Need For Speed: NITRO releasing two weeks early

[vdub_bobby]

Need For Speed: NITRO has "gone gold" (anybody know what that means? EDIT: see below) so EA is releasing it two weeks early, November 3 in North America and November 6 in Europe.

 

I've had my eye on this one; the visuals look pretty cool and it would be nice for the Wii to have a decent street racer, something lacking so far.

 

Anybody else interested?

 

Here's a video:

 

http://www.gametrailers.com/video/tgs-09-need-for/56390

 

EDIT: Found this description of "going gold":

Going gold is the final stage before the game gets released. Prior to that you had, usually, two key milestones which most studios work to. These are the alpha and beta stages, which are various points at which the game is almost finished but needs some bug fixing or something like that. Going gold is actually when you've done all of that and the game is complete and ready to send off to the printer to get released. Going gold is the last point in game design, and its' usually cause for celebration when you actually go gold.

Edited October 20, 2009 by vdub_bobby

[ComputerSpaceFan]

Pencil me in as a definite "maybe". I really like the looks of this one and I'm glad to see us Wii owners getting something a little less wacky (Mario Kart/Excite Bots/etc) and a little more normal in the racing genre. It continues to boggle my mind that the other two consoles are brimming over with racing games, both proper simulations and arcade style games, and all the Wii seems to get is pie-in-the-face silly stuff.

BUT I was also looking forward to Colin McRae's Dirt 2 until I saw the sub-N64 graphics. I had hoped that was an early build, but no, that's the amount of effort the developers put out there. Nitro is looking much much better. Unfortunate that it has no online, that's a major point against it.

I do worry though when I read the developers referring to it as a casual racing game.

 

I'll wait for reviews.

[Cybergoth]

Pencil me in as a definite "maybe".

 

Me too

[DracIsBack]

I'll read the reviews. I had Need For Speed: Pro Street and did not like it. Hoping this one is better.

[Atariboy]

Pretty much a definite no from me, it looks like it plays awful and doesn't even look as nice as Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 from last generation consoles. Was hoping that video would sway my opinion a bit after being left unimpressed with everything I've seen about it up to now in the media.

 

Unless it recieves praise from people such as yourselves, where I'm inclined to think that perhaps my judgement wasn't accurate, I can't see purchasing this.

Edited October 20, 2009 by Atariboy

[vdub_bobby]

New trailer: Rio

http://www.gametrailers.com/video/rio-trailer-need-for/57896

[ComputerSpaceFan]

doesn't even look as nice as Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 from last generation consoles

 

I agree, isn't it sad that last generation racers look better than current Wii titles? I mean, Burnout Revenge was, what, four years ago? And it blows anything for the Wii out of the water. Admittedly Nitro is a step in the right direction and I will totally get it if the reviews are good. But why no online? Why a "casual" angle? It's a perspective developers have had for too long now: the Wii is for kids. I had hoped with all the recent Mature stuff we have grown out of that but clearly I am mistaken.

[DracIsBack]

I agree, isn't it sad that last generation racers look better than current Wii titles?

 

It's a general Wii problem. Regardless of how the system compares to PS3 and XBox 360, I think it sucks ass that I have a number of Dreamcast games and GameCube games that obliterate the vast majority of my library on the Wii visually.

 

The system is underpowered against a PS3 sure ... but not a Dreamcast or GameCube.

[vdub_bobby]

It's because so much of the Wii library is essentially shovelware; quick, cheap cash-in titles; the same as what the PS2 is getting these days.

 

There are plenty of good-looking games, though - most of the 1st party games, The Conduit, Muramasa, Dead Space: Extraction, A Boy and His Blob, MadWorld, Little King's Story, Zack & Wiki, etc.

[vdub_bobby]

4/5 from GamePro

...the killer sense of speed. Dropping behind the wheel of a Charger or Cobra for a quick race was immediately satisfying and while NITRO definitely suffers from low-res car models and building textures, that doesn't stop the game from feeling frighteningly fast. Recklessly smashing my way across the streets of Rio de Janeiro at top speed had me giggling like a schoolgirl and nabbing power-up items along the way made it even more enjoyable. There's nothing quite like sicking an aggressive Hummer highway patrol on your opponents or boosting into the lead after perfectly timing a turbo tank-repair power-up. Even losing holds some enjoyment because you're respawned as a cop if you get knocked out of an elimination match, which gives you the chance at some sweet vehicular revenge.

Sounds like, at the very least, it isn't a complete disaster.

[vdub_bobby]

Eurogamer finds lots to like...

Where Nitro starts to deviate from the norm is the way it combines race performance with trackside art, so hoardings and buildings reflect the custom colour and design of the race leader as they roar around the circuit. When you storm into the lead and start to 'own' the race, the track starts to paint over your opponent's design with your own, or, as EA puts it, the game starts to paint "the story of racing supremacy". It's a gimmick, of course, but the slick, exaggerated art style is actually one of the most engaging aspects of the game, with a rock solid frame-rate and great sense of speed adding to the alluring arcade feel. Compared to some of the soulless Need For Speeds of the past, Nitro's kid's TV eyeblast injects an urgency that has been sorely lacking.

But in the end, they find it too shallow:

Even the distinction between car classes fails to develop the gameplay, and within the first half an hour you feel like you've seen pretty much everything the game has to offer. It might scream 'excitement' at the top of its tiny lungs, then, but Need For Speed: Nitro's initially endearing zest quickly degenerates into repetitive strain. Making an Wii exclusive for a casual audience is one thing, but stripping the game of any substance whatsoever won't do its chances any good either.

They give it 5/10.

[vdub_bobby]

Evergeek gives it 3.5/5

They dislike the graphics but enjoy the gameplay and multiplayer options - and they also find the single player mode shallow.

And more to that, Need for Speed: Nitro is at its best as a multiplayer game with both cooperative and competitive modes and no real losers per se. For example, in the rip roaring Elimination race mode, last-place drivers are eliminated every thirty seconds, but that affords them second life as a cop car wreaking havoc on everyone else. Great fun.

 

The single-player modes available are serviceable, but not particularly deep nor as high-fivin' fun.

 

N4G.com gives NFS: NITRO a "Ten Minute Taste", with a video of the first ten minutes of gameplay. They also (very briefly) comment:

NITRO has a style unique to the Wii which works incredibly well -- bright colors, and driver-specific graffiti and tags that paint the world as you race by while in first place. NITRO also gives you the option to use just about any control scheme you could want outside of using the SEGA Saturn controller.

Damn them and their prejudice against the Saturn controller!

Edited November 4, 2009 by vdub_bobby

[Warriorisabouttodie]

Interesting opinions, but with the Wii, unless the review is 1.0 or 10.0 you can't judge. I should have this by tomorrow and decide for myself.

[vdub_bobby]

G4tv gives it 3/5, though they found different things to complain about:

However, the game’s colorful and casual tone completely contradicts the game’s difficulty level. Some of the challenges are Project Gotham/Gran Turismo kinds of hardcore, which means that a lot of younger players are going to be in for a rude awakening if they decide to pick up the game incorrectly thinking that it will be a somewhat challenging arcade racing game.

 

The AI is one of the most ridiculous aspects of the game, because in classic bulls*** fashion, it lets the computer travel as fast or as slow as it wants without any consideration for anything that is actually happening on the road. It’s like rubberbanding on steroids...if the steroids were made of rubber bands. There are also plenty of instances where you’ll smash into a wall and not slow down a bit, or you’ll glance a wall and come to a complete stop. These kinds of inconsistencies make for races that are more about trying to suppress your rage than actually enjoying the over-the-top arcade racing action.

They also bag on the lack of online play.

 

And 17/20 from Le Mag Jeux Video

Points Forts : Animation, Musique, Bruitages, Ambiance, Gameplay, Multi-joueurs, Durée de vie.

 

Points faibles : Absence du mode « on-line ». Nombre de circuits un peu limité. Impossible de modifier les voitures mécaniquement.

Edited November 5, 2009 by vdub_bobby

[vdub_bobby]

IGN likes it:

Need for Speed Nitro lays some great groundwork as a new series on Wii. This first outing isn’t perfect, lacking some sort of first-person bumper or cockpit camera option, some spotty drift controls, and a generally thin list of locales, but it also swings for the fences during its first outing. The whole “paint the city” vibe is interesting, though downplayed overall, the car editor is hands-down amazing and the highlight of the package, and the sense of speed (complete with 60 frames per second) is insane. Nitro is a blast despite its faults, and brings some simply awesome concepts to the table. If you’re a racing fan, this is the first NFS experience that’s actually worth the cash on Wii.

8.0/10

[Warriorisabouttodie]

I had a chance to play the game. It's a fun arcade racer. By far the best NFS I've played on the Wii. It doesn't look like a PS2/Gamecube game, it's obvious the game was designed from the ground up for the Wii not for a lesser system or ported down from a system with more horsepower. I hope we see more games like this.

 

It's not the best racing game I've ever played, but it's fun and that is more than I can say about the recent installments of NFS on the Wii or various other platforms. I think it's safe to say it is in the top few racers for the Wii.

 

I haven't played it long enough to write anything else, but if anyone who doesn't have it needs a question answered I will do my best to help you.

[Warriorisabouttodie]

I forgot to mention, one thing about this game, it's subtle, but you actually feel like you are playing on current console. It's not really HD, but the graphics are sharp and crisp in a Wii way and the framerate doesn't change. It's like playing Mario Kart in that respect. The control is also spot on.

Edited November 5, 2009 by Warriorisabouttodie

[BydoEmpire]

Cool to hear - this wasn't on my radar at all, but I might give it a rental.

[vdub_bobby]

Official Nintendo Magazine UK likes it as well:

Need For Speed: Nitro doesn't do anything remarkable. It doesn't have a fancy gimmick that no other game has featured before, it doesn't have the sort of visuals that will blow you away, and it doesn't offer outstanding online multiplayer gameplay that will have you playing for years to come. It's simply fun to play, and in focusing on quality over quantity EA has managed to put together one of the best racing games on the Wii.

8/10

[ComputerSpaceFan]

if anyone who doesn't have it needs a question answered I will do my best to help you.

 

I will probably get it given the good-ish reviews. IGN mentioned that the camera is a bit of a problem, would you agree? They said you don't have a front point of view, only behind the car, so it's easy to crash. They also mentioned going into turbo pulls the camera even lower behind the car, making you even more likely to crash. True?

 

Other than that and the lack of online multiplayer, this game sounds like a good one for me.

[Warriorisabouttodie]

if anyone who doesn't have it needs a question answered I will do my best to help you.

 

I will probably get it given the good-ish reviews. IGN mentioned that the camera is a bit of a problem, would you agree? They said you don't have a front point of view, only behind the car, so it's easy to crash. They also mentioned going into turbo pulls the camera even lower behind the car, making you even more likely to crash. True?

 

Other than that and the lack of online multiplayer, this game sounds like a good one for me.

 

 

I always play racing games from the behind the car perspective so I didn't even notice. I'm pretty good at the game and it is fun. I like arcade racers and this qualifies. Good sense of speed and the best racing gaame of it's type for the Wii. Oh, I assume by "turbo pull" you mean when you engage the nitro? Again, aside from going faster there is no control problem.

 

It's a fun game. Like I said before, it's not the most fun racing game ever, but it is fun, it's not a port and worth getting for the Wii if you like this style of game.

Edited November 7, 2009 by Warriorisabouttodie

[Warriorisabouttodie]

Cool to hear - this wasn't on my radar at all, but I might give it a rental.

 

 

where do you rent Wii games? It's definitely worth a rental fee.

Edited November 7, 2009 by Warriorisabouttodie

[BydoEmpire]

Cool to hear - this wasn't on my radar at all, but I might give it a rental.

 

where do you rent Wii games? It's definitely worth a rental fee.

Gamefly, usually, but my work has free video & game rentals as well. They're only for 3 days, though, and that's not really enough time to get into a game.

[vdub_bobby]

1UP likes it

Given the slim pickings for racing fans on the Wii, though, it's easy to recommend NFS: Nitro, as it brings a solid (if however spartan) arcade racing experience to a system that clearly should have had one a long time ago.

They gave it a B-.

[vdub_bobby]

VG Reloaded didn't seem to like it, though they gave it a decent numerical score. Go figure.

Need for Speed Nitro is a decent arcade racer for the Wii. The problem is that it’s far too brief and ugly to look at that you’ll be wondering how it went wrong. The controls are there, but the rest is poorly executed. It’s hardly a step back for the series, but it could have easily been one more step forward with just a bit more content and some polish.

They gave it a 7/10.