Key Takeaways
- Need for Speed Mobile features an online open world and plenty of events, and will be releasing this fall for iOS and iPadOS 18.
- The game features character customization, truck racing, police chases, and more, and runs smoothly on both iPhone and iPad.
- Need for Speed Mobile also includes personalized spatial audio for second-generation AirPods Pro users.
Welcome to the final installment of our look back at last month’s Apple Games Showcase, where we got hands-on with some new titles coming to iOS and Apple Arcade. To stay up to date on upcoming Apple and iOS releases, be sure to check out our previous coverage of Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown and Vampire Survivors+. Today, we’re covering the North American release of EA’s Need for Speed Mobile, which is due to launch this fall for iOS 18 and iPadOS 18.
Need for Speed Mobile
- Developer
- EA/Tencent
- release
- Fall 2024
Related
7 heart-pounding PS5 racing games to satisfy your thirst for speed
These racing games for PlayStation 5 will get your adrenaline pumping.
What is Need for Speed Mobile?
The open road in the palm of your hand
Need for Speed Mobile (also known as Need for Speed: Assemble in China) runs on Unreal Engine 4 and is similar in many ways to previous Need for Speed titles, with plenty of races, time trials, and events, but with the added twist of an online open world to go on a rampage with other drivers. The game launched internationally in China last month after three years of development, with EA teaming up with mobile games giant Tencent (specifically, TiMi Studio Group, one of Tencent’s subsidiaries) to create a polished open-world racing game that takes a page from the MMO textbook.
Related
What is Apple Arcade? Pricing, devices, game list and more
Apple Arcade is a paid subscription service for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV. Here’s how much it costs and what you get for your money.
NFS Mobile runs super smooth on both iPhone and iPad
MMO-Lite done right
I had the chance to speak with EA’s product director, Dan Zhao, who walked me through the game and gently encouraged me after a few failed online races. The game was running on an iPhone 15 Pro Max, but since it’s being developed for iOS 18, it should run on at least the iPhone X series and above. I played with and against Chinese players on the Chinese version of the game, and the US version will likely look and feel nearly identical.
First, I was able to customize my character and its outfit, and choose my favorite car, which is shown in the picture above (I’m a big fan of old-school Japanese Honda and Toyota, so I chose a car of that vein). This showed me how deep the character customization options are, which is a big (and important) staple of the MMO/MMO-Lite genre. Events and activities in the game range from PvP truck races where you can put your drifting skills to the test, to chases with other players. All of these are naturally accessible by moving around the open world. At the end of the demo, I was able to take part in some truck races and really get a feel for the basics of the Need for Speed experience (it felt really good on the iPhone). Dan was pleasantly surprised by my drifting skills (I didn’t come in last), but I need to practice more.
After a successful month in China, Need for Speed Mobile will launch in the US this fall for Apple devices running iOS 18 and iPadOS 18. The game will also feature personalized spatial audio and reduced audio latency for second-generation AirPods Pro users, delivering a more immersive racing experience in the palm of your hand.
Related
5 Mobile Games You’ll Want to Play with Your Partner
Mobile games like these help bring us all together, especially when played with someone special.
