Need for Speed Pro Street initially really bothered me in the gameplay department. As I spend more time playing and understanding the game, eventually I realized its greatness.

New games equal new tracks, which in turn equal new places and new ways to crash. Unlike so many other games out there, EA's Need for Speed Pro Street actually offers vehicle damage. On top of just the visual aspects of damage, handling and performance are also factors. That is why I thought the game's gameplay was off at the beginning. For example, you mess up your left tire and the car tends to pull to the left. Once you adjust for vehicle damage (or if you drive a clean race), handling will seem just about perfect.

The lack of settings was a disappointment. For the most part, the game's options consisted around deciding weather you want you speed measured in miles or kilometers. For instance, I would have really liked to see the option to turn off blur vision. Another part of gameplay that gets to me is the first or nothing reward system. Career mode is how you make your money, design your cars, etc. Well, race all you want, but unless you come in first you don't anything. On the bright side, unless you get in first place you don't have to play for car damage. While the game is actually rather easy, the blur effect adds a new level of difficulty in itself. Sometimes the racing looks like a bad high school memory - just a blur. The game works well, physics seem to be just right, and yet is arcade-ish enough to be fun on a small system as the PSP but it still brings enough realism to make it both challenging and somewhat realistic.