Need for Speed II technically dropped “the” from its title, as the original game was called The Need for Speed.

The original game featured cars from the Road and Track license, but the developers opted to license the cars individually from manufacturers. This allowed players to drive supercars such as the Ferrari F50 and the Ford GT90.

A version of Need for Speed II was planned for the Panasonic M2 console but was canceled when the video game system did not launch.

The PlayStation version of Need for Speed II was developed by EA Canada, while the PC version was created by EA Seattle. This marked one of the first instances where Electronic Arts ventured into global game development. Both versions feature some notable differences.

In Need for Speed II, there are special cars that vary depending on the version. One of these is the El Nino, a fictional vehicle that is the fastest and most powerful car in the game. Additionally, a special edition of the game allows players to drive a T-Rex dinosaur car.

This installment was the first in the series not to include police chases as an option. However, the third game would make police pursuits its main theme.