One of my housemates has been a big Need for Speed fan for a while, so we both got excited when a GameCube version of NFS: Hot Pursuit 2 was announced. We’ve spent a good six hours with it so far, and gone through close to half of the game.

What sets NFS apart from most other racers is that you have the added element of outwitting the police. As you speed through forest highways, the cops are always getting on your tail. They are very aggressive, ramming you off the road and cutting you off. Later on, they start setting up roadblocks and spike strips and even dropping bombs on the road from a helicopter. Thankfully, you are tuned in to their radio, so you can keep your ear open for any trouble up ahead. If you manage to lose the cops, you’ll get extra points which are used to unlock cars and tracks.

This point system is actually very welcome. Rather than having to go through race after race to unlock cars until you get to the one you want, you earn a set number of points for different challenges. You can see all the cars and tracks from the beginning and choose which ones you want to unlock.

There is a lot of variety here, and some beautiful licensed cars. There is a large assortment of Lamborghinis, Ferraris, Mustangs, Vipers, Porsches, McLarens, and others available. Not only are the cars incredibly detailed, but the colors available match the factory colors. So if you can’t buy it out there, you can’t play as that color in NFS.

Track variety isn’t quite as diverse, but it's still healthy. There are several main themes like Redwood Forests and Tropical Islands with several tracks in each. Within the tracks, there are numerous side roads to take along the way. So if you want to cut off a little time, you can cut through an alley and plow through a few café tables to jump ahead of the pack or lose the cops. Every track feels very full with numerous trees and background elements, and there are several variations of each course available as well.

The only gripe I have at this point is that the opponent racers seem to be a little dumb and easy. You seem to be able to pass by everyone without much resistance, but that may change as we get deeper into the game.

Overall, NFS: Hot Pursuit 2 is a very strong and worthwhile racer – probably the best on GameCube yet. I’m looking forward to seeing what kind of fight Burnout 2 puts up later this fall.