Released as Need for Speed: High Stakes in the US, this game was sandwiched between NFS III: Hot Pursuit and NFS Porsche 2000 (Porsche Unleashed in the US). I guess that’s why not many people paid much attention to it.
If you played NFS III: Hot Pursuit, you’ll feel a bit confused once the intro video shenanigans finish, as the menus are identical. Initially, I thought Hot Pursuit and Road Challenge were the same game but with different US/EU release names. However, it turns out Road Challenge was released a year after NFS III.
The game is fairly straightforward. There’s a career mode where you can earn money by winning races, then invest it in better cars, repairs, or upgrades. Yes, your car gets damaged in this game, and you can actually see the damage. Or, you can just pick a map and car and play a single race. There’s even an option to play split-screen single races, which is something we never see anymore.
I find the “Download Car” button hilarious. It reminds me of those old anti-piracy ads saying, “You wouldn’t steal a car“. Yeah, but I would definitely download one! As far as I remember, though, the button doesn’t work anymore. There are quite a few bonus (locked) cars. I’m not sure how to unlock them, but probably by winning races (doh… obviously).
The career mode starts you off with a small budget of $25,000. There aren’t many car options at that price, but the game provides good comparison tables so you can get the best one for your money.
When it comes to the gameplay, it’s alright but definitely not amazing. The cars aren’t agile at all—driving often feels like operating a hovercraft. The weather effects, road reflections, and environment look beautiful, though, without being distracting. Unsurprisingly, the 3DFX Voodoo II card does a great job here.
In career mode, you also get chased by the police. I know some people love this mechanic since it adds complexity to the game, but I find it annoying. I can barely keep the car on the road, let alone deal with police ramming into me constantly. Of course, if they manage to stop you, you get a ticket.
After three tickets, you’re knocked out of the race. To be fair, that applies to your opponents too. I think I won a race once just because my opponent got knocked out that way—otherwise, I was far behind with no chance of winning.
There’s also some traffic, but it’s minimal—you might see a car or a lorry occasionally. It doesn’t add much to the gameplay, but it does make the world feel a little more alive.
This is a good game, but unfortunately, the police chase gameplay isn’t something I enjoy, and it feels like that mechanic is central to career mode. Still, I’d definitely recommend this to anyone looking to play a progressive racing game from the late ’90s.
Hardware used in this video
Gigabyte GA-6BXC
Intel Pentium II MMX 266mhz (Ep.2 Intel Pentium III 450mhz)
128MB SDRam
S3 Trio3D/2X
3DFX Voodoo II
Creative SoundBlaster Live! 5.1 (SB0100)
40GB Seagate HDD (IDE)
Microsoft Sidewinder Gamepad
