZR-1
	Lamborghini Diablo VT
	The Lamborghini Diablo VT
	Warrior PTO E/2
	The Warrior is a fictional secret car powered by jet fuel.

Magazine articles

Main article: Road & Track Presents The Need for Speed/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Print advert in Game Players (US) #0908: "Vol. 9 No. 8 August 1996" (1996-07-09)
also published in:

Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) #85: "August 1996" (1996-xx-xx)^[5]

Print advert in Sega Saturn Magazine (UK) #10: "August 1996" (1996-07-20)
also published in:

Computer & Video Games (UK) #177: "August 1996" (1996-07-11)^[6]

Print advert in Player One (FR) #66: "Juillet/Août 1996" (1996-0x-xx)
also published in:

CD Consoles (FR) #19: "Juillet/Août 1996" (1996-xx-xx)^[7]

History

Development

The Need for Speed was developed in part by Electronic Arts Canada, previously known as Distinctive Software. As a racing game attempting to simulate the feel of driving, it can therefore be seen as a spiritual successor to The Duel: Test Drive II (1990's Test Drive III: The Passion being developed by a different team for Accolade).

Versions

The Saturn version of The Need for Speed derives from the DOS version, which in turn was an enhanced port of the 3DO original. While outputting at a smaller resolution, the Saturn shares many of the new textures introduced in the PC version and retains most of the new gameplay options (and adds a two-player split-screen option too). It also runs much faster than its 3DO counterpart, partly due to the console's improved performance (being able to output a stable 30FPS versus the 3DO's wavering 15FPS), but also due to design changes in the PC game to make The Need for Speed feel faster.

Whereas the horizon rotates slightly when going around corners in the 3DO version of the game, on the Saturn it remains fixed at all times. Unlike all other versions, gages in the cockpit view do not function at all on the Saturn, with these details being relegated to a much larger HUD. The Saturn version also allows users to select the time of day which is not seen in older versions.

While the PC version is generally considered to be the definitive version of the game, only high-end machines could utilise the game's top graphical settings in 1995. The PC version is also restricted to 8-bit colour, as opposed to the 16-bit or 32-bit colour depths found in the console ports.

The PlayStation adaption improves on what is found on the Saturn, re-introducing some of the minor details lost in the Saturn conversion while adding new lighting effects. Cruicially the PlayStation port is the only version to include in-game music, however its uncapped framerate means the game appears more "juddery" than its Saturn counterpart, as frame rates average between 30-35 FPS. Console additions would be re-introduced to the PC in the form of Road & Track Presents The Need For Speed SE in 1996.

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average

Publication

Version

Score

576 KByte (HU)

94

^[12]

CD Consoles (FR)

PAL

80

^[13]

Consoles News (FR)

PAL

89

^[9]

Consoles + (FR)

90

^[14]

Computer & Video Games (UK)

50

^[2]

Digitiser (UK)

PAL

68

^[15]

Fun Generation (DE)

PAL

90

^[16]

GamePro (US)

NTSC-U

90

^[3]

Game Informer (US)

NTSC-U

78

^[17]

Joypad (FR)

PAL

93

^[18]

Kiber Zona (LT)

80

^[19]

Level (TR)

75

^[20]

MAN!AC (DE)

PAL

59

^[21]

Mega Force (FR)

PAL

86

^[22]

Mega Fun (DE)

PAL

88

^[23]

Mean Machines Sega (UK)

PAL

90

^[10]

neXt Level (DE)

PAL

80

^[24]

Player One (FR)

96

^[25]

Sega News (CZ)

81

^[26]

Sega Power (UK)

PAL

80

^[27]

Sega Saturn Magazine (UK)

PAL

75

^[11]

Total Saturn (UK)

PAL

90

^[28]

Ultra Player (FR)

83

^[29]

Video Games (DE)

PAL

73

^[30]

	82
Based on 24 reviews

Saturn, US
Cover
Manual

Saturn, EU
Cover
Disc

Saturn, BR

References

↑ File:CVG UK 177.pdf, page 52
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 File:CVG UK 177.pdf, page 79 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:CVG UK 177.pdf_p79" defined multiple times with different content
↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 File:GamePro US 096.pdf, page 74 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:GamePro US 096.pdf_p74" defined multiple times with different content
↑ ^4.0 ^4.1 http://www.tectoy.com.br/releases/index.htm (Wayback Machine: 1998-06-25 19:48)
↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "August 1996" (US; 1996-xx-xx), page 66
↑ Computer & Video Games, "August 1996" (UK; 1996-07-11), page 62
↑ CD Consoles, "Juillet/Août 1996" (FR; 1996-xx-xx), page 6
↑ File:CDConsoles FR 19.pdf, page 118
↑ ^9.0 ^9.1 File:ConsolesNews FR 02.pdf, page 90 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:ConsolesNews FR 02.pdf_p90" defined multiple times with different content
↑ ^10.0 ^10.1 File:MeanMachinesSega46UK.pdf, page 66 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MeanMachinesSega46UK.pdf_p66" defined multiple times with different content
↑ ^11.0 ^11.1 File:SSM UK 09.pdf, page 64 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:SSM UK 09.pdf_p64" defined multiple times with different content
↑ 576 KByte, "Július-Augusztus 1996" (HU; 1996-xx-xx), page 14
↑ CD Consoles, "Juillet/Août 1996" (FR; 1996-xx-xx), page 128
↑ Consoles +, "Juillet/Août 1996" (FR; 1996-0x-xx), page 158
↑ Digitiser (UK) (1996-07-18)
↑ Fun Generation, "09/96" (DE; 1996-08-14), page 76
↑ Game Informer, "August 1996" (US; 1996-0x-xx), page 50
↑ Joypad, "Juillet/Août 1996" (FR; 1996-0x-xx), page 87
↑ Kiber Zona, "1/1998" (LT; 1998-xx-xx), page 39
↑ Level, "4/97" (TR; 1997-xx-xx), page 1
↑ MAN!AC, "09/96" (DE; 1996-08-14), page 71
↑ Mega Force, "Été 1996" (FR; 1996-0x-xx), page 64
↑ Mega Fun, "08/96" (DE; 1996-07-17), page 80
↑ neXt Level, "September 1996" (DE; 1996-08-14), page 73
↑ Player One, "Juillet/Août 1996" (FR; 1996-0x-xx), page 127
↑ Sega News, "Listopad 1996" (CZ; 1996-1x-xx), page 21
↑ Sega Power, "Collectors' Issue 1996" (UK; 1996-07-xx), page 48
↑ Total Saturn, "Volume One Issue Four" (UK; 1996-12-29), page 58
↑ Ultra Player, "Juillet/Août 1996" (FR; 1996-07-02), page 84
↑ Video Games, "8/96" (DE; 1996-07-31), page 115

[:File:CVG_UK_177.pdf_p52-1] File:CVG UK 177.pdf, page 52

[:File:CVG_UK_177.pdf_p79-2] 2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 File:CVG UK 177.pdf, page 79 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:CVG UK 177.pdf_p79" defined multiple times with different content

[:File:GamePro_US_096.pdf_p74-3] 3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 File:GamePro US 096.pdf, page 74 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:GamePro US 096.pdf_p74" defined multiple times with different content

[http:.2F.2Fweb.archive.org.2Fweb.2F19980625194847.2Fhttp:.2F.2Fwww.tectoy.com.br.2Freleases.2Findex.htm-4] 4.0 ^4.1 http://www.tectoy.com.br/releases/index.htm (Wayback Machine: 1998-06-25 19:48)

[:File:EGM_US_085.pdf_p66-5] Electronic Gaming Monthly, "August 1996" (US; 1996-xx-xx), page 66

[:File:CVG_UK_177.pdf_p62-6] Computer & Video Games, "August 1996" (UK; 1996-07-11), page 62

[:File:CDConsoles_FR_19.pdf_p6-7] CD Consoles, "Juillet/Août 1996" (FR; 1996-xx-xx), page 6

[:File:CDConsoles_FR_19.pdf_p118-8] File:CDConsoles FR 19.pdf, page 118

[:File:ConsolesNews_FR_02.pdf_p90-9] 9.0 ^9.1 File:ConsolesNews FR 02.pdf, page 90 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:ConsolesNews FR 02.pdf_p90" defined multiple times with different content

[:File:MeanMachinesSega46UK.pdf_p66-10] 10.0 ^10.1 File:MeanMachinesSega46UK.pdf, page 66 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MeanMachinesSega46UK.pdf_p66" defined multiple times with different content

[:File:SSM_UK_09.pdf_p64-11] 11.0 ^11.1 File:SSM UK 09.pdf, page 64 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:SSM UK 09.pdf_p64" defined multiple times with different content

[:File:576KB_HU_1996-0708.pdf_p14-12] 576 KByte, "Július-Augusztus 1996" (HU; 1996-xx-xx), page 14

[:File:CDConsoles_FR_19.pdf_p128-13] CD Consoles, "Juillet/Août 1996" (FR; 1996-xx-xx), page 128

[:File:ConsolesPlus_FR_056.pdf_p158-14] Consoles +, "Juillet/Août 1996" (FR; 1996-0x-xx), page 158

[digitiser1996-07-18-15] Digitiser (UK) (1996-07-18)

[:File:FunGeneration_DE_1996-09.pdf_p76-16] Fun Generation, "09/96" (DE; 1996-08-14), page 76

[:File:GameInformer_US_040.pdf_p50-17] Game Informer, "August 1996" (US; 1996-0x-xx), page 50

[:File:Joypad_FR_055.pdf_p87-18] Joypad, "Juillet/Août 1996" (FR; 1996-0x-xx), page 87

[19] Kiber Zona, "1/1998" (LT; 1998-xx-xx), page 39

[20] Level, "4/97" (TR; 1997-xx-xx), page 1

[:File:MAN.21AC_DE_1996-09.pdf_p71-21] MAN!AC, "09/96" (DE; 1996-08-14), page 71

[:File:MegaForce_FR_52.pdf_p64-22] Mega Force, "Été 1996" (FR; 1996-0x-xx), page 64

[:File:MegaFun_DE_1996-08.pdf_p80-23] Mega Fun, "08/96" (DE; 1996-07-17), page 80

[:File:NextLevel_DE_1996-09.pdf_p73-24] neXt Level, "September 1996" (DE; 1996-08-14), page 73

[:File:PlayerOne_FR_066.pdf_p127-25] Player One, "Juillet/Août 1996" (FR; 1996-0x-xx), page 127

[:File:Sega_News_2_CZ.pdf_p21-26] Sega News, "Listopad 1996" (CZ; 1996-1x-xx), page 21

[:File:SegaPower_UK_82.pdf_p48-27] Sega Power, "Collectors' Issue 1996" (UK; 1996-07-xx), page 48

[:File:TotalSaturn_UK_04.pdf_p58-28] Total Saturn, "Volume One Issue Four" (UK; 1996-12-29), page 58

[:File:UltraPlayer_FR_36.pdf_p84-29] Ultra Player, "Juillet/Août 1996" (FR; 1996-07-02), page 84

[:File:VideoGames_DE_1996-08.pdf_p115-30] Video Games, "8/96" (DE; 1996-07-31), page 115

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