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How to Make Money in Need for Speed: Heat
'Mo' money mo problems' goes the saying, but this guide will at least help you face your problems in a pricy supercar.
As a wise woman once said, “It’s all about the money, money, money” and Need for Speed: Heat is no exception. You need cash for new cars, performance upgrades, and, most importantly of all, to customise your ride with massive spoilers and a magenta underglow. So, if you’re stood outside the showroom window in the rain, staring at the dream car you can’t afford, then we’ve got just the thing for you.
Here’s how to earn cash quickly in Need for Speed: Heat.
1. Work 9 to 5
Need for Speed Heat has a pretty map
© EA
Indeed, what a way to make a living. Need for Speed: Heat’s races are split between day and night. Night races are the illegal street races that the series is famous for and where you’ll need to go if you want to build up your reputation. But sadly, illegal street racers spend all their money on garish body kits, so they don’t offer much in the way of prize money. For that you’ll need to head out in the daytime to take part in the driving festival’s sanctioned races.
There are several varieties of race events out there, whether it’s the more traditional sprint and circuit races or the drift and time trail events that you favour. Whatever your choice, daytime races are the main way you’ll be earning bank in Need for Speed: Heat. Just find an event that your car is appropriately levelled for, head over to it, and finish in a respectable position to earn cash – you’re aiming for first, but a podium finish will still earn you some dollars. You can also repeat race events indefinitely to grind out cash, so you’re in no danger of running out of opportunities.
2. Break stuff
Give capitalism the middle finger by smashing billboards with your car
© EA
Moving away from Dolly Parton and into Fred Durst’s territory, the other way you can make money around Palm City is by breaking stuff. There are billboards and neon flamingos scattered around the map. No, we’re not sure why but smashing through these objects will reward you with 2,500 bank per collectable. The flamingos are usually hidden in secluded areas, around the back of buildings and under bridges. Billboards are raised up and will require the use of a ramp to jump through them – just look around the area, there’s always one conveniently set up for you. These collectibles will show up on your mini map when you drive near them, so you shouldn’t have too much trouble finding them.
3. Go ahead and jump
Need for Speed: Air, more like
© EA
Another way to make some quick cash is with the stunt jumps. There aren’t many of these on the whole map to be honest, but they offer decent cash rewards for very little challenge – all you need is a car fast enough to hit the required jump distance. You’ll know if you’ve got three stars as the camera will go into a slow-motion cinematic view. Netting three stars on any of these long jumps will earn you 6,000 bank.
4. Slide to the left, slide to the right
Need for Speed Heat is a game best played with your car at 45 degrees
© EA
Alongside the proper drift events, there are also a series of drift zones scattered across Palm City. Driving through the first gate will start a scoreboard and you get points for drifting. You’ll need to stay on the route that the game throws up and score enough points before you hit the finish line. These events are a decent way to make some cash, but you’ll need a specialised drift car if you want to hit three stars and net the big bucks.
5. Feel supersonic
He may have been terrible for the last 20 years, but that little blue hedgehog does have one thing right – you gotta go fast. There are speed traps littered across Need for Speed: Heat and smashing through them at top speed rewards you with another little cash bonus. Some of these speed traps need some seriously powerful cars to hit three stars on though, so just tackle what you can manage and come back to the tricky ones later when you’ve got a faster ride. Earning three stars on any of these speed traps will reward you with 3,000 bank. Not bad for doing something you were going to do anyway – driving quickly in a racing game.
