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The Need For Speed series has been rolling with PlayStation for a while now, with every sequel stomping its predecessor. Need For Speed: High Stakes (NFS:HS) once more takes it to the next level. Aside from the standard graphic and lighting improvements, NFS:HS has an overhauled physics engine, vanity plates, and the actual recorded engine burn of every car. Add in new modes, cars, tracks, and a player budget, and NFS:HS starts to make Need For Speed III look like a go-cart racer.

Previously, races had to be won to unlock better cars. In NFS:HS, all your dream autos are going to cost you a pretty penny. A new player starts off with just enough cash to buy a no-frills BMW Z3 Roadster or Mercedes SLK 230. From there, the long road to the $500,000 McLaren F1 GTR begins. A variety of tournaments and special events can be entered (for a price), with prize money given to the top three finishers. In some special events (like the Corvettes Only race), a one of a kind boss-mobile will be the prize for the winner.

The economic system, coupled with having to pay for the damage caused during a reckless run, brings a new level of thought to the track. A player can use earned money to purchase one of three upgrades for the car he or she has, sell a car off, buy a new car, or maybe save a little extra in case a difficult tournament, along with the entry fee, is lost. With one memory card, players can assemble a garage full of nice toys.

Once you’ve built up an impressive array of cars, it’s time to risk it all in High Stakes mode. Two players enter their memory cards and race what they think are their sweetest rides. The winner steals the loser’s car, keeping it for bragging rights or selling it for spite.

The popular Hot Pursuit mode also makes its much improved return. Playing as the law; call for backup, lay road spikes, or set up a road block. Luckily for all would-be perps out there, a police scanner spouts all the info a well-trained ear would need to avoid trouble. Best of all, Hot Pursuit can be played in 2-player split-screen, either as a team or as law vs. law-breaker.

Standing on its own, Need For Speed: High Stakes is the best there’s ever been for the series. The only question is, how does it compare with the multitude of other PlayStation racers out there?