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Need for Speed Shift brings first person racing to PSP

Off the starting line in September

Need for Speed Shift brings first person racing to PSP
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PSP
| Need for Speed: Shift

Frankly we're becoming less and less convinced when it comes to the handheld versions of EA's signature racing series Need for Speed. Indeed, it wasn't that long ago that our US editor Tracy Erickson suggested the entire concept needed to spend some time getting rebored in the garage.

Of course, with 100 million units sold, EA's decided to do no such thing and is going full speed ahead with 2009's releases. These are split into two versions from two development teams: Need for Speed Nitro for DS and Wii out of EA Montreal; and Need for Speed Shift for consoles (Slightly Mad Studios) and PSP (Bright Light studio).

Nitro is more of the usual NfS with arcade street action and avoiding the cops, while Shift is a track-based racer with muscle cars such as Pagani Zonda F, Porsche 911 GT2, and Lotus Elise.

"With Need for Speed Shift, we set out to create a racing game that pushes the genre and delivers something never before seen in a Need for Speed title," reckons Patrick Soderlund, senior Vice president at EA Games Europe.

"By focusing on the driver's experience through the first-person view, we are able to capture the high-speed intensity and gripping emotions of racing."

As part of this first person view (screenshot shown is from a console version), the game will also attempt to match realistic aspects such as cornering and acceleration G-forces, vibrations as the track surface changes, a highly detailed cockpit view, and "brutally disorienting" crashes

Need for Speed Shift will be released on September 17th in Europe and September 22nd in North America.
Jon Jordan
Jon Jordan
A Pocket Gamer co-founder, Jon can turn his hand to anything except hand turning. He is editor-at-large at PG.biz which means he can arrive anywhere in the world, acting like a slightly confused uncle looking for the way out. He likes letters, cameras, imaginary numbers and legumes.