Need for Speed: Shift 2 Unleashed

Need for Speed: Shift 2 Unleashed from 2011 by Slightly Mad Studios returned to the more simulation-focused approach to racing established by the first Shift. It offered an extensive career across car series, from circuit racers to drift specials and night races, an emphasis on a realistic driving feel, and a new helmet-cam view that reacted to the car's lean, braking, and impacts. Social comparison of results between players was once again handled by the Autolog system. Unlike most other entries in the series, Shift 2 was not released on any older console generation or on handhelds – it relied solely on the then-current generation of PC and home consoles, which matched its focus on faithful simulation controls rather than a mass-market arcade experience. The career was divided into several tiers by car type and series, with the player gradually unlocking more powerful machines and being able to fine-tune chassis and aerodynamics settings between races for each specific track.

The PlayStation 3 version launched on the same day as PC and Xbox 360 with the same content – identical tracks, cars, and career. Controls were handled by the DualShock 3 gamepad or a racing wheel, and the game later received an update adding support for the PlayStation Move controller to track head tilt in the cockpit view, a feature available only on this platform. The Autolog system worked on PS3 the same way as on PC and Xbox 360, linking players' results via the PlayStation Network. Gamepad controls were the default choice for most players of this version, and the game offered wheel support similarly to the other platforms.

This Move support was Shift 2's only truly platform-specific feature – the content itself, the tracks, and the vehicle roster remained the same across all versions, and the PS3 player didn't miss out on any of it, whether they used this bonus feature or played the classic way with a gamepad. The choice between PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 in 2011 therefore mainly came down to what peripherals and Autolog friends a player had available.

Why play: Content, tracks, and the vehicle roster remain the same across platforms, so the choice between PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 in 2011 mainly came down to Autolog friends and available peripherals.