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Need for Speed: High Stakes

From Need for Speed Wiki

Need for Speed: High Stakes is the 4th game in the Need for Speed series in Brazil and Europe its called "Need for Speed: Road Challenge" while in Japan its called "Over Drivin' IV". It is perhaps the most popular of the series, mainly because of its moddability.

It will not run nor install on Windows 2000, XP or Vista. Officially, only Windows 95 and 98 are supported. There are some tools floating on the web to remedy this, but they are hard to finde and sometimes will not work. EA has ceased support for this title. It was first released for the PSX on March 24, 1999 while the PC version was released on June 20, 1999.

Contents

[edit] Gameplay

Need for Speed: High Stakes is an arcade racing game, meaning that the physics engine is not very realistic. Cars can make sudden swerves, brakes are usually not used, and cars tend to fly off of many jumps.

High Stakes includes a damage model, meaning that the performance and appearance of the cars are degraded after an impact with walls, objects, or other cars.

[edit] Game Modes

High Stakes includes several game modes, each with their own objectives and rewards.

[edit] PC Version

[edit] Career Play

Career play is the only mode in High Stakes that uses money. Cars must be purchased and repaired using the money won from races.

The game progresses through a series of tours, each with several tournaments, knockouts, and a high stakes race. At the end of each event, money is awarded to the contestants, with more to the higher placers.

[edit] High Stakes

Every tour ends with a high stakes race. In a high stakes race, there is only one opponent. The winner of the race wins the opponent's car, instead of being awarded a cash prize. This mode is unlocked after completing the game by unlocking all cars and tracks.

[edit] Pro Cups

There are three pro cups that are unlocked in the progression of the game. Each pro cup is limited to one specific manufacturer. The tournament features three bonus tracks: Raceway, Raceway 2, and Raceway 3. The 1st place winner is awarded the bonus car that corresponds to the class that the pro cup is specific to.

[edit] Single Race

The single race mode is a fully customizable race mode, where you are allowed to choose the track, your car, your opponents, and any driver aids. There is no reward in this mode.

[edit] Hot Pursuit

Hot Pursuit allows the player to attempt to escape from the police while racing an opponent, or to stop speeders in police cars. The police cars are police variants of normal sports cars in the selection you are permitted to use.

If you manage to evade police on every track and stop both speeders on every track, you are awarded bonus police cars. There are three modes, Classic, Getaway, and Time Trap, each with their own bonus police cars.

[edit] Tournament

Tournaments consist of several races against a full grid of opponents of the same class of cars as you, and players are awarded points for placing in each race. The person with the most points at the end is the winner. The winner is awarded a bonus car of the class you competed in for use at any time.

[edit] Knockout

Knockouts consist of several races against a full grid of opponents of the same class of cars as you, and the last opponent at the end of each race is eliminated from the knockout. The last player standing is the winner. The winner is awarded a bonus track.

[edit] PSX version

[edit] Test Drive

Test Drive allows players to a select a car and take it out for a drive on tracks this is also the only mode that the police helicopter that is unlocked in Hot Pursuit mode can be used in.

[edit] Single Race

Single Race like in the PC version allows players to to choose tracks, cars and opponents but unlike the PC version players can buy and upgrade cars that can be used in Tournament and Special Events modes.

[edit] Hot Pursuit

Hot Pursuit allows players to either be racers and out run the cops who will do anything to stop players or the A.I. from reaching the finish line from the use of roadblocks, spike belts and cops in super cars that join in the chase. Players can also become cops themselves and arrest 10 A.I. speeders within the time limit and unlock new police cars.

[edit] Tournament

Tournaments consist of several races against a full grid of opponents of the same class of cars as you, and players are awarded points for placing in each race. The person with the most points and is in the lead at the end is the winner. The winner is awarded cash, the next Tournament event, a Special Event, a bonus track and a bonus car. Tournament and Special Events modes in the PSX acts as the Career Play does in the PC version and they include knockouts, nighttime, reversed and mirrored races.

[edit] Special Events

Special Events like Tournaments consist of several races against a full grid of opponents of the same class of cars as you, and players are awarded points for placing in each race. Some special events are races that allow cars from any class to enter while others only allow a upgraded version of a car that can be entered in that event. The person with the most points and is in the lead at the end is the winner. Here there are 2 Pro Cups and one of the pro cups they differ depending on the region. The Brazilian, European, and North American versions has the Corvette Pro Cup and the Japanese version has the Skyline Pro Cup which both are unlocked after beating the Grand Touring Competition in tournament mode, while the Australian version has the HSV Pro Cup which is unlocked after beating the Regional Club Circuit in tournament mode. All versions have the Porsche Pro Cup which is unlocked after beating the International Supercar Series in tournament mode. Like Tournament mode Special Events in the PSX version acts as the career play of the PC version.

[edit] High Stakes

Here in the PSX version High Stakes is a 2 player mode but like the PC version a high stakes race, there is only one opponent. The winner of the race wins the opponent's car and its saved to the winner's memory card.

[edit] Cars

High Stakes has cars that return from Need for Speed II which include the Ferrari F50 and McLaren F1, (The GTR model is used) and from Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit like the Chevrolet Corvette C5, Lamborghini Diablo SV and Ferrari 550 while from the PC version comes the Jaguar XKR, Aston Martin DB7, and the Holden HSV GTS VT in the Australian edition of the PSX version of the game which first appeared in the Australian edition of the PC version of Need for Speed III.

[edit] Standard models

  • Class AAA
  • Class AA
  • Class A
    • Chevrolet Camaro (available as standard and bonus car PC version only) (also known as a "Camaro Z28" in the PSX version) (PC: Convertable, PSX: Coupe)
    • Chevrolet Corvette C5 (available as a standard and bonus car PSX version only) (PC: Convertable, PSX: Coupe)
    • Jaguar XKR (PC: Convertible, PSX: Coupe)
    • Aston Martin DB7 (standard car in the PSX version available as a offical addon car in the PC version)
    • Pontiac Firebird (also known as a "Firebird T/A" in the PSX version)
    • HSV SV99 (Series 2) (Australian edition of the PC version only)
    • HSV GTS VT (also known as a "Holden HSV GTS VT" and is only in the Australian edition of the PSX version only)
    • Ford Falcon XR8 (Australian version only) (also known as a "Ford XR8" in the Australian edition of the PC version)
  • Class B

[edit] Police models

[edit] Tracks

Nine tracks were reused from Need for Speed III:Hot Pursuit in the PC version. In the PSX version in North America and Brazil Landstrasse, Route Adonf, and Kindiak Park are available from the start while in Australia and Europe Landstrasse, Route Adonf, and Durham Road are available from the start. In the North American, Brazilian and European versions of High Stakes Durham Road is set in England while in the Australian version it is set in Australia.

New tracks are:

  • Celtic Ruins: Scotland, ruins, grasslands, a village, forests
  • Landstrasse: rural Germany
  • Dolphin Cove: rural United States at a lakeside town
  • Kindiak Park: fictional national park in Canada
  • Route Adonf: french countryside, passing through an old town, cliffs and forests
  • Durham Road: rural England in the North American, Brazilian and European versions or Australia in the Australian version, running past partitioned roads, countryside and towns
  • Snowy Ridge snowy highlands, United States
  • Raceway: A race track in Italy.
  • Raceway 2: A race track in the United States
  • Raceway 3: A race track in Spain

[edit] Trivia

  • This is the first Need for Speed to have:
    • Performance upgrades for Cars
    • convertible option (Allowing the ability to take the top down on certain cars) (PC Version only)
    • career mode (PC version)
    • damage model with visible deformation and decreased performance
    • Tracks and cars identical to its predecessor
    • High Stakes mode: Winner gets the car of his opponent
    • Car models with drivers, interiors and transparent windows.
    • Police helicopters that aid in police chases (PC version) while a police helicopter is available as a bonus car for use in test drive mode (PSX version)
    • Playable police for the console counterpart (PSX version)

[edit] Leftover Data

User Red Polar Bear Ranger in the NFS community goes by the name of CVPI19 has been doing research and discovered in the PC version's text mentioning about Test Drive mode which meant the PC version was to have a Test Drive mode like the PSX version in addition to text leftover from the PC version of Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit. He also had been digging the ISOs for the PSX version of High Stakes. Found in the ISOs leftover pause menu tiles from the PSX version of Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit. Found in the text for the PSX version in the North American and European versions include text from the Australian version including the names of the cars like Ford Falcon XR8 and HSV GTS VT. In both the PC and PSX versions in North America, Brazil and Europe the vidwalls for the cars were discovered in the PC version can be restored with the cars downloaded from the internet and if the vidwalls are named the way that car's folder is named and the video slides from the Australian version are also present in the North American, Brazilian and European versions of High Stakes. Five unused vidwalls in the PSX version where discovered which meant the police cars were meant to have their own vidwalls instead of using the same vidwall as their civilian counterparts. Also a user on Youtube discovered upgraded versions of the police cars that can only be accessed with a game enhancer only and like the normal police cars their lights and sirens can be turned on but can't be used in hot pursuit mode. Also with the modified versions of the BMW M5, Porsche 911 Turbo and Lamborghini Diablo SV police cars will have the schemes at random times of either Germany, the UK, Australia or the USA. Also with the game enhancer it also allows the Police Helicopter to be in the player's car garage and be used outside of Test Drive Mode. However when racing against other racers with the helicopter it causes the game to crash. The game enhancer also allows the Race Bred Pro Cup Corvette and 911 turbo to be used in test drive and hot pursuit modes. In hot pursuit mode the race bred pro cup models will be chased by the cops in their Diablo SV units. The traffic cars can also be driven with the game enhancer and it also unlocks one traffic car that was cut from the game a school bus. Most of the cars are recycled from Hot Pursuit expect for the police cars from the PSX version. Also when using a game enhancer with the North American, Brazilian or European versions of High Stakes to unlock the Ford Falcon XR8 the player gets in their garage a modified Mercedes SLK-230 instead and the vidwalls of the previous car that was selected will be there the same goes for traffic cars that in the car garage. When racing as traffic cars the A.I. will drive glitchy versions of the BMW Z3 or Mercedes Benz SLK-230. Also modified versions of the Mercedes Benz CLK-GTR and McLaren F1 GTR from the one of the demos is also present via game enhancers. A modified version of the Phantom can also be unlocked too with the game enhancer unlike the stock one it has no spoilers. Also discovered in the text was the word Millennia which might be have been a bonus track at one time but was cut by EA. Also the Australian versions of the M5 and Diablo SV police cars are still present in the North American, Brazilian and European versions but hidden until the NFS_PD Cheat Code is entered and both cars are unlocked while in they also exist in the Japanese version's ISO but the NFS_PD if entered will not work and won't unlock these cars meaning their data isn't used at all. In the PC version in North America, Brazil and Europe the tga files for the Australian schemes for the Pursuit M5 and Diablo SV are present in the vivs and can be only used if the car00.tga or the other country skins have to be deleted and then renamed to that country's scheme in order to use it. The cars from the Australian version also present in the ISO for the Japanese edition of the PSX version however the data for these cars aren't used though. The ZZZX375 PSH and VIV files and the ZZZHSVT PSH and VIV files in the Australian are the files for the HSV GTS VT and MHRT Commodore while in the Japanese version they are the files are the Stock, Upgraded and GT-R R34 Special Skylines which would mean that the Australian and Japanese versions were made before the Brazilian, European and North American versions of the game or EA of Japan developed their version from the Australian version of the game. The only true cars from the Australian version leftover in the Japanese version are the Ford Falcon XR8, HSV GTS VT Police Car and the Australian Police M5 and Diablo SV.

[edit] Regional and System Differences

PSX Version

  • In the North American, Brazilian, European and Japanese versions of the game Durham Road is set in England while in the Australian version its set in Australia.
  • In the European and Australian versions Durham Road is available from the start while Kindiak Park has to be unlocked after placing first in the Regional Club Circuit while in the North American, Brazilian and Japanese versions Kindiak Park is available from the start while Durham Road has to be unlocked after placing first in the Regional Club Circuit.
  • In the Australian version placing first in the Regional Club Circuit also unlocks the HSV Pro Cup while in North American, Brazilian, and European and Japanese versions placing first in the Grand Touring Competition not only unlocks Dolphin Cove but also the Corvette Pro Cup for the Brazilian, European and North American versions and the Skyline Pro Cup in the Japanese version which in the data for the Australian version the HSV Pro Cup takes its place. When placing first in the HSV Pro Cup it unlocks the MHRT Commodore while placing first in the Corvette Pro Cup unlocks the Race Bred Pro Cup Corvette and placing first in the Skyline Pro Cup unlocks the GT-R R34 Special Skyline which is still present in the Australian and Japanese versions in the isos but are not used in the either version of the game.
  • In the Australian version the BMW M5 and Lamborghini Diablo SV in Australian livery are in the game by default while in the North American, Brazilian and European versions they are hidden and present in the ISOs unless the NFS_PD cheat is entered then the cars become available. The NFS_PD cheat code does not work with the Japanese version of the game. The texture and model data for these cars are also present in the ISO for the Japanese version but isn't used.
  • The HSV GTS VT pursuit, stock and upgraded versions, the Ford Falcon XR8 stock and upgraded versions and the MHRT Commodore are only in the Australian version The Skylines the normal and GT-R R34 Special versions in the Japanese version use the same file names for the stock HSV GTS VT and the MHRT Commodore while their textures and models have been completely removed from the North American, Brazilian and European versions leaving only the text and video art data in the ISOs for these cars in these versions.
  • The Skyline GT-R VSpec R34 stock and upgraded versions and the GT-R R34 Special Skyline are only in the Japanese version while they do not exist in the other versions of the game.
  • Test Drive, and Special Events modes, the ability to switch on and off languages of the cops, the HSV GTS VT, the Phantom, Titan, Race Bred Pro Cup Corvette and 911 are only in the PSX version.
  • Hot Pursuit Mode when playing as the police has the player in random places like the A.I. police, when out rivaling cops with standard cruisers cops with supercars will join the chase. And the cops when pulled over, arresting the speeder or getting arrested don't come out of their cars and speak over the loud speaker during those moments or during the chases. The A.I. or Player can call for an roadblock, spike belt or backup.
  • Additional police cars are available after arresting 10 speeders like 10 arrests with the Caprice unlocks the Corvette, while 10 arrests with the German, French or British M5s unlocks the 911 Turbo, while 10 arrests with the HSV GTS VT, Australian M5, Corvette or 911 Turbo unlocks the Diablo SV and 10 arrests with the Diablo SV unlocks the Helicopter or alternately entering the cheat code Whirly which disables memory card saving but is only available in Test Mode. The Whirly cheat code does not work in the Japanese version of the game.
  • The Phantom and Titan are unlocked by winning all the gold trophies in Tournament and Special Events modes or alternately entering the cheat codes Flash and HotRod which disables memory card saving. The Flash and HotRod cheat codes do not work in the Japanese version of the game.
  • Damage to the cars are textured, hood scoops, lightbars, and spoilers are lost when the cars are damaged.
  • The Driver wears a black causal shirt when driving the stock, upgraded, racing and bonus cars while the officer wears a american police uniform when driving all the police cars.
  • The Aston Martin DB7 is included in all versions of the PSX version of High Stakes.
  • There are two racing songs that are only in the PSX version they are Bring That Beat Back by Rom Di Prisco and Globular Cluster by Saki Kaskas.
  • The siren sounds for the German, French and British/Australian Police are new and also used in the PC version. The american police siren is new and is later reused in the Playstation 2 version of Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit II as the second siren sound and this version of the siren is also heard in the teasers for Need for Speed: Undercover. While German, French and British/Australian police siren sounds are in the siren.bnk file for the PC version of Hot Pursuit II but aren't used though.
  • High Stakes mode is default but a 2 player mode if one player wins or loses a race the car that lost gets transferred to the other player's memory card.
  • A Japanese speaking narrator is used in the Japanese versions to explain the info about all of the cars while in the Australian version a Australian narrator is used to explain the info about the Ford Falcon XR8 and Holden HSV GTS VT while the narrator is the same as the one from the North American version. While the starter and cop voices remain the same as the other versions of the game.
  • The cheat codes from North American, Brazilian, European, and Australian versions do not work in the Japanese version.
  • The text is in Japanese in the Japanese version and also lacks not available vidwalls for the locked tracks in the game.
  • The Skyline GT-R VSpec R34 is not available for use in Hot Pursuit mode.
  • In the Japanese version the Skyline GT-R is available for use in the Grand Touring Competition along side the Corvette and 550.
  • In versions outside of Japan the license plate displays the name of the player while the Japanese version has the body color of the car on the license plate instead.

PC Version

  • In the North American, Brazilian, European and Japanese versions of the game Durham Road is set in England while in the Australian version its set in Australia like it is in the PSX version. Unlike the PSX version all the tracks are available from the start expect for the Raceways and the tracks from Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit.
  • Career, Arcade and Knockout modes, the La Niña and Pursuit La Niña, the Bonus Chevrolet Camaro and Porsche 911 Turbo, HSV SV99, Lister Storm, Italdesign Scighera, Jaguar XJR-15, BMW M Roadster, Ferrari 360 Modena and Pursuit Camaro are only in the PC version even though 6 of the cars listed have to be downloaded.
  • Like the PSX version the MHRT Commodore, HSV SV99, Ford Falcon XR8 and Pursuit HSV GTS are only in the Australian version unlike the PSX version these cars can be downloaded and added to the North American, Brazilian, European and Japanese versions.
  • Like the PSX version the Skyline GT-R is only in the Japanese version but unlike the PSX version the car and showcase can be downloaded and added to the North American, Brazilian, European and Australian versions.
  • Depending on different regions the voices of the narrator, cops and dispatcher are of the native languages are limited to that region unless the voice files from other countries are in the speech section and can be switched with a language switcher which also switches the text to the selected language.
  • In Hot Pursuit mode which has three modes the first Classic similar to Hot Pursuit and the other two are time trap which is similar to the PSX version and getaway mode in which as the cops stop the speeder or as the speeder avoid the cops. Unlike the PSX version cops who are out rivaled don't join in chases with Super cars, the player is behind the racers until the race starts instead of in random places like the A.I. Police. The cops when pulled over, arresting the speeder or getting arrested come out of their cars similar to the PC version of Hot Pursuit but also come out with matching uniform based on the driver of the car. A.I. or Player can call for an roadblock, spike belt and deploy it themselves or have a wing man setup roadblock or spike belt and no backup.
  • Additional police cars are earned by being top cop and most wanted on all tracks and in all modes. Also the Corvette, and 911 turbo along with the M5 are available from the start whereas the Caprice is a traffic car that is on the Dolphin Cove, Alanatica, Aquatica, and Empire City tracks and the police helicopter is traffic car that helps cops out in chases. The Pursuit Diablo SV like in the PSX version along with the Pursuit Camaro and Pursuit La Niña have to unlocked in all three modes by getting top cop and most wanted on all tracks.
  • The Bonus Porsche 911 Turbo and Chevrolet Camaro, the La Niña and MHRT Commodore have to be won in Tournament, Knockout and Career modes.
  • Damage on the cars is molded onto the mesh and affecting the car's engine, movement and performance.
  • The Driver wears a causal white t-shirt and jeans when driving the stock cars when in the upgraded, racing and bonus cars the driver gets a helmet and racing fire suit while the officer wears a police uniform from a different country when driving all the police cars.
  • The Aston Martin DB7 unlike all versions of the PSX versions of High Stakes has to be downloaded along with the other official addon cars.
  • Bring That Beat Back and Globular Cluster are not included in the list of racing songs in the PC version.
  • The siren sounds for the German, French and British/Australian Police are reused from the PSX version while the American sirens are from the PSX and PC version of Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit.
  • High Stakes mode is unlocked when all cars and tracks have been unlocked and is a single player mode here. Like the PSX version winner gets their opponent's car but unlike the PSX version the player is racing the AI.
  • A Japanese speaking narrator is used in the Japanese versions to explain the info about all of the cars while in the Australian version a Australian narrator is used to explain the info about the Ford Falcon XR8 and HSV SV99 while the narrator is the same as the one from the North American version.
  • The Skyline GT-R VSpec R34 is available for use in Hot Pursuit mode.
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