RideLust

Fans of the Need For Speed franchise are used to being chased by the cops, but the latest installment of Hot Pursuit (due in stores November 16) throws in a new twist. Instead of just running from the law, now you can BE the law, and build a career based on your successful intercepts of speeders and street racers. Hopefully, they’ll throw in a few “texting while driving” scofflaws as well.

Unlike real police, you’ll have a bit more latitude with your pursuit speeds and intervention techniques. You won’t be stuck with a ten year old Crown Vic, either, since the trailer shows everything from Mustangs through Chargers through a Bugatti Veyron as a police interceptor. If your department actually uses Veyrons as police cars, let me know and I’ll send you my resume. I want to work for a department with that kind of funding.

I’m a huge fan of NFS Shift, and actually like the controls and views better than GT5 Prologue. If the full version of GT5 hits on November 2 as scheduled, NFS Hot Pursuit will likely get lost in the background, which is a shame. In any case, fans of racing video games should have a great holiday season in 2010.