Need for Speed Underground

 PlayStation 2
User Score
8.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 283 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 239 out of 283
  2. Mixed: 29 out of 283
  3. Negative: 15 out of 283
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  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. Killerpummkin
    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. Wints93
    Jun 3, 2023
    10
    its a game for street racing lovers and everything is so good and well designed
  4. The_D4RknesS
    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. Saik0u7896
    May 27, 2023
    10
    My favourite need for speed game ever made
    The atmosphere and the soundtrack are amazing
  6. Anonymous121
    May 26, 2023
    10
    One of the best NFS games in my opinion
    ...........................................
  7. OnlyHereOnce
    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. misterz1
    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. HarryAMS
    May 25, 2023
    10
    It was a start of the best era in gaming industry in terms of racing games 10/10
  10. Alex_Pilgrim008
    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. Ardho
    Aug 28, 2021
    8
    First game that has amazing modifications, very complete, cool soundtrack, berum dum dum XD
  12. CloudStrife05
    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. aspentitan
    Oct 15, 2020
    7
    In some respects I feel I'm giving this game a 7/10 quite generously because I can't really see why people luv this game but I can admit it's better than a lot of other ps2 race games I've tried. I guess for me I like a hybrid between sim and arcade, too much of one or the other and it's not really to my taste. The music in this game to me made the game. I wonder if that feel is what gotIn some respects I feel I'm giving this game a 7/10 quite generously because I can't really see why people luv this game but I can admit it's better than a lot of other ps2 race games I've tried. I guess for me I like a hybrid between sim and arcade, too much of one or the other and it's not really to my taste. The music in this game to me made the game. I wonder if that feel is what got so many people showing this game love. Not only that but for an early release race game on the ps2 not a lot better was out at the time. Toward the end of the ps2 systems life cycle I'm willing to bet the review ratings decreased somewhat as better comparisons were out. Luckily this was still being compared to ps1 era. A disappointment of mine as well, besides this game being made by EA (lol) is that it had steering wheel compatibility. Feel the burn here, you had to use your wheels d-pad to turn. I really should reduce the rating to 6/10 but still, that music quality is the great equalizer and I guess 7 it is.… Expand
  14. oldgamer81
    Feb 11, 2020
    5
    Like all "Need for Speed"-games on PS2 this one also has delayed reaction on the controls and the PS2 hardware seems not able to keep this game running on high framerates. Especially the delay in steering is really drives me up the wall. Thats why I can't enjoy this otherwise well made game.
  15. Arthur123
    Mar 22, 2018
    10
    Customização muito grande dos carros,músicas muito boas,vários modos de corrida sem dúvidas um dos melhores Needs já feito.
  16. Shadow1
    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
  17. caligula_king
    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 .
  18. ChocOrange
    Jul 16, 2014
    7
    This game is better than the latest nfs games! I still play it! Its customisation was fun. I find myself making cars as cool as i could then racing them! The cererar was challenging enough to keep me playing and the car choise was good. It is abit punishing in the sense of if you crash you lose, like midnight club but maybe worse.
  19. ilovegames123
    Jul 14, 2014
    0
    I don't know how it got so much positive reviews.. possibly because it was released in 2003 and it was a great game compared to the standards of then? Well, I hated this game. Bought it for $15, played 5 minutes of it, never wanted to see it again.
  20. Tubie
    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.
  21. 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
  22. JoeD.
    Nov 1, 2004
    8
    This game is very good, but a little bit to easy to complete.
  23. AndrewM.
    Jul 6, 2004
    10
    Awesome!!!
  24. K*TriceSnyper
    Jun 10, 2004
    10
    Realy gun and good sound tracks.
  25. 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
  26. 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.
  27. RhysT.
    May 16, 2004
    9
    Great customization!
  28. RealNismoRacer
    Apr 26, 2004
    3
    Graphics are good. It's hard to see since it's night ALL the time. Street racing happens anytime, not just night. Tracks are repetitive since it's one city, sections are just moved around and rotated. I finished the game in a few days. There's literally nothing left to do. Online play is buggy and has too many cheaters. (Infinite nitrous, etc..) Car customizing is Graphics are good. It's hard to see since it's night ALL the time. Street racing happens anytime, not just night. Tracks are repetitive since it's one city, sections are just moved around and rotated. I finished the game in a few days. There's literally nothing left to do. Online play is buggy and has too many cheaters. (Infinite nitrous, etc..) Car customizing is limited, sure you can buy parts and put them on but you can't adjust anything. Music is ok since you can turn off tracks. Too much annoying, meaningless rap. Aren't these sports cars? My game doesn't have any Cadillacs. The game is worth renting, not buying. Unless you're another brainwashed MTV kid. Unfortunately, EA cashed in on image rather than performance.… Expand
  29. SajP.
    Apr 21, 2004
    10
    Excellent and unbeatable.
  30. 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.
prev
Page:

Awards & Rankings

32
#32 Best PS2 Game of 2003
7
#7 Most Discussed PS2 Game of 2003
46
#46 Most Shared PS2 Game of 2003

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 33 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 30 out of 33
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 33
  3. Negative: 0 out of 33
  1. GMR Magazine
    90
    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.
    Read full review
  2. Deeko
    85
    Underground is not perfect – but for a game with such a fairly short development cycle it certainly does put on a fantastic show.
    Read full review
  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.
See all critic reviews »