Need for Speed: Underground
| Need for Speed: Underground | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio |
 EA black box
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| Publisher |
 EA Games
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| Erstveröffent- lichung |
PS2, GameCube, Xbox November 17, 2003 November 21, 2003 Windows November 17, 2003 November 28, 2003 Game Boy Advance December 18, 2003 January 16, 2004  |
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| platform | Windows , PS2 , Xbox , GameCube , GBA | ||
| genre | Racing game | ||
| Game mode | Single player , multiplayer ( internet , split screen ) | ||
| control | Gamepad , keyboard | ||
| system advantages preconditions |
Windows 98/2000 / ME / XP CPU: Intel Celeron 800 MHz RAM: 128 MB Graphics card: 32 MB Hard disk: 1 GB DirectX 8.2 |
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| medium | CD-ROM , DVD | ||
| language | English , German | ||
| Age rating |
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Need for Speed: Underground ( NFSU for short ) is the seventh part of the Need for Speed racing game series developed by Electronic Arts and was first released in Europe on November 21, 2003 for PlayStation 2 , GameCube and Xbox . The game was released in the USA on November 17, 2003. The PC version that was released in Europe on November 28, 2003 was also published there on this date. On December 18, 2003 (North America) and January 16, 2004, a version for the Game Boy Advance was finally released.
Gameplay
In terms of play, this part is very much based on the film " The Fast and the Furious ". So most of the usable vehicles are from East Asian manufacturers. Compared to the predecessor Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 there are some significant changes. So all races now take place at night, and there are no longer any police. Also, the races no longer take place predominantly in nature, but only in the fictional city of Olympic City. Although this city has a well-developed road network, it is still not freely accessible.
In addition to the classic racing modes such as circuit races and sprint races with different start and finish points, there are new racing modes like drift and drag races. In the drift races, points are scored through the most daring and spectacular drifts possible and the driver with the most points wins. Drag races take place over a relatively short distance on straight stretches. In contrast to the other racing modes, there is no automatic transmission here. The driver who crosses the finish line first wins. This is achieved by switching at the right time.
Another innovation is the expanded tuning options. While in most of the predecessors it was only possible to adjust the color of the car, in Underground it is also possible to change the car's performance. So z. B. install more powerful engines or an injection system for nitro gas. There are also optical tuning options such as rear spoilers, rims or entire body kits.
The soundtrack was based on songs by popular rock and hip-hop artists such as TI , Nate Dogg , Lil Jon , The Eastsideboyz, Static-X and the Asian Dub Foundation .
action
The plot begins with the protagonist who is in the middle of a circuit race. He is driving a tuned Acura Integra Type R when he is suddenly torn out of a daydream by Samantha, a friend of the protagonist.
The action of Need for Speed Underground takes place in the fictional city of Olympic City. During the game, the player competes against the street gang "The Eastsiders", which is led by Eddie. After a while the player gets to know the mechanic TJ, who, like Samantha, often offers the player exclusive tuning parts. However, towards the end of the game, TJ becomes the antagonist.
After getting enough attention from race wins, Eddie challenges the player to race against Samantha. However, Samantha's Honda Civic suffers an engine failure and TJ grabs the broken down Civic. However, the player can win the Honda Civic back through a race.
Then Eddie asks the protagonist to run. After the player has won against him, a silver-colored Nissan 350Z appears , which now also prompts the player to a duel. After this duel it turns out that the driver of the Nissan 350Z is Melissa.
The storyline continues with Need for Speed: Underground 2 .
technology
A lot of lighting effects, some of them exaggerated, are used in the game. In addition, very strong motion blur is used.
After being announced several times, Electronic Arts took the servers for online mode offline in December 2007.
Gameplay
Events
Need for Speed: Underground includes a variety of different races. Players can unlock upgrades and cars by winning these events.
- Circuit - The player competes against other racing drivers in closed circuits with a fixed number of laps.
- Drag - The player competes against other racers on a closed straight road. Whoever completes the route fastest wins the event.
- Drift - Players must drift around corners to score points along a closed track. Depending on the speed and angle of the vehicle, players get more points. The winner is the player with the highest score.
- Outrun - The player must overtake the opponent and drive out a distance of 300 meters. If you win enough outrun races, special parts will be unlocked.
- Sprint - The player competes against other racers on a given track from point A to point B.
Tuning
The vehicles in Underground can be altered with both performance modifications and visual modifications such as paint colors, neon lights, and body kits. Players have the opportunity to increase the performance of their car by making performance upgrades on the car. The player can replace and upgrade the engine, the drivetrain, the suspension, the tires and the engine control unit (ECU) of his car. The players can also install nitrous oxide and turbochargers and reduce the weight of the vehicle.
Racetracks
| Circuit / round courses | sprint | Drag | |
| Atlantica | Liberty Gardens | 4.3 km | 14th and Vine Construction |
| Inner City | Broadway | 6.4 km | 14th and Vine |
| Market Street | Lock up | 7.5 km | Highway 1 |
| National Rail | Bedard Bridge | 7.0 km | Main Street |
| Olympic Square | 1st Ave Truck Stop | 6.1 km | Main Street Construction |
| Port Royal | 7th & Sparling | 6.6 km | Commercial |
| stage | 9th & Frey | 7.5 km | |
| terminal | Spillway | 8.0 km | |
In addition, the game includes 8 drift courses.
Car list
Need for Speed: Underground includes a total of 20 licensed vehicles. The focus is on mid-range, compact and coupés.
Soundtracks
| author | song |
| Overseer | Doomsday |
| The Crystal Method | Born Too Slow |
| Rancid | Out of control |
| Rob zombie | Two Lane Blacktop |
| BT | Kimosabe |
| Static-X | The Only |
| Element Eighty | Broken Promises |
| Asian Dub Foundation | Fortress Europe |
| Hotwire | Invisible |
| Story of the Year | And the Hero Will Drown |
| Andy Hunter | The Wonders of You |
| Junkie XL | Action radius |
| Fuel | Quarter |
| Jerk | Sucked In |
| fluke | Snapshot |
| Lost prophets | To Hell We Ride |
| Overseer | Supermoves |
| FC Kahuna | Glitter ball |
| Blindside | Swallow |
| Lil Jon & The Eastside Boyz | Get low |
| Mystical | Smashing the Gas |
| Dilated Peoples | Who's who |
| Nate Dogg | Keep it coming |
| X-Ecutioners | Body skirt |
| Petey Pablo | Need for speed |
| TI | 24's |
Reviews
Need for Speed: Underground received mostly positive reviews. GameRankings and Metacritic gave the game 85 out of 100 points for the PlayStation 2 version, 83 out of 100 for the GameCube version, 82 out of 100 for the PC version, 83 out of 100 for the Xbox version and 77 out of 100 for the Game Boy Advance version . The only complaints critics had were the overly repetitive routes, the unbalanced rubber band AI, and the lack of a free roaming and damage model.
In 2003, the editorial team of Computer Gaming World awarded Underground the "Racing Game of the Year" award.
Web links
- Need for Speed: Underground at MobyGames (English)
- Need for Speed: Underground in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Official need-for-speed website
Individual evidence
- ↑ Need for Speed Underground - FAQ / Walkthrough - PlayStation 2 - By CodyLoco - GameFAQs. Retrieved August 25, 2019 .
- ↑ Various - Need For Speed: Underground - The Original Soundtrack. Retrieved August 25, 2019 .
- ^ Need for Speed Underground. Retrieved on August 24, 2019 .
- ^ Need for Speed Underground. Retrieved on August 24, 2019 .
- ↑ Need for Speed: Underground. Retrieved on August 24, 2019 .
- ^ Need for Speed Underground. Retrieved on August 24, 2019 .
- ^ Need for Speed Underground. Retrieved on August 24, 2019 .
- ↑ Need For Speed: Underground PC Review. November 24, 2003, accessed August 24, 2019 .
- ↑ (March 2004). " Computer Gaming World 's 2003 Games of the Year". Computer Gaming World (236): 57-60, 62-69.