Need for Speed: Shift box art

See more on IGDB

Need for Speed: Shift

Remove Ads with Grouvee Gold

Need for Speed: Shift

Sep 15, 2009

Main game

2.96 average rating based on 413 ratings

5
30
4
91
3
158
2
98
1
35
Need for Speed SHIFT is an award-winning authentic racing game that combines the true driver’s experience with real-world physics, pixel-perfect car models, and a wide range of authentic race tracks. Need for Speed SHIFT takes players in a different direction to create a simulation experience that replicates the true feeling of driving high-end performance cars. Players are thrust into the loud, visceral, intense, athletic experience of racing a car on the edge of control from the driver’s perspective through the combination of perception based G-forces, the hyper reality of the cockpit view, and the brutal experience of a first person … More
Need for Speed SHIFT is an award-winning authentic racing game that combines the true driver’s experience with real-world physics, pixel-perfect car models, and a wide range of authentic race tracks. Need for Speed SHIFT takes players in a different direction to create a simulation experience that replicates the true feeling of driving high-end performance cars. Players are thrust into the loud, visceral, intense, athletic experience of racing a car on the edge of control from the driver’s perspective through the combination of perception based G-forces, the hyper reality of the cockpit view, and the brutal experience of a first person crash dynamic. Need for Speed SHIFT features an accurate, accessible physics-based driving model that allows you to feel every impact, every change of track surface and every last bit of grip as you push yourself to the edge. Less
Release Dates
Sep 15, 2009 (North_America)
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Sep 17, 2009 (Europe)
PlayStation 3
Sep 18, 2009 (Europe)
PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox 360
Sep 24, 2009 (Australia)
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Nov 12, 2009 (Japan)
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Remove Ads with Grouvee Gold
User Stats
1109
In Collection
81
Wish Listed
29
Playing
257
Backlogged
How Long Is Need for Speed: Shift?
Main story: 12.0 hours
Total completions: 1
Related Content
Chauliodusi
Chauliodusi gave May 9, 2022
Chauliodusi gave May 9, 2022
Manual Transmission
This review is for the Xbox 360 version

I did not enjoy this game, but I did find it satisfying. I think that it served a good purpose, to help players get used to using manual transmission in videogames, as well as offer a comparison of first-person view and more realistic tire friction, compared to Need for Speed games of its era.

KP_Neato_Dee
KP_Neato_Dee updated their status Sep 24, 2025
KP_Neato_Dee updated their status Sep 24, 2025

I played through this with a controller a long time ago, and it was pretty fun. Now I got a cheap wheel & stand and am playing this again as my intro to sim(cade) racing and it's super fun!

Notorious
Notorious updated their status Apr 13, 2023
Notorious updated their status Apr 13, 2023

Overall if you are looking to kill some time, then it is not so bad. But if you are enthusiastic about racing games, especially one that claims to be a simulator - then you might be disappointed.

Coming from other NFS games, I felt underwhelmed even though sim genre is something I pretty much enjoy.

histidia
histidia updated their status Nov 21, 2019
histidia updated their status Nov 21, 2019

This may not be a bad game for mamy people but it most certainly is a horrible Need For Speed game. This franchise has never been about track racing or about haiving realistic handling models. Need For Speed has always been an arcade franchise and turning tables this time was a terrible choice. I coudln't even control the car, no matter how many assists or how easy the difficulty was, I just never enjoyed it and ultimately disliked it.

Intervigilium
Intervigilium updated their status Jun 26, 2016
Intervigilium updated their status Jun 26, 2016

*Forcing the fisrt person view is an interesting concept for the NFS

*The effect of the damage in the driving performance isn't reallistic but in a game is enough in regulating the agresive behaviour of ramming each curve.

*width selection of vehicles more or less balnced in tiers

*Beautiful grafics

*Challenging but with a wide range of difficult tweaks