Need For Speed: Most Wanted racing its way to iOS, Android

Some of the most prolific racing games ever created come from the Electronic Arts’ Need for Speed franchise. The latest game in the franchise, Need for Speed: Most Wanted, is being developed by Criterion, the developer well-known for its Burnout series. Now, according to Unleash The Phones, EA has announced that Need for Speed: Most Wanted will be making its way to Android and iOS devices later this month. The company has released a trailer that shows some of the racing action from the mobile version of the game.

The trailer shows that the game will feature good graphics, along with the same gameplay that will be there in the other versions of Most Wanted, including the Takedown mechanic, which was originally featured in the Burnout series. According to the company, “Need For Speed Most Wanted features stunning dynamic physics-based collisions, exciting cop takedowns, and realistic visual damage.” The physics-based collisions would probably help a great deal with the gameplay, thanks to the ability to execute Takedowns.

Back in July, it was revealed that a movie is being made based on the racing game franchise. The movie is set for release in 2014. Need For Speed is the first major project expenditure DreamWorks has made since the company came out of suspended animation while waiting for Reliance to invest cash in a re-up. The studio acquired the movie rights for the Need for Speed series only last month. There is no indication of why the movie is being fast tracked. EA and DreamWorks explained during their joint announcement that the film adaptation would be "a fast-paced, high-octane film rooted in the tradition of the great car culture films of the 70s while being extremely faithful to the spirit of the video game franchise".

The Need for Speed series has been one of the most successful racing game series, besides being one of the most successful video game franchises. The games in the series have been published by Electronic Arts (EA) and developed by several studios including Canada-based company EA Black Box and Britain-based Criterion Games. NFS was originally developed by Canadian company Distinctive Software, which later became known as EA Canada. As of October 2009, the game series has sold over 100 million copies.

Need For Speed: Most Wanted is making its way to Android and iOS devices

The series has always been known for its arcadey racing gameplay as opposed to the more realistic simulation games like Gran Turismo or Forza Motorsport. Since Black Box’s last Need for Speed - Undercover, EA has released three games in the series from different developers. While Slightly Mad steered the series into Simulation territory with the shift games, Criterion brought the series back to its roots with the reboot Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit.

The last game in the series to be released was Need for Speed: The Run. It aims to bring back the story-driven action driving experience that once helped Need for Speed rule the arcade racing roost. Unfortunately, the aim was way off.

The upcoming game in the Need for Speed franchise is Need for Speed: Most Wanted and is being developed by Criterion.