Since the release of the first Need for Speed game back in 1994, EA’s racing series has had a major impact on the gaming industry, from titles like ProStreet to today. Beyond attaining critical and commercial success with several of its own installments, the franchise has helped to shape the racing game genre into what it is today. Thanks to its pioneering efforts, other franchises like Gran Turismo and Forza Motorsport have been able to flourish as well.
Despite this acclaim and influence, not all of EA's racing games are as widely celebrated as others. Among the hits, there are also some that fans and critics have judged to be more like misses. Need for Speed ProStreet is one example of a game that’s considered to be in the latter camp by many. Thanks to hindsight and several other factors, though, the game is arguably an underrated experience that should be re-evaluated.
Need for Speed ProStreet’s Reception
When Need for Speed ProStreet first hit store shelves back in 2007, the Black Box developed game launched into an awkward environment. The previous two entries in the series, the original Need for Speed Most Wanted and its sequel Carbon, had both earned widespread acclaim from fans and critics. Any entry that EA published in their wake was always going to have an uphill battle reaching the same levels of success.
With this backdrop in mind, it’s little surprise that Need for Speed ProStreet was met with a mixed reception by critics. Thanks to several factors, the game’s PS2 version reached a Metacritic score of just 62 points. That’s a far cry from the 82 Metascore that Need for Speed Most Wanted had got on the same platform only two years before it. Those reviews, in combination with below-average sales figures, have left the game with an underappreciated reputation within the franchise’s fan base.
ProStreet Ahead of its Time
In hindsight, though, Need for Speed ProStreet deserves to be held in higher regard than its launch reputation suggests. One of the criticisms that the game received during its release period was the fact that it left behind the franchise's open-world street racing formula in favor of a return to circuit racing. Considering how the franchise has occasionally struggled to draw players in with the former setup since then, ProStreet should get more credit for being a breath of fresh air.
Black Box’s decision to break the street racing mold was arguably ahead of its time. Despite how promising Need for Speed Unbound’s anime-inspired art style appears to be, the fact that Criterion and Codemasters are experimenting on that front underlines some of the hurdles the franchise’s formula has faced in recent times. While street racing-themed games have struggled to gain traction, circuit racers like Gran Turismo 7 and EA's own Grid Legends have often flourished following ProStreet's debut.
ProStreet Mechanics
Black Box might not have perfected every design decision it set out to with Need for Speed ProStreet, but that doesn’t mean the game was bad. From a mechanical point of view, the studio got a lot of its gameplay elements right. Realistic damage, car modeling, customization, and a variety of modes, all helped to make the game a fun experience on track. The fact that realistic modern racers tend to forgo extensive damage altogether means ProStreet still holds up in some of these departments to this day.
Despite its reputation, Need for Speed ProStreet also blended its simulation and arcade racing heritage well. While it never catered too heavily to either side of the racing divide, it did offer players an entry-level experience into the often intimidating world of realistic car games. Considering how some franchises still struggle with accessibility and difficulty, the underrated entry in EA's Need for Speed franchise can still teach others a few lessons.
Need for Speed ProStreet released in 2007 for Nintendo DS, PC, PS2, PS3, PSP, Wii, and Xbox 360.
