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Need For Speed II SE

Need for Speed II
NFS II (PC, US) cover art.jpg
Cover art featuring Ferrari F50
Developer(s) EA Canada (PS)
EA Seattle (PC)
Publisher(s) Electronic Arts
Producer(s) Hanno Lemke
Designer(s) Scott Blackwood
Hanno Lemke
Programmer(s) Laurent Ancessi
David Lucas
Artist(s) Scott Jackson
Kent Maclagan
Writer(s) Gregg Giles
Richard Mul
Scott Blackwood
Composer(s) Saki Kaskas
Jeff van Dyck
Alistair Hirst
Series Need for Speed
Platform(s) PlayStation, Microsoft Windows
Release PlayStation
  • NA: March 31, 1997
  • EU: 1997
Microsoft Windows
  • NA, EU: 1997
Genre(s) Racing
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer
Aggregate scores
Aggregator Score
GameRankings (PS1) 71.39%
(PC) 68.25%
Metacritic (PS1) 71/100
Review scores
Publication Score
CVG 7.8 out of 10
GameSpot 7.0/10
IGN 6.0/10
OPM (UK) 5/10
Adrenaline Vault 4.5/5 stars

Need for Speed II is a racing video game released in 1997. It is a part of the Need for Speed series and is the second installment in the series, following Road & Track Presents: The Need for Speed.

The tracks are based on fantasized or exaggerated race courses in otherwise real settings around the world. For example, in one course cars race through a Hollywood film set while in another cars race along the edge of the Himalayas mountain range.

Like its predecessor, Need for Speed II allows players to race exotic cars, either against computer-controlled opponents or human opponents via a LAN, modem, serial connection, or in split screen. There are three distinct gameplay modes: Single Race mode in which a player simply chooses a car and a course and completes a single race. In this mode, the player can customize both the number and type of opponents as well as the number of laps to be completed. Tournament Mode in which the player must complete a series of races successfully to unlock a bonus car. The Knockout Mode consists of a series of 2-lap races with 8 opponents; the last-place finisher at the end of each race is eliminated from the competition.

The game features eight real life high-end sports cars and concept cars which the player can drive and race against. The "Special Edition" release of the game added four additional cars. In addition, the game features a "showcase" which provides photos, videos, and technical information about the cars as well as the history of each company and background of each car's development.

The game also features several new elements compared to the previous game in the form of customizable car paint and components of their car including gear ratios, tires, and spoilers.

As in the original Need for Speed, the game features detailed specifications, history, and audio commentaries on each vehicle. The largest feature are several full motion video (FMV) segments for each of the cars, several of them being the professionally-produced videos for the concept vehicles produced and directed from Vancouver by Howard Shaw of creativeguy productions.

Need for Speed II was developed by EA Canada. The lead programmer for the game was Laurent Ancessi with Wei Shoong Teh and Brad Gour as senior programmers. To ensure the physics of fast car handling and performance were as accurate as possible, the programmers collaborated with the manufactures of each vehicle.


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