In every gamer nerd’s fantasy, they’ll get to compete not only against a game’s developers, but also against some of the girl gamer gods who will probably kick their asses.

Electronic Arts is encouraging gamers to register now and “to put your competitive mettle to the pedal.”

Starting Friday, January 11 on Xbox Live, the Need for Speed ProStreet Live Race Weekend will feature a live leaderboard tournament to crown a champion on the Portland International Raceway, a 72-hour contest with prizes every hour, EA said Wednesday.

“[This is] a multiplayer showdown that pits gamers against the developers of ProStreet, an opportunity to challenge the PMS clan and a chance at even more exclusive content,” EA said. The PMS clan is an all-girl gamer team.

For details on the Live Race Weekend visit http://www.xbox.com/prostreetlive. Registration is open now.

Live Race Weekend schedule:

• Play & Win Sweepstakes: January 11, 12:01 a.m. PST through January 13, 11:59 p.m. PST (All Weekend)
  • Just register your gamertag, play a multiplayer match online, and you’ll be automatically entered to win one of 72 hourly prizes, plus a sweet grand prize package!
• Game with the ProStreet Dev Team: January 11, 2-6 p.m. PST
  • This is your opportunity to compete against the developers of Need for Speed ProStreet. Can you beat them at their own game? Keep an eye out for these gamertags and give it a shot: NFSMrkt1, NFSMrkt2, NFSCommMgr, NFSProdu1, NFSProdu2, NFSProdu3, NFSProdu4, NFSCreatDir.
• Play with the PMS Clan: January 12, 6-8 p.m. PST
  • The fierce faction of female gamers will be lighting up the streets for “Girl’s Night In” during the Need for Speed ProStreet LIVE Weekend. Be on the lookout for these gamertags: Agent PMS, Jumper PMS, PMS Epidemic, PMS Genevieve, PMS Harlequin, PMS Jacked Up, OneBad PMS, X Reaper PMS x, PMS Kitty.
• Leaderboard tournament: January 13, 12:01 a.m. through 11:59 p.m. PST
  • Go up against the best drivers in the world during the leaderboard tournament for a shot at winning a grand prize package including a limited-edition Need for Speed ProStreet Xbox 360 console, VIP Accessories Kit, Wireless Racing Wheel, and more.

Need for Speed: ProStreet is the epitome of a solid racing game. Electronic Arts made some changes to the game from the a growing dried up style of racing game we’re starting to see.

While there are some dramatic changes made in the game, what really sells it, are the little things — the soundtrack, the comfort of the controls and the natural storyline.

The storyline puts us right in the life of Ryan Cooper, a former street racer who is trying to “go legit.” The plot isn’t the selling point of this game, which could be expected since this is a racing game. You have a rival named Ryo, who gets quite annoying with his messages about how much better he is than you, and how he could beat you in a race anytime.

The storyline is where we see the classic Need for Speed game where you start of with the crummy car, race against other people and make enough money to either improve your current car, or purchase a whole new one. Customizing your car is fun to do, whether adding a new paint job, or a new engine.

The Artificial Intelligence is realistic and much better than in previous Need for Speed games. In this game, if you fall behind, nobody is going to slow down for you so you can catch up. It’s now your responsibility to catch up. Likewise if you take the lead, the computer doesn’t speed up. This flies in the face of past games where the computer would always try and make it a close race.

One thing that gets rather annoying is the announcer guy who always repeats himself and has a bunch of cheesy lines, but that’s what volume control is for.

The different racing and gameplay styles deliver in their own ways. The tracks are challenging and well done graphically. There is also a drag racing mode which is getting popular with the online crowd.

The graphics are fantastic. The cars, the people and the environments all seem real. There are also tons advertisements on the track like in every Need for Speed game, but you learn to ignore them after awhile. Need for Speed Pro Street is a graphic dream come true, and a huge step forward from the previous Need for Speed games.

The audio is good. Not as much for the sound of the cars, but the soundtrack that Need for Speed is known for. The songs are like what you could expect to hear in racing movies, such as “The Fast and the Furious” series. Even if you don’t like the genre of music that the soundtrack includes, it just feels right with the game.

The multiplayer needs no explanation really. It’s good. You can race with your friends over Xbox Live, or you can find people at your personal level and compete against them. Drag Racing is a popular choice because it’s quick, fun, and competitive. Everyone tries to claim #1 Drag Racer on Live.

Overall, Need for Speed is a solid addition to the franchise. EA does an excellent job keeping it fresh and fun to play. The changes that needed to be made, were made, and Need for Speed: Pro Street is the best one to date.

Quick hits:

Publisher: Microsoft
Developer: EA Games
Platform: Xbox 360 (reviewed), Playstation 3, Wii, Playstation 2, Nintendo DS, PSP
Genre: Racing
Players: 1-2 (local) up to 8 online
Release date: November 15, 2007

Playability: 4 out of 5 stars
Learning Curve: 4 out of 5 stars
Sound: 5 out of 5 stars
Graphics: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Overall: 4 out of 5 stars