The game has a something-for-everyone design, with an excellent range of racecourses and customization options. Racecourses can be altered to different times of day and weather conditions, varying their level of challenge. The game has a strong commitment to realism, going to extremes to differentiate the cars in appearance, control, and even engine noise. Driving uphill or on rough terrain has predictable (and frustrating, if it costs you a lead!) effects. Pursuit mode, where you can either run from or become the police, is entertaining and heightens the stakes credibly.

Need for Speed 3: Hot Pursuit is not without minor disappointments, chief among them being the lack of an Internet play option (although you can link players over modem and network). Additionally, some of the course shortcuts fail to deliver their promise as time-savers. It also comes with a virtual airbag--no crash is really terminal. This is a common feature of race games, but a strange convention--it contrasts starkly with the game's realistic driving features. You can strike a road sign, spin out and smash a competitor, or even hit a cliff head-on at 120 mph, and none of these accidents is fatal to the car or driver. Instead, players may back up, turn around, and floor it, in hopes of making up lost time and winning the race. --Alyx Dellamonica

Pros:

• Over a dozen high-performance cars
• Fantastic track design
• Innovative pursuit mode
• Customization options

• Weather has little effect on handling
• Cars don't show damage when bumped or crashed