Which Need for Speed game features canyon duels?

Need for Speed: Carbon is the Need for Speed game that features canyon duels. These events take place on winding mountain roads outside the game's main urban setting of Palmont City.

Canyon events were a distinctive addition to Carbon and were inspired by Japanese tōge racing, which emphasizes high-speed competition on narrow, twisting roads. Carbon includes canyon sprints, drifting events, and duels, with the duels forming the most recognizable version of the feature.

A canyon duel is contested in two stages. First, one driver follows closely behind the other and earns points by maintaining a small distance. The drivers then switch roles, and the second stage rewards the driver who can pull away. Crashing through a guardrail can immediately turn a promising run into a loss.

These events are easy to confuse with ordinary rival races in Most Wanted or other series entries, but canyon duels are specifically associated with Carbon's mountain-road gameplay and its crew-based career structure.