It seems we live in an age of remakes and remakes. With games costing more to produce each passing year, some publishers prefer to bank on direct hits rather than take the risk of launching a new IP. The art of video games has been around for almost fifty years, there are a lot of old properties that can be recreated for completely new viewers who weren’t born or were too young to focus on the initial release. The same thing happened in 2010 when EA tapped Burnett Veterans Test Games to make a remake of the 1998 smash hit Need for Speed 3: Hot Pursuit.
Excluding 3 from the name, the test required speed: hot money on Xbox 360, PS3, and PC. It kept the car handling and driving experience very close to the standard burnout series while keeping the foreign cars and police chase from the original game. It proved to be a hit for players and ended 2010 as one of the most popular games of the year. Fast forward a decade and a remake of Hot Pursuit is getting a remaster treatment for current-gen consoles and Nintendo Switch.
2010 is pulling in 2020
Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered brings the original remake and all subsequent DLC content into one package. Car models get a slight upgrade with different graphical effects. The development team has also implemented an updated photo mode so that players can capture the exact moment when they set up a roadblock in their Mitsubishi with 3 police cruisers.
The automated driver status system from the original game gets a change to the remastered version, asynchronous cross-platform between friends on each version of the game facilitates time trials and leaderboards. Although the PC version of the original remake still has an active community, the leaderboards and time will be cleared for a remastered version of the game for newcomers to the game.
On the PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch versions of the game, the action will be discontinued with a smooth 30fps to ensure continuous handling. The PC version will support up to 60fps, although higher framerates are not supported as the developer has stated that there are all sorts of issues with the game going higher. Those who have pre-ordered the next-gen console will be happy to know that Hot Pursuit Remaster will work on newer machines in compatibility mode, ensuring performance according to the game’s PS4 Pro and Xbox One X versions.
The Nintendo Switch version is sure to be a hit thanks to the added portability. Players will no longer have to look at their living room TV to enjoy a police chase in the countryside in various foreign cars. Like its console counterparts, the Switch version will use the Olog tolog for Atencronus cross platform competition. You’ll be able to set hot laps and event scores while walking, while close friends on your couch will have a chance to complete or defeat the challenge.
I had the opportunity to roll out on the highway with the PC build of High Hot Permit Remaster and it was easy for me to come back after 10 years of playing last time. Running at 4K resolution allowed the updated car models to shine and the framerate was very strong. I’m not sure if the actual PC release will keep the servers open or players should expect to jump to the remastered version to keep chasing leaderboard spots.
Radar love
If you consider Hot Pursuit to be one of the all-time racing classics or you’re too young to remember all the fuss for the first time, this new remaster will get you there. It is scheduled to arrive on PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch on November 13, 2020. Thanksgiving with some Lamborghinis and McLaren’s mustard should be a great bean to protect from the inevitable political heat at the dinner table.
