5 games to try out if you enjoyed Need for Speed Unbound

Criterion Games' Need for Speed Unbound is one of the best NFS titles in recent memory, a worthy successor to 2019's NFS Heat. With stellar races, intense cop chases, and a robust customization system, the game has everything players love about the franchise.

The Need for Speed series has been the staple for players looking for a quality arcade racing experience. Although the franchise still reigns in the arcade racing landscape, many other titles have come out over the years, delivering an equally enthralling experience.

From the Forza Horizon to The Crew, here are the five best games players should try out if they enjoyed Need for Speed Unbound.

Note: The article is subjective and solely reflects the opinions of the author.

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Forza Horizon 5, Burnout Paradise, and 3 other amazing games players should try out if they like Need for Speed Unbound

1) Forza Horizon 5

Playground Games and Xbox Games Studios' Forza Horizon series has come a long way since its inception back in the Xbox 360 era. Apart from Need for Speed, very few racing titles delivered an open-world arcade racing experience, that too with officially licensed car brands.

Since its debut back in 2012, Forza Horizon has aimed to introduce an immaculate driving system to a vast open-world environment, complete with a seamless multiplayer experience. This gives players complete freedom over their progression.

Forza Horizon 5, the most recent entry, is arguably the best title in the series, giving players a vast open world with a host of races and activities. It also boasts more than 400 officially licensed automobiles, starting from daily vehicles like Honda Civic to some of the most exotic hypercars in existence.

Despite lacking the steady progression of the Need for Speed series, Forza Horizon 5 is still a great title in its own right. It is something fans of NFS Unbound should not miss out on.

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2) The Crew 2

Ubisoft's The Crew series is very much like the Forza Horizon games. However, there is one key difference. It has a much heavier emphasis on arcade racing physics, bringing it much closer to the Need for Speed games when it comes to driving.

The Crew 2, the series' most recent entry, is basically like a Need for Speed title but with a much bigger open world. The game features a huge roster of officially licensed cars that rivals that of the Forza Horizon games and a robust customization system akin to the recent NFS titles.

The Crew 2 is easily the best game that players should try out if they enjoyed Need for Speed Unbound.

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3) Burnout Paradise

Before Criterion Games became the primary developers of the Need for Speed games, they were pumping out some incredible arcade racing titles under the Burnout series.

Burnout Paradise, being the final entry in the series, is arguably the best one. It delivers an intense arcade racing experience, coupled with the whack driving physics that the series is known for.

The game does not feature officially licensed cars, partly due to the main attraction of the title being the over-the-top crashes and takedowns. However, it still offers an incredible racing gameplay experience.

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4) GRID Legends

Developer Codemasters' GRID series, despite lacking in originality, always delivered a robust racing experience.

The handling model used for the GRID games feels somewhere between an arcade and a simulation, something that is rarely done right in most modern racing games. While the series never dabbled into the open-world genre, the linear track-based progression delivered a satisfying racing experience.

GRID Legends, the series' most recent title, is a significant step up in almost every aspect. The game retains the linear progression with multiple racing tracks that players unlock via progression. However, the newest addition is a fleshed-out single-player story featuring the rise of a rookie racer.

While the story in GRID Legends is nothing spectacular, it adds a lot to the game's single-player progression, something that most simulation racing titles lack.

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5) Wreckfest

Bugbear's Wreckfest is easily one of the most enjoyable racing games out there. It is a demolition derby-themed racing game with arcade driving mechanics and a soft-body damage system that allows for spectacular crashes and destruction physics.

Much like Criterion Games' Burnout games, Wreckfest is all pure arcade fun over realistic driving physics. The title does not feature an open-world setting like the Burnout games or Need for Speed Unbound. However, its linear progression system offers plenty of replayability and fun, with multiple unlockable tracks, cars, and customization parts.