Tips & Strategies

Need for Speed: Payback has randomized performance upgrades called ‘Speed Cards’. These items can enhance top speed, acceleration, etc, and bring your car to the maximum Performance Level of 399. The max level of a speed card is 18 and there are different brands of Speed Cards. Each different speed card brand helps to contribute turbo, speed, and acceleration. To earn these speed cards you can either obtain them by winning races, opening shipments, or by purchasing them at Tune-Up shops located around the map. It is recommended to obtain speed cards by winning races due to the fact that Tune-Up shops hold a limited amount of how many you can purchase at one time.

Easy Money/REP Methods! – The fastest way to earn money in Need for Speed: Payback is to repeatedly do a race called Hyperspace Circuit. It is a really fast two-minute race that can bank millions if done correctly. Within an hour, you can earn approximately $619,980. This is also a good method in the game to earn REP. This race can earn you 2,880,000 REP an hour. This race, however, unlocks at the end of the game. This is the fastest method to earn money, but for something a bit earlier on in the game, you would want to do a drift trial called Drifting the Block. This drift event is the best method in the game to earn REP and can make you some easy money early on. This method can earn you about 3.6 Million REP/$510,000 an hour. This event only lasts two minutes just like Hyperspace Circuit.

How to get the platinum trophy?

Play through the NFS Campaign

The story for Need for Speed: Payback should take you about 20-25 hours. During this time you’ll make progress towards achieving the maximum level REP 50. REP is the leveling system in Need for Speed and you can earn it from completing in-game activities such as completing races, drifting, reaching top speed, and more.

While working on the story, it is highly recommended to start working on upgrading your derelict car to the Performance Level of 399 early on. The entire game can be played on the easiest difficulty. To unlock a derelict car, you need to collect five car parts that are scattered all around Fortune Valley. 

Collectibles, Activities, and 399 Derelict Car

To obtain the platinum trophy, you need to three-star all of the activities in the game and collect all of the collectibles. Also, you will need to bring your derelict car up to Performance Level 399. There are a total of 130 collectibles which consist of The Gambler’s Chips and billboards, and 145 activities which consist of jumps, speed traps, speed runs, and drift zones. For more information and help on a specific trophy, click on the individual trophy you need. 

Online

To access Multiplayer, click the options button then tab over to multiplayer. To access the multiplayer you’ll need to have completed part of the campaign. It is recommended to do these online trophies after you have completed the campaign. 

100% In-Game Completion (3-Stars on All Activities, All Collectibles Found, and Roaming Racers Beat)

To achieve these trophies you must have three stars on all in-game activities. This includes jumps, speed runs, speed traps, and drift zones. You must also collect all of The Gambler’s chips and smash through all of the billboards. Finally, you will need to beat all of the roaming racers and their bosses in the game.

Miscellaneous Trophies and REP Level 50

In this stage, you will be achieving all of the miscellaneous trophies for NFS: Payback. After completing the campaign, you should have or be close to obtaining all of these trophies. For more information, click the individual trophy you need help with. 

Some extra tips

Another Man’s Treasure

Get a Derelict car to 399 Performance Level

There are a total of five derelict cars in the game. Every car is given a base level of 100 and the trophy requires you to upgrade your car to the max level of 399. You can upgrade any car in the game by taking it to a Tune-Up shop and using speed cards. You can either win races to earn these cards, open shipments, or purchase them at the Tune-Up shop.
Here is a list of the five cars:

1. Ford Mustang 1965 – Becomes available after beating the league boss La Catrina
2. Chevrolet C10 Stepside Pickup 1965 – Becomes available after beating the league boss Big Sister
3. Chevrolet Bel Air 1955 – Becomes available during Chapter 4: Open Skies
4. Nissan Fairlady 240ZG 1971 – Becomes available after beating the league boss Udo Roth
5. Volkswagen Beetle 1963 – Becomes available after beating the league boss The Underground Soldier

Derelict Car Locations Video Guide

Credit to HarryNinetyFour for the video.

Timestamps:
0:21 – 1965 Ford Mustang 19654:01 – Nissan Fairlady 240ZG 1971
7:00 – Chevrolet C10 Stepside Pickup 1965
10:30 – Chevrolet Bel Air 1955
13:46 – Volkswagen Beetle 1963