Need For Speed Carbon details

By Tom Bramwell Published 19 June, 2006

Still not much, so grid and bear it.

Details on Need For Speed Carbon have been monoxidously thin since its name first appeared at E3 last month, but a few scans have popped up from US and UK magazines this week offering more of an outline.

NFS Carbon - apparently so called due of its relationship with "Carbon Canyon" in California, where racers often meet up to drive around very fast and probably "race for pinks" and the like - is due out on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, PS2, Xbox and PSP this winter.

Those of you wondering whether it shares more in common with the ludicrously popular Need For Speed Underground games or the recent Most Wanted digression will probably find elements of both, by the sound of it, with lots of cop chases but also a definite sense of building up a "crew".

This time your gang of racing pals will have unique characteristics in each of their favour. Some will be better at ramming people off the road, others at slipstreaming and so on, and these skills will come into play during the "canyon races" the title hints at, where you have to race after opponents without getting caught out by the scenery.

Or something to that effect anyway. You'll also, word has it, spend time working across each of the game's three broad maps trying to win control of their seven respective territories, each of which will bring with it certain bonuses. Like modding discounts. Because like NFSU, there's going to be plenty of that to help you build up your garage out of the game's 50-100 cars.

All of which is promising but, as you can tell, a bit rough around the edges with certain things still to be nailed down. For example, some of the cars apparently haven't even been unveiled in real life yet, and there's talk of how the game may use the PS3's tilt sensor, but that it's still TBC.

Expect a bit more clarify, then, as we move closer to the game's release later this year - with Leipzig's Game Convention in August, in particular, a likely place to find out more.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (29) Latest comment 6 years ago

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  • Rodster #1 6 years ago

    Can't wait to see some 360 screens. :)

  • reality_cheque #2 6 years ago

    I need a 'crew' like I need a custom made spoiler.

    Still, at least this feels like they've tried to add something to it other than 'street cred'

  • Razzajazz #3 6 years ago

    I just hope that they have the hilariously bad cutscenes again! With Most Wanted, I just wanted to beat the game so I could laugh at that prick Razor!

    "I'm gonna take your car, then your girl.... And I gonna ride 'em better that you ever could!"

    Yeah, alright mate. Nice one. :)

  • reality_cheque #4 6 years ago

    I liked the cutscenes because of Boobs (as WarKitty likes to call her)

  • afray #5 6 years ago

    "Hi, I'm *hotchick* and I play Mia in Need For Speed Most Wanted..."

    She then went on to give me some important message, but I was staring too intently at her FMV navel to listen properly. Mmm, navel.

  • Steroyd #6 6 years ago

    and there's talk of how the game may use the PS3's tilt sensor, but that it's still TBC.

    okay people start brainstorming and think "how the f**k are they going to use a tilt sensor in a car racing game." :s

  • afray #7 6 years ago

    "Flick the control pad with RealMotion(tm) Technology to open the ashtray of over 100 licensed vehicles!"

    :-/

  • skillian #8 6 years ago

    due out on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, PS2, Xbox and PSP this winter

    Any news on a PC version?

  • Eighthours #9 6 years ago

    So... one year dev cycle, versions on all platforms.

    This'll be about as next gen as Pong on PS3 and the 360.

  • Laserbream #10 6 years ago

    It started with GTA San Andreas. I cannot relate to the protagonists in games anymore. Oh well, if you need me I'll be in the park, feeding the pigeons and passing the time until the day I don't wake up.

  • kangarootoo #11 6 years ago

    Cutscenes aside, I think NFS Most Wanted is probably the best arcade racer on the 360 (better than Burnout IMO). Their free roaming cop-chase mechanic is about the most fun you can have in a car with your clothes on.

    Not much info to go on with Carbon, but I would hope the free roaming, multi option aspect is retained.

  • Furbs #12 6 years ago

    YAY! To cop chases
    NOOOOO! To building up a crew.

    LOVED NFS:MW. If they can keep the framerate up consistently this time and perhaps make things look a little less brown, this could be great.

  • kangarootoo #13 6 years ago

    "and perhaps make things look a little less brown"

    I wouldn't get your hopes up. Carbon Canyon sounds like its in a desert somewhere, and it doesn't get much more brown than US deserts :)

  • HarryB #14 6 years ago

    nfs was back on form with nicer cars and less stupid mods

  • Beano #15 6 years ago

    My guess is this one will be just as bad as the last three NFS games.. geeesh!

  • rudedudejude #16 6 years ago

    wooooo I hope you can chav ur cars up proper bling lik wit me 21" and me neons...

    Help! Ahhh well, it'll probably sell well with the Chavs :p

  • firefly #17 6 years ago

    Personally I'm just looking forward to next year's Need for Speed: ASBO.
    You start out as a young chav in one of a number of UK towns and you've just gotten your provisional licence (meaning that you already have lots of joyriding experience). As the game progresses you purchase some piece of junk and begin to convert it into a ridiculously souped up piece of junk using money earned through street races etc until you finally get your deathmobile pimped out with all da latest bling and da burberry init. The biggest innovation will be a new type of race where you must find the time before the end to get out of your car and perform a set number of happy slappings.

  • dllord #18 6 years ago

    Bring on the blured graphics! yee haw!

  • Xerx3s #19 6 years ago

    Yay another NfS!

    /sighs
    /goes to bed

  • Johnson #20 6 years ago

    I see a thousand sub-editors all waiting for the release to be formally set so they can go with "Need For Speed: Carbon Dated".

  • WhyMeeeeee #21 6 years ago

    NFS Carbon cos you can buy carbon fibre body panels, carbon fibre brakes, carbon fibre steering wheel, carbon fibre everything.

    obviously not carbon fibre tyres, that would be a rough ride.

  • Sko #22 6 years ago

    "The name alone 'Need for Speed' makes me want to run a mile. This game is of zero interest."

    ...as long as at the end of that mile is a message board for a game you supposedly have 'zero' interest in?

  • Talha #23 6 years ago

    Loved NFS MW and completely agree with Kangarootoo. This, though remains to be seen.

    And... NO PC VERSION????? What the hell is going on??

  • 3william56 #24 6 years ago

    @Johnson - that, and Need for Speed Carbon Copy

  • Eraser #25 6 years ago

    For me, Trackmania Nations has proven that a multitude of cars and especially the possibility to "pimp" them is only useless baggage in a game. TMN has one car that everyone uses and it's one of the most entertaining racing games I've ever played.

  • space_ace #26 6 years ago

    ...and i might as well just grin and bear it

  • Furbs #27 6 years ago

    Whats more predictable? EA doing another version of a franchise that sells well or the snobbish comments from people on a gaming forum?
    Edited by 1 at 20/06/06 @ 14:04

  • Talha #28 6 years ago

    @Furbs: One thing is even more predictable: Those snobs automatically concluding that the game CAN"T BE any good.

  • Donkeh #29 6 years ago

    "And... NO PC VERSION????? What the hell is going on??"

    I'm sure I read some where that they're doing a mobile version. If they're doing that, you can bet your bottom dollar they'll be doing a PC version. Can't believe a mobile version would over-ride a PC version. But then again...

    It probably hasn't been announced yet or EG forgot to mention it. More likely the afore.