Direct needle control fuel injectors and methods disclosed. The preferred embodiment injectors have a needle within a needle chamber for movement between a closed position preventing injection of fuel and an open position allowing injection of fuel, a source of high pressure fuel coupled to the needle chamber to provide fuel for injection and to hydraulically urge the needle to the open position by pressurizing a first hydraulic area associated with the needle, a needle control hydraulic area having a second hydraulic area disposed to urge the needle to the closed position when the second hydraulic area is exposed to fuel under pressure, and valving coupled to the source of high pressure fuel and a vent to controllably couple the hydraulic area of the needle control member to the high pressure fuel or to the vent.