Designers give Need for Speed Nitro cars a fresh coat of paint

EA has partnered with three "lifestyle brands" to create art assets for the Wii/DS racer Need for Speed Nitro. Upper Playground, tokidoki, and i am 8-bit will contribute custom skins for in-game vehicles, as well as a set of over 140 "brushes" that players can use to customize their cars. After the break, see a video demonstrating some of the customization options! Examples of the art groups' skins can be seen in the gallery below. i am 8-bit's cars don't look terribly ... 8-bit, but we love tokidoki's Lamborghini Gallardo, which is now some kind of Day-Glo land shark.

Using creative texture work to offer a distinctive look is one of the smartest things EA could do for a Wii or DS game in a genre that is so often used as a graphical showcase.