The Ford Shelby Mustang Super Snake NFS Edition as seen on the game is actual car designed by Andy Blackmore himself.
The only Need for Speed game where the player can control the main protagonist outside of his vehicle. Also, the first game to show the protagonist's face. The first level briefly includes the features of a third-person game.
The last Need for Speed game to be fully developed by Electronic Arts.
Several elements from this game can be seen in the film adaptation Need for Speed (2014).
In the first mission the racer must outrun a group of Mafia to survive. The level is similar to several missions from the Grand Theft Auto franchise, specifically Grand Theft Auto III (2001) and Grand Theft Auto IV (2008).