It is a little to iffy for kids under the age of 11.
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Not age appropriate for kids under 13, age appropriate for kids over 15; suggested age 13. -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Exciting racer on wrong side of the law, teens up.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 13–15
The good stuff
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Educational value:
What to watch out for
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Violence:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of Need for Speed Most Wanted was written by Chris Jozefowicz
Parents need to know that this game is about illegal street racing. This installment includes a new major game dynamic: smashing police pursuers and outrunning them. Other new feature: The game now has an online component, which Common Sense Media does not recommend for anyone under 12. In offline gameplay, players will encounter some light sexual innuendo as well as a fair amount of commercialism in the form of real-life cars and in-game ads.
Families Can Talk About
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- Families can talk about the dangers of street racing and irresponsible driving. When a high speed car crash left a Canadian man dead, a police officer made the game partially to blame. Do you agree? Does playing a game like this make illegal actions seem more attractive in real life? Should game makers stop glamorizing destructive and illegal activities?
More on Need for Speed Most Wanted
What’s the Story?
NEED FOR SPEED: MOST WANTED turns freeways and neighborhood streets into racetracks. The single-player game is dominated by a Career Mode, in which players challenge a collection of street racers known as the Blacklist 15. Players must complete a series of driving challenges before they can compete with each member of the Blacklist.
Players roam freely, selecting challenges as they encounter them, and they have the option to simply jump to a challenge from a safe-house garage. The challenges include an impressive variety of races, such as head-to-head contests against other drivers and beat-the-clock timed runs along highways. Tangling with the cops adds "heat" to a player's car, making future chases more difficult but also winning bounty points and improving the player's reputation.
CloseIs It Any Good?
Need For Speed provides a nice variety of customizable cars that look and sound great. Many have noticeably different driving characteristics. The sense of speed ramps up accordingly, and the controls are generally responsive within the absurd allowances of arcade racing (due to very noticeable "rubber banding," challengers are usually never too far away, no matter how well players drive).
The Career Mode is quite lengthy and should provide at least 15 hours of gameplay. But if players tire of it, they can compete in Challenge Modes (things like creating the costliest damage possible) or take the racing online. Flying through back alleys and across sidewalks produces plenty of vicarious thrills in this excellent arcade racer, but the game does celebrate illegal and dangerous behavior. Parents may want to think carefully before giving this one the green light.
ClosePublisher’s Details
Released on 2/17/2006, price $39.99, not online enabled
ESRB rating: T
ESRB rating: T
Our Members Say
See all 38 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
- I rate this title on for age 11 and give itMy concerns are:
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Negative role models
Good for ages 11 up.
- I rate this title on for age 12 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive consumerism
- Negative role models
- My highlights are:
- Easy to play
ONly racing game I have enjoyed, still slightly older-themed than the rest.
Regardless of my concerns, this game is very fun. Excellent controls, beautiful graphics (on the xbox 360) and white knuckle police chases make this game one of the most tensest moments in racing cause this game to be a must-have for fans of the series, and even people like me who can't tell the difference between a GT and a Ford. Of course, this is a more "street" game with you being on the bad side of the law.
- I rate this title on for age 8 and give it
okay
its okay i guess its about you going into rockport and challging the blacklist racer named razer .you lose your car to him because he screwed up your car so you have to start over the game.then you have to take out the 15 blacklist racers.
- I rate this title iffy for age 10 and give it
Wow 13+? should be 10+
The only thing bad about this game is getting into high speed chases, smashing into police cars, and pulling off stunts, usually crashing into objects like gas stations and cars and jumps
- I rate this title on for age 10 and give it
oh my god!
ok the first thing that came out of my mouth when i saw the adualt revews is said oh,my,god! these ratings are retarted! i got this game when i was 6-7 years old! god i think this game is fantastick and it unleashes your spiret of racing. if your kid likes racing get this for him/her(probabley not her, just saying) there is a few songs that have bad language. and yes they are pretty strong, like mother f***er and s**t and hell and some like d*mn and d**h and d**h b*g so if you kid isn't to kaotick with the language then you shoud get it for them as like a birthday present or just like a regular game, or any other holliday. i do get a little pissed off when i get busted but if you kid has problems controling there anger then don't get it for them. but other wise it is fun and challenging for people 10+, i'll tell you why i got it when i was 7, my dad made a mistake(pretty bad one too) well got to get playing it bye :)!
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