Facebook Need for Speed app lets you race without steering

EA has announced Need for Speed Nitro on Facebook earlier today, marking the company's second major franchise to hit the social networking service (after Spore Islands) and the first to launch since the company acquired Playfish, though this is not developed by the recently-purchased company. Need for Speed on Facebook was developed by Vancouver-based developer, Ayogo.

Like many top games on the site, Need for Speed NITRO on Facebook is comprised mostly of stat-based simulations against other users. After you pick your car, you can modify its performance through a variety of methods, including practicing skills like drifting and cornering, or adding power-ups like wrenches and nitro boosts. Once you begin the race against up to three fellow facebook users, the game shifts to a simulation where an icon representing your car moves around the track.

While the game currently doesn't have any pay-to-unlock content or bonuses used in several Facebook games, it is worth mentioning that it does feature a few different economies, including paying for your car, and acquiring powerups and increasing your skill via "Street Creds".

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EA has announced Need for Speed Nitro on Facebook earlier today, marking the company's second major franchise to hit the social networking service (after Spore Islands) and the first to launch since the company acquired Playfish, though this is not developed by the recently-purchased company. Need for Speed on Facebook was developed by Vancouver-based developer, Ayogo.

Like many top games on the site, Need for Speed NITRO on Facebook is comprised mostly of stat-based simulations against other users. After you pick your car, you can modify its performance through a variety of methods, including practicing skills like drifting and cornering, or adding power-ups like wrenches and nitro boosts. Once you begin the race against up to three fellow facebook users, the game shifts to a simulation where an icon representing your car moves around the track.

While the game currently doesn't have any pay-to-unlock content or bonuses used in several Facebook games, it is worth mentioning that it does feature a few different economies, including paying for your car, and acquiring powerups and increasing your skill via "Street Creds".

Need for Speed NITRO Launches New Facebook Game!

Need for Speed NITRO on Facebook makes its global social networking debut. Like it's Wii and NDS inspiration, this new social application designed from the ground up for Facebook is a fun and interactive game that can be experienced by players and everyone in their social network. Compete against your friends, and other car lovers by collecting cars from all classes, and winning stars to unlock cities and complete the game. Improve "Driving Skills" on each car (shifting, drifting, drafting, cornering and evasion) and use NITRO-specific power ups to get the upper hand and take down rivals.

While this is not a replacement for the Wii or DS versions of the game, the free to play Need for Speed NITRO on Facebook, brings some of the favorite elements from the console game to the social media site. With full 3D models of the cars, along with the same great exotic cities and tracks, players and their friends will get a glimpse of what it feels like to compete and dominate on an international stage.

When Facebook users create their profile within the game, they’ll have a choice of all the same tags found in the Wii version of NITRO. This tag will represent the player to other opponents during the races. Prior to each race, they’ll choose a car from their garage and decide how much of each power-up to use (nitro, heat shield, and wrenches). They will then choose up to three opponents to compete against for the ultimate bragging rights, either with their Facebook friends or other players who have installed the app. Unlock more cities and cars as they take on more races.

For more information, check out http://apps.facebook.com/nfs-nitro/

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