Achievement Highlights

Xbox Live® means different things to different people. For some, it is a perpetually raging battlefield where the world's toughest cyber soldiers can test their reflexes in tournaments, matches, and events ranging from real-world sports games to war simulations to fantasy escapes. For others, Xbox Live Marketplace is where it's at for music, video, and game demo downloads.

I feel the need—the Need for Speed.

Regardless of your leanings, there is one facet of the premiere online gaming service that can be used and enjoyed by all. That feature is the achievements system.

Every title published for Xbox 360™ has its own unique set of achievements laid out by the game's creators. Depending on the type of game, you can unlock and earn up to 1000 points through various feats of mastery. These accomplishments can vary greatly between genres.

Some of the more common ways to unlock an achievement are:

• Finish the single-player story mode
• Complete the game on the hardest difficulty level
• Play X amount of games, online or off
• Perform feats of mastery (three-pointers in basketball, headshots in first-person shooters, etc.)
• Find every collectible or secret
• Finish every optional side mission or quest

Ultimately, it's up to the developer to break down the total number of gamerscore points and assign them to different achievements for that game. As you pass each in-game milestone and accrue more points, you may unlock secret achievements that are only revealed to you when a required action is performed.

This element of mystery rewards players of a persistent and adventurous nature and encourages them to explore every nook and cranny laid out before them.

Join us as we take a look at some spoiler-free in-game achievements and explore the many gameplay possibilities ahead of you.

Need for Speed Most Wanted
EA's notorious Need for Speed franchise puts you behind the wheel of your very own souped-up street rod, but it's up to you to earn your keep on the mean streets. You start at the bottom of a very corrupt social ladder populated by thug kings of the local racing circuit. There are no rules—you simply have to win—but you have to ditch the heat on your tail or you risk getting busted.

Don't be afraid to get nasty.

The achievements in Need for Speed™ Most Wanted are straightforward. Fifteen street hustlers stand between you and the coveted crown as top racer. To earn maximum gamerscore, you must beat them all.

Achievements

• Defeat Ho Seun "Sonny": Take the fifteenth spot on the Blacklist 15.
• Defeat Vince Kilic "Taz": Take the fourteenth spot on the Blacklist 15.
• Defeat Victor Vasquez "Vic": Take the thirteenth spot on the Blacklist 15.
• Defeat Isabel Diaz "Izzy": Take the twelfth spot on the Blacklist 15.
• Defeat Lou Park "Big Lou": Take the eleventh spot on the Blacklist 15.
• Defeat Karl Smit "Baron": Take the tenth spot on the Blacklist 15.
• Defeat Eugene James "Earl": Take the ninth spot on the Blacklist 15.
• Defeat Jade Barrett "Jewels": Take the eighth spot on the Blacklist 15.
• Defeat Kira "Kaze" Nakazato: Take the seventh spot on the Blacklist 15.
• Defeat Hector Domingo "Ming": Take the sixth spot on the Blacklist 15.
• Defeat Wes Allen "Webster": Take the fifth spot on the Blacklist 15.
• Defeat Joe Vega "JV": Take the fourth spot on the Blacklist 15.
• Defeat Ronald McCrea "Ronnie": Take the third spot on the Blacklist 15.
• Defeat Toru Sato "Bull": Take the second spot on the Blacklist 15.
• Defeat Clarence Callahan "Razor": Take the top spot and become the most notorious racer.

You know your targets. How you defeat them is up to you, but don't be afraid to play dirty. Victory lies around the corner.

Article by Franklin Beans