20 things to do in the first hour of Need For Speed: Most Wanted

It's a city of possibilities...

So you've bought Need For Speed: Most Wanted and got it loaded up. The entire city's there to be enjoyed. But what can you do straight from the first rev of the engine to maximise your fun in the first hour? Fear not! GamesRadar is here to suggest some automotive tomfoolery. Check this out...

1. Hit the first ramp

After the first few sweeping corners and the drift tutorial, there's a ramp you might miss if you're not looking for it. Right before the first Jack Spot, look right and get ready to hit this ramp. Do so and you'll smash through a BioWare advertising board, landing right at the foot of your first new ride.

2. Earn some nitrous

It's worth doing the first race you get offered to earn nitrous for your car. By the way, don't miss the rather nifty spray effects from the breakers. Just don't get saltwater all over your shiny new car.

3. Blow your tyres and do donuts on the rims

Hold the brake and accelerator together from standing, then release the brake as you turn to do a massive donut. Keep it going long enough and your rear tyres will explode, leaving you spinning on your bare rims. You'll even get an achievement/trophy, as if it wasn't already rewarding enough.

4. Find the Ariel

In Kruger Drive (two roads North from the broken bridge at the bottom of the map), you can find this tasty little number sitting in a parking lot. Well, it seems cruel to just let it sit there, doesnt it?

5. ...And the Lamborghini Gallardo

This is next to the large parking lot in McClane (come off Interstate 92 in the South East of the map and find it on the corner as you head South). Time to get speedy. Just don't expect to be able to wreck it in the manner you've become accustomed to in Criterion games. It's 'robust', to put it politely.

6. Pick a fight with a cop

Yeah, we just drove into him. Thats gonna get you noticed. Hot Pursuit time!

7. Smash through a roadblock

Just stick to main roads while being chased by the cops and this will happen sooner or later. We just smashed through and earned the Battering Ram achievement. Booosh!

8. Look backwards while smashing stuff

A simple trick, but pulling back on the right stick gives you a great view of a billboard smash, provided you've lined it up properly.

9. Do a 'switcheroo'

Hop into a new car while youre being chased to earn this achievement and also fool your pursuers (if youre in cooldown mode, which were not here).

Justin Towell

Justin was a GamesRadar staffer for 10 years but is now a freelancer, musician and videographer. He's big on retro, Sega and racing games (especially retro Sega racing games) and currently also writes for Play Magazine, Traxion.gg, PC Gamer and TopTenReviews, as well as running his own YouTube channel. Having learned to love all platforms equally after Sega left the hardware industry (sniff), his favourite games include Christmas NiGHTS into Dreams, Zelda BotW, Sea of Thieves, Sega Rally Championship and Treasure Island Dizzy.