Skip To...
The turbo charger’s roar and the shifting of gears to reach top speed are everything in a racing game, but the NFS franchise has one unique element that makes it precious to most fans: the narrative. That story is the franchise’s soul, and high-caliber characters are the ones to deliver. From villains who will do anything to steal your ride to a main character who shares the player’s motives, there’s always a way to kick things up a notch as you win the next race. Some of these characters are the reason that a game like Need For Speed: Most Wanted is remarkable, and here are the top 10 best.
10. Neville (Chris Gauthier)
“I’m the monkey!” Can anyone forget that line after Need For Speed: Carbon? Neville is a supporting character in the story of NFS: Carbon, and you can have him by your side as a part of the crew. However, in the few cutscenes featuring the character, Chris Gauthier takes all the attention with his outstanding performance. RIP Chris Gauthier, and thank you for all the memories you gave us with Neville.
9. Frank Mercer (Josh Coxx)
Some of the best Need For Speed characters are the game’s villains. Just like Shaw, Frank Mercer is a corrupt police officer who transmits fear to anyone trying to escape the cops at night. Mercer was even the one who went rogue to throw Richie off the bridge, and his speeches over the news are always threatening before listening to the customization menu’s mild music.
8. Jack Rourke (Sean Farris)
Need For Speed: The Run is one of the underrated games in the series. The Run fell in the shadow of big titles like Hot Pursuit that came before, and its change of pace in gameplay wasn’t everyone’s idea of what a Need For Speed game should be. The narrative action introduced Jack Rourke to us, as he was about to be executed right at the beginning of the game! Jack is one of the best racers, trying to win at any cost, even if he’s got cops, thugs, and chopper gunners at his tail.
7. Tyler “Ty” Morgan (Jack Derges)
The ambition to win is what makes Tyler similar to Jack. Need For Speed: Payback‘s main character is one of a kind when it comes to racing, and that’s what makes his interactions with other characters more interesting. Tyler’s refusal to give up is what motivates players to rise from the dust and beat The House in Fortune’s Valley with racing skills alone.
6. Sean “Mac” McAlister (David Ajala)
While Ty is the beat-them-all type of character, Mac is the one who makes the party fun to follow. Mac isn’t at the center of attention in Payback, but his presence balances the situation with the rogue Tyler and level-headed Jess. Not to mention that Mac’s jokes about cars and the MacAttack truck are some of the best and most memorable parts of Need For Speed: Payback.
5. Lucas Rivera (Jonny Cruz)
Unlike Tyler, Mac, and Jack, Lucas Rivera has more depth to his character. We met Lucas in NFS: Heat where he was fixing cars at a garage, leaving his racing days behind due to what happened to his father. However, as chary as Luca gets with street racing, his change of character for saving you and his sister is a remarkable twist in NFS: Heat‘s story.
4. Danny Shaw (Joshua Collins)
Things get serious in Need For Speed: Heat as soon as you realize that there’s a stubborn cop trying to catch you after the first race. And once he does, he and his commanding officer try to kill off Richie and send his career to the afterlife. Shaw means business, and Joshua Collins delivers some excellent voice acting for the character. “Yes, Officer!” is the line you’ll remember Shaw for forever.
3. Darius (Tahmoh Penikett)
Darius is the main reason behind everything that happens in Rockport in Need For Speed: Most Wanted. When he can’t match you in a race, he tries to drive you away from the city. He even makes it believable that you’ve cheated your friends and run away with all the money. Tahmoh Penikett, playing the character in Need For Speed: Carbon, portrays the villain who steals the player’s rep before the events of the game.
2. Jonathan Cross (Dean McKenzie)
Sgt. Cross is the perfect picture of that one dangerous cop who takes things personally. Once you arrive in Rockport City, he comes to bust you out of nowhere, resulting in a soul-crushing scratch on that beautiful BMW M3 GTR of yours. And just when you think it’s over with him in Most Wanted (2005), he starts hunting you again in Carbon!
1. Clarence “Razor” Callahan (Derek Hamilton)
The opening to 2005’s Need For Speed: Most Wanted gives players a strong motive to follow in the hours to come. That happens thanks to the best character in the Need For Speed games: Razor. The main villain takes your ride and money and then tells you where the nearest bus stop is so that you can cry your way home. The lines, the acting, and everything about Razor is top-notch, making things personal for the player. “You ready to donate another car to the Razor fund, baby?”
Several other notable characters in the Need For Speed series have not earned a place in the best spot here. That shouldn’t stop them from being the finest from your viewpoint! Any character that’s made you love the NFS series deserves the top spot.
