User Score
8.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 283 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Negative: 15 out of 283
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  1. VLG
    Aug 22, 2023
    8
    The only game in my whole life that made me enjoy customizing my car. And i hate car games. The gameplay was pretty good, very easy for what i remember.
  2. Aug 9, 2023
    9
    I loved it, but what good graphics, what an excellent sense of speed, good racing, good cars, in the end complicated as it should be. Recommended
  3. Jun 3, 2023
    10
    its a game for street racing lovers and everything is so good and well designed
  4. Jun 1, 2023
    8
    This game is wonderful but the amount of track is little! which makes the game very repetitive. Physics is amazing for 2003, the only thing missing is the car deforms in a crash
  5. May 27, 2023
    10
    My favourite need for speed game ever made
    The atmosphere and the soundtrack are amazing
  6. May 26, 2023
    10
    One of the best NFS games in my opinion
    ...........................................
  7. May 25, 2023
    10
    There are only a handful games that could qualify as genre defining and this one is certainly one of them. From tuner culture, to atmosphere, from racing, car magazines to music - Underground has it all. This is a certified classic. Without Underground there would not be Underground 2 or Most Wanted, mind you both classics by their own. Need For Speed Underground is 20 this year and itThere are only a handful games that could qualify as genre defining and this one is certainly one of them. From tuner culture, to atmosphere, from racing, car magazines to music - Underground has it all. This is a certified classic. Without Underground there would not be Underground 2 or Most Wanted, mind you both classics by their own. Need For Speed Underground is 20 this year and it certainly stood the test of time as all the modern Need for Speed games still using some mechanics and ideas first seen in Underground. I've played every mainline entry of Need for Speed series and Underground was, is and most likely forever will be my favorite racing game, unless EA faithfully remasters it which is highly unlikely. Expand
  8. May 25, 2023
    10
    Extremely innovative and just simple fast-paced fun, which doesn't get boring in the career mode. The game doesn't really have any real faults either beside the AI being flithy cheaters, which might turn some players off from playing this.
  9. May 25, 2023
    10
    It was a start of the best era in gaming industry in terms of racing games 10/10
  10. May 10, 2023
    8
    Need for Speed Underground was the first racer to capitalize on the popularity of The Fast and the Furious. That movie shined the spotlight on illegal street racing and car customization. t was only a matter of time before the vid game industry would delve into that culture. EA Games managed to hit a homerun with Underground. This is one of the best games in the NFS franchise. It's aNeed for Speed Underground was the first racer to capitalize on the popularity of The Fast and the Furious. That movie shined the spotlight on illegal street racing and car customization. t was only a matter of time before the vid game industry would delve into that culture. EA Games managed to hit a homerun with Underground. This is one of the best games in the NFS franchise. It's a visually impressive, super fast racing game that's highly addictive. Too bad the game is bogged down with a limited number of tracks and a flawed upgrade system. Still, I would rate it this with an 8.6 out of 10. Expand
  11. Aug 28, 2021
    8
    First game that has amazing modifications, very complete, cool soundtrack, berum dum dum XD
  12. Aug 19, 2021
    9
    Coming out a year or so right after the original The Fast and the Furious, this game delivered big time. The customization was amazing and it made you feel like you could go on the streets and drive just like that. I know I tried with my 1999 Eclipse LOL.
  13. Mar 22, 2018
    10
    Customização muito grande dos carros,músicas muito boas,vários modos de corrida sem dúvidas um dos melhores Needs já feito.
  14. May 3, 2016
    8
    One of the my favourite racing games . Awesome graphics for 2003 , Amazing career , many different good cars , cool soundtracks . Best game on NFS series in my opinion even better than NFS UnderCover and Most Wanted 2005 . Cool Racing game . 8/10
  15. Oct 3, 2015
    9
    Que puedo decir de este juego ? simplemente un clásico de los juegos de carreras al que sepulto la saga a lo mas alto en aquel momento , un juego especial para mi, fue mi primer juego de carreras que tuve .
  16. Oct 3, 2010
    8
    This game brought a breath of fresh air to the series and the whole genre. If only the game had a bit more polish and better customization of cars it would have had a chance to be something really really good, but has it stands it's just good haha.
  17. Neil"Frog"W.
    Jan 20, 2005
    9
    This is a cool game, tho is lots of room for improvement, music can get annoying. but u get use to it. graffics is awesome. cars are great, it'd be better if there were more sellection of cars to use. I finished the game in about a week n a half, but that was playing it flat out.. and whoever can finish it in acouple of days. needs to get out more.. i played all drags and drifts on This is a cool game, tho is lots of room for improvement, music can get annoying. but u get use to it. graffics is awesome. cars are great, it'd be better if there were more sellection of cars to use. I finished the game in about a week n a half, but that was playing it flat out.. and whoever can finish it in acouple of days. needs to get out more.. i played all drags and drifts on hard, and the rest on easy and meduim.. i've currently finished 23 races on hard with the VW golf. it does get easier once you've finished the game once.. overall i big fat 9.5 from me! worth buying if u r into cars and racing games!! Expand
  18. JoeD.
    Nov 1, 2004
    8
    This game is very good, but a little bit to easy to complete.
  19. AndrewM.
    Jul 6, 2004
    10
    Awesome!!!
  20. K*TriceSnyper
    Jun 10, 2004
    10
    Realy gun and good sound tracks.
  21. JackM
    Jun 1, 2004
    9
    oit ben u gay, i no where u live son, watch it yer, dis game is hench, i admit da trax r all da same, but u no dat da b.tches dat r moaning bout it bein hard in da 95 stage den u jus no that they r sore losers and cant play da game 4 sh.t
  22. EricB.
    May 29, 2004
    10
    The game is real life brilliance. amazing sound track that goes with it that makes it the BEST driving Game Ive Played.
  23. RhysT.
    May 16, 2004
    9
    Great customization!
  24. SajP.
    Apr 21, 2004
    10
    Excellent and unbeatable.
  25. W.G.
    Apr 19, 2004
    9
    This games got good graphics and sound also good sound tracks. But the bad thing is every thing is locked which is pretty stupid. If they want to make it realistic they should make every thing avaible. Also Put some AMERICAN CARS IN THERE LIKE MUSTANGS and sh.t like that.
  26. AhmeadM.
    Apr 15, 2004
    10
    This game is hectic mate if u talk sh.t about it i will fuk u up mate so watch your words bro seya i got bitches in my room diying to play it and after they will give me ....
  27. JeeVs
    Mar 22, 2004
    10
    Best Game Ever Made. This is what racing games should be about at the moment. EA games should defintely produce a sequel or expansion.
  28. Bigpimpin
    Mar 13, 2004
    10
    This game is awesome midnight club 2 sux ass compared 2 this.
  29. DarthTheSithKnight
    Feb 27, 2004
    9
    I totally agree with "J money" and "Tim H". The game is great, but it's only flaw is the almost unreal A.I.(they never crash, never make a mistake) and other thing, You may be doin' great in a race, indisputed leader for 5 laps, but if you crash just once, you're f**ckd!. All your hard work goes straight 2 the garbage. It's not fair.
  30. TimH.
    Feb 20, 2004
    9
    I really enjoy playing this game. the graphics are cool, the music is good. I am almost done the game and I cant believe how unreal the opposition can drive. Its not fair that they dont crash and wipe out for 7 seconds like you do, they can fly through turns at speeds your car would crash at, and when they do wipe out, they are up and on your ass right away. That aint right, its not fair, I really enjoy playing this game. the graphics are cool, the music is good. I am almost done the game and I cant believe how unreal the opposition can drive. Its not fair that they dont crash and wipe out for 7 seconds like you do, they can fly through turns at speeds your car would crash at, and when they do wipe out, they are up and on your ass right away. That aint right, its not fair, and I bet the stupid design team is laughing their collective heads off. What a joke. Expand

Awards & Rankings

32
7
#7 Most Discussed PS2 Game of 2003
46
#46 Most Shared PS2 Game of 2003
Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 33 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 30 out of 33
  2. Negative: 0 out of 33
  1. Combining the reckless, breakneck speed and high-impact collisions of "Burnout" with the neon-tipped street culture of Fast and the Furious (and, more specifically, "Midnight Club II"), Underground is the new definition of white-knuckle.
  2. 85
    Underground is not perfect – but for a game with such a fairly short development cycle it certainly does put on a fantastic show.
  3. TotalGames.net
    82
    Playing NFSUG is like driving through the West End at midnight wearing Vaseline smeared sunglasses. Quite how a game can look both polished and blocky is beyond us, but that's exactly what EA has managed here.