Need for Speed Heat is Ghost Games' November 2019 entry, set in Palm City, a fictional Florida sprawl split into 18 districts holding 435 collectible and challenge locations. The day belongs to the Speedhunters Showdown, where sanctioned events pay Bank and the police stay home. The night belongs to illicit street racing, where you earn Rep and Lieutenant Frank Mercer's police force tries to take it off you before you reach a garage.
Need for Speed Heat features distinct areas with increasing difficulty. This guide covers every major location in progression order: what to do, what to get, and when to move on. For the step-by-step path, see our walkthrough.
Area Progression Order
| Order | Location | Difficulty | Key Rewards | Recommended Build |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Downtown Palm City | Car rating 100 to 250, early to mid game | Speed traps, billboards and street art clustered tightly enough to clear in one night | Night Racer (Rep and Heat) |
| 2 | Port Murphy | Car rating 150 to 300 | Drift zones and long jumps, plus straight sections that suit top-speed testing | Night Racer (Rep and Heat) |
| 3 | Fort Callahan | Car rating 250 and up | High Heat night events and the volatile parts they drop | Day Racer (Speedhunters Showdown) |
| 4 | Eden Shores | Car rating 200 to 350 | Circuit and sprint events, flamingos and collectibles along the shore | Day Racer (Speedhunters Showdown) |
| 5 | Sandino Ranches | Car rating 150 to 300 | Off-Road Races, shortcuts through fields, and quiet ground for shaking a pursuit | Day Racer (Speedhunters Showdown) |
Downtown Palm City: Starting Area
The dense central district, all right angles, traffic and short blocks. It is the worst place in Palm City to be at Heat 4 or higher, because the police get corner cuts you do not.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Car rating 100 to 250, early to mid game |
| Key Rewards | Speed traps, billboards and street art clustered tightly enough to clear in one night |
| Recommended Build | Night Racer (Rep and Heat) |
| Key Equipment | Nitrous |
What to Do Here
- Learn the basics of Day and night switch. This is where you practice without heavy punishment.
- Collect starting resources and your first equipment upgrade.
- Clear all main content before moving to Port Murphy.
- If you're struggling, read our beginner's guide.
Port Murphy: Early Game
Docks, container stacks and long industrial straights on the water. The wide surfaces make it one of the more forgiving districts for learning a drift build without wrecking on scenery.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Car rating 150 to 300 |
| Key Rewards | Drift zones and long jumps, plus straight sections that suit top-speed testing |
| Recommended Build | Night Racer (Rep and Heat) |
| Key Equipment | Nitrous |
What to Do Here
- Focus on mastering Bank and Rep as separate currencies. It's critical from this point on.
- Farm for Nitrous if you don't have it yet.
- Complete all objectives for maximum rewards.
- Prepare for the difficulty spike in Fort Callahan.
Fort Callahan: Mid Game
The military district, laid out around wide open concrete and sightlines that let a helicopter track you from a long way off. Escapes here need a plan, not just speed.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Car rating 250 and up |
| Key Rewards | High Heat night events and the volatile parts they drop |
| Recommended Build | Day Racer (Speedhunters Showdown) |
| Key Equipment | Nitrous |
What to Do Here
- This is the main skill check. Bring an optimized build.
- Engine Swap becomes accessible here. Prioritize getting it.
- Master Heat level and getting busted for the boss encounters.
- Check our boss guide if you get stuck.
Eden Shores: Late Game
Coastal and residential, with sweeping seafront roads that reward a grip build over a drift build. A safe house sits close enough to the main strip to bank a Heat 4 night without a long run.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Car rating 200 to 350 |
| Key Rewards | Circuit and sprint events, flamingos and collectibles along the shore |
| Recommended Build | Day Racer (Speedhunters Showdown) |
| Key Equipment | Engine Swap |
What to Do Here
- Full build optimization is expected by this point.
- Engine Swap should be your primary, fully upgraded.
- Live Tuning mastery starts mattering here.
- Farm resources for the push into Sandino Ranches.
Sandino Ranches: Endgame
Open farmland and dirt trails on the outskirts, one of the main homes for cross-country events. Off-road tires and Speedcross suspension turn a losing car into a winning one here more than anywhere else on the map.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Car rating 150 to 300 |
| Key Rewards | Off-Road Races, shortcuts through fields, and quiet ground for shaking a pursuit |
| Recommended Build | Day Racer (Speedhunters Showdown) |
| Key Equipment | Engine Swap |
What to Do Here
- This is endgame. Best-in-slot gear and a perfected build are mandatory.
- See our boss guide for endgame fight strategies.
- The reward loop: clear content → upgrade → push harder content.
- Experiment with Off-Road Build for variety once you've mastered the meta.
Exploration Tips
- Clear areas in order: Downtown Palm City → Port Murphy → Fort Callahan → Eden Shores → Sandino Ranches. Skipping areas means missing resources you'll need later.
- Check every corner: Hidden caches and secrets are often in non-obvious locations.
- Match your equipment: Some areas favor different equipment types.
- Read the walkthrough: Our walkthrough provides exact progression milestones for each area.
- Don't rush: Clearing an area fully gives more resources than speedrunning two areas.
More Need for Speed Heat Guides
- Need for Speed Heat Need for Speed Heat Overview
- Need for Speed Heat Best Builds
- Need for Speed Heat Tier List
- Need for Speed Heat Walkthrough
- Need for Speed Heat Beginner's Guide
- Need for Speed Heat Tips & Tricks
- Need for Speed Heat Weapons Guide
- Need for Speed Heat Combat Guide
- Need for Speed Heat Boss Guide
- Need for Speed Heat Crafting Guide
- Need for Speed Heat Classes & Characters
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