In the world of arcade-style racers, the Need for Speed franchise is the undisputed king of the road.  With over 100 million units sold in the series’ history, it’s easily the highest-grossing racing franchise, and among the top ten of all video game franchises.  The series has seen a decline in quality of late, however, with Carbon, Pro Street, and Undercover all garnering less than favorable reviews.  Last year, Need for Speed: Shift marked a rebound for the series, but the game lacked focus, and by trying to cater to both realistic and arcade racing fans, left both groups somewhat unsatisfied.  Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, the first NFS title developed by Burnout creators, Criterion, has no such problems, and plants its flag squarely in the “arcade” camp.