When the desire to drive flashy cars really really fast strikes, the safest (and most legal) way to indulge has to be with EA's lauded Need For Speed series of games in which flashy cars drive really really fast. In this latest installment (subtitled "Carbon") players sit back behind the wheel following the events of the previous game, Most Wanted, as a battle for city territory begins and control of the city’s many streets goes up for grabs. Although Carbon also appears on other consoles, EA shoved a little motion control into the Wii version, making this edition of the game quite different from its counterparts.

Features

• Drift back into the Need For Speed universe
  
• Includes Wii-exclusive motion control
  
• Win races and claim territory in Career Mode
  
• Hire and fire crew members to help during races
  
• Zip through a series of tasks in the Challenge Series
  
• Customize cars with unlockable upgrades
  
• Actress/model Emmanuelle Vaugier stars
  

The Requirement of Extraneous Velocity
The bulk of Carbon has to be Career Mode. Following the plot events of Need For Speed: Most Wanted the player returns to the city of Palmont to find the area divided up into various gang territories. Each part of the city is controlled by a certain gang (and boss, naturally). The primary object of the game is to win races to gradually acquire territory to become the big boss of the street racing underworld. Along the way rivals will try to interfere and the police will put a crimp in the player’s plans from time to time. The idea is to build up one’s empire to include lots of territory, many loyal subordinates, and a garage full of fancy cars.

Did somebody mention fancy cars? Early on players are instructed to choose a class of car in which to race. Tuners won’t blast speed records to bits, but the handling on these cars can’t be beat. Exotics are all about top speed, but suffer with handling. Muscle cars are known for their acceleration, but just can’t compete with handling and speed. The trick is to take all three classes of cars for a test drive and find the variety that works best for the player. Over time (and after winning a few races) players can start acquiring cars of other types of classes, but that initial choice of vehicle can greatly impact progress during the first portion of the game. As the old saying goes, choose wisely. Eventually players can load cars into a customizable body shop to add upgrades and sculpt new parts for beloved vehicles.

Speaking of subordinates, along the way various other characters will come to respect the player as his or her empire grows. These characters can be hired on as crew members who can assist during races. Crew members are divided up into three different categories: scouts, blockers, and drafters. Scouts can alert the player to special shortcuts during races, while blockers swoop in front of opponents to slow them down to prevent them from overtaking the player. As for drafters, these valuable crew members slip in front of the player’s car and assist in helping the player slipstream (that is, get a brief speed boost). Crew members cost money to hire and some people are better at some jobs than others. Gaining more territory attracts the attention of better (and more expensive) potential crew members.



Moving beyond the offerings of Career Mode, the Challenge Series features a variety of racing challenges designed to make one a better racer and serves as a means to unlock new car parts. For instance, one such challenge involves reaching checkpoints before time elapses, while another requires players to evade a squad of pursuing police for a set amount of time. The "My Cars" mode is where cars can be customized and upgraded. Eager for a quick race? Then go for the Quick Race mode to simply engage in a racing challenge that doesn’t impact one’s Career Mode standing. When in-game rewards are earned, players can go to the Reward Cards mode to cash them in. Finally, the game tracks a ton of various statistics that can be accessed from the game’s main menu.