NFS PRO STREET tips

In a dramatic change of direction, EA took one of its premiere arcade racers and turned it into a street racing simulation, When EA dubbed its new entry ProStreet, it wasn't kidding.

Street racing is defined by an obsessive need to customize your car with high quality aftermarket parts to push it to its very limits. And now that street racing is becoming more of a legitimate sport in comparison to the days of illegally drag racing at midnight for pink slips, EA aims to emulate the shift in culture with ProStreet. The result is a game that focuses on four main racing events and heavy customization. Here are some tips to get you started on the road to street credibility.

Grip

Aside from a noun meaning "tight hold", Grip is a traditional race mode in which the first person to cross the line wins. Sounds simple, right? Well now that Need for Speed controls more like Forza than Burnout, keeping a good line and passing at the right moment are the keys to victory. The first thing you should do is toggle on the best-line indicators. These friendly little arrows will change colors in tight corners to warn you if you're going too fast and about to, you know, hit a wall. While it's a bit of a newb tactic, the indicators will shave precious seconds off your lap times.

Once you get to know some tracks, don't be afraid to go offroading. There are certain S curves that you can turn into a straightaway simply by driving on the grass. This will of course slow you down, but it will also eliminate distance -- and you'll probably still be going faster than if you were to slow down and take the S turn at a safe speed. There are plenty of corners to cut in ProStreet.

When it comes to customization, improving your handling is more important than top speed. Computer cars tend to take turns cautiously, so you can easily pass them on the outside if you've purchased a good set of tires, stiff suspension and maybe even a spoiler. While they play it safe, you can push the limit.

Drag

In no other event is customization more important than in drag races. The first thing you need to do to tweak your car is find a new body kit and sculpt it to minimize wind resistance and maximize your top speed. Tweak your suspension on the stiff side. This will help you stay straight when you hit a small bump in the road. At 200 MPH, a small bump can spell disaster. Also, be sure to select a muscle car like the Corvette or Chevelle with a lot of horsepower. You'll be amazed at how many computer opponents show up to the line with a souped-up VW. That's just embarrassing.

On the track, don't be afraid to jump the starting light. You can usually shift into first gear just before the light turns green without getting tagged for a false start. The key is to start moving exactly as the light turns, rather than hitting the pedal, waiting for a fuel injector, spinning the tires to gain traction, and then accelerating. You want to begin accelerating right at green. And if you get tagged for a false start, don't sweat it. Drag races only measure your best time of three rounds.

Drift

Drift is perhaps the most difficult event for new players. You car has so much low-end power that it can feel impossible to control, so take a few practice rounds before competition to get a feel for the wild drift physics in ProStreet. In drift races, you're rewarded for speed and angle of drift. You should focus on a higher speed and subtler angle. These drifts are easier to control and you can usually maintain them longer, resulting in plenty of bonus points for staying on the track as well as a long drift. A steeper angle is almost impossible to control and you'll often find yourself backing up to a wall if you're not careful.

At the line, start slow so you don't spin the tires. Hit the nitro for top speed. Start turning and tap the e-break. Keep the angle subtle, and then counter-steer and let up on the accelerator when you're ready to come out of the drift. Test yourself to see just how long you can go, because you'll surprise yourself when you drift almost the entire track.

Speed Challenge

This is a new event in Need for Speed, and fans of Burnout will enjoy its pace. In Speed Challenge, you simply want to drive as fast as possible, and that means you'll have to master the twin arts of subtle turns and anticipation. At 200 mph, a quick jab on the thumbstick can cause a drastic decrease in your speed, and you're very likely to lose control and total your car in an exploding shower of auto parts (crashes in this event are simply awesome, incidentally). Practice minor pushes on the control stick to make subtle shifts in direction that don't sacrifice speed. Don't be afraid to take your foot off the gas, if only for a moment, to maintain control. Finally, never touch the brake.

Perhaps the most challenging aspect of speed challenge is the CPU racers hogging the track. You'll have to carefully navigate your way past the competition, and if you bump just one your chances of winning go up in smoke. Speed challenges demand perfection, so if you happen to mess up just once, you're better off restarting the race and trying again rather than waiting for that 8th place finish graphic to show up again. Anticipate your turns when passing opponents. At that speed the AI is not going to try and block you.

In the garage, you'll want to cut down on wind resistance with an aerodynamic body kit. A soft suspension can be fatal at high speeds, so be sure to stiffen that up. Get a good set of tires, too. Speed is key, but good handling will help you maintain that speed from start to finish.

For some general words of advice, don't get too attached to any one car in your garage, at least not early on. To progress through your career you'll need to continually upgrade your stable of vehicles. Don't waste time decorating early cars, because you'll likely sell them or put them at the bottom of the depth chart when you purchase a newer, faster car. It's easy to fall in love with a car that won you a handful of races, but soon the competition will catch up with you and you'll need to buy something new. By the end of your career, however, you should have four state-of-the-art driving machines, and, at that time, feel free to love again. Be sure to share your blueprints with the world online.

One Last Tip

Experiment in the garage. You'll be amazed at just how much you can get out of even the cheapest cars on the lot.