Introduction:Through the past few years, Need for Speed Underground has established itself as the biggest street-racing video game series, and EA has brought Need for Speed Underground 2 to the Nintendo DS. NFSU2 was not just a simple GBA port, or just a handheld version of the console game, it was a whole new game, the best racing game currently out for the DS. NFSU2 combines stunning graphics with great, realistic gameplay, and many cars and customizations. Gameplay: NFSU2 is easily the best racing game for the DS, so if you skipped over Ridge Racer and Asphalt Urban GT, this is a must buy game. Easily the second-best game for the DS (after Super Mario 64 DS), NFSU2 starts you out in Underground Mode with one car, and completing races gives you Points to use on buying new cars (which must be unlocked first), and Performance Upgrades, to make you car go faster, handle better, and other things, like better brakes, and nitrous. Completing races also unlockes visual upgrades, like rims, body kits, different paint jobs, vinyls, hood scoops, and more, so opponents can stare at your sexy car after they get left behind. There are six tracks, plus two different tracks that are only in Drag Racing mode (Runway and Main Street), and fifteen cars (plus three tricked-out EA cars, and a few secret cars). Also, you can earn special bonus upgrades by unlocking and completing different levels of simple touch screen mini-games, which are kind of lame, but hey, it gets you new stuff. Advancing through the Underground, you can pimp your car, add custom decals, drawn with the Touch Screen, and make it go faster and faster. EA tried to make a more realistic crash effect so that youy don't run right over obstacles, but they overdid it a little. When you are going 150, and ram into a car head-on, going only about 40, you don't expect to bounce back 10 feet and spin in circles. One crash can ruin your whole race. Even if you have a HUGE lead on the second-place car, one crash, and they probably pass you, so you have to work even harder to not crash. It can get really frustrating at some points in the game, but the crashing effect just makes you try a little harder, maybe going a little slower, but in control, which helps. For Nitrous, you can use up 1, 2, or 4 bottles at once if you have unlocked them, giving you a bigger boost. In drag racing, it's best to use it early on, to help you go faster through the shift points. In normal races, you should use one bottle for accelerating after a crash, or use 2 or 4 combined for a huge boost. But just using one bottle at your top speed doesn't help much, you may go up 5mph, but you'll notice that you don't move ahead of the competition at all, and they speed up with you. All in all, NFSU2 is a fun ride for the DS. Graphics: NFSU2 features nice, realistic graphics, and each car looks somewhat similar to its real-lfe counterpart, and all levels are fairly detailed, some of the best graphics for the DS. On the other hand, there is a bit of a "pop-up" effect, where you can see objects like buildings and signs forming in the distance, and the end of a tunnel is just all black, until you get much closer. And, many levels are dark, so you don't see an oncoming car sometimes, and you get nailed. Although, you don't notice it too much when you're driving, you sometimes don't see traffic coming at you from the edge of the screen, coming around a corner. Overall, the graphics are nice, and EA did a good job on the graphics for this game. Sound: The sound is not bad, but it could have been a bit better. The sound effects are nice, although all of the cars you drive sound the same. The traffic noises are pretty good, good crashes, cars honking their horns, and other sounds. I was very disappointed with the soundrack though, I was expecting some actual music, but you just get some techno-rock beats, a different one for each track, which aren't too bad once you get used to it, but can get a very repetitive if you race the same track too many times. Controls: This game is what you expect for a handheld racer; D-Pad steering, A button to drive, B to brake, L and R/X and Y to shift(if in Manual), or one of those buttons for Nitro. Steering isn't too bad with the D-Pad, but not too great, and your car responds quickly to the touch of a button, if it has good handling, so you will only need a quick tap for a short turn(or crash into a wall). You can also tap the Touch Screen to activate the Nitrous menu, showing 4(or however many you have unlocked), so you can use them by tapping one, or use 2 or 4 at once by touching a small icon in between the nitrous canisters. Value: This game will last you a LONG time, upgrading your car, unlocking new nes(with a few secret cars), and plenty of other things. The custom decals option also gives you move choice in design. Want your ride to be a Batmobile? Do it, go make it black, change the body kit, and put in some Batman logos. Want it to look like your favorite NASCAR racer's? Choose your color, put the number on, and add some logos. This game will last anyone a very long time, and you can also work on improving you race times. Want to get your drag time down a few seconds? Go upgrade your car and practice! So many things to do make NFSU2 a long-lasting game for the DS. Reviewer's Tilt: Anyone who is fan of racing games, likes cars, or wants a new game for the DS, should get this. This probably going to be the last racing game before Mario Kart, and that's months away. [b]Buy/Rent?[/b] As I said above, this is a game that you should buy, especially if you like racing. Overall Score: 82%, 8.2/10.
Other Helpful Reviews for Need for Speed Underground 2
In late 2003 EA released Need for Speed Underground, which was an import tuner street racing game which featured some deep customization and great visuals and overall fun racing. Then in late 2004 Need For Speed Undergro... Read Full Review
The graphics are blocky which is a shame they could have made it look like Super Mario DS. The number of cars is disappointing and the races are annoying. Half way through this game my file got erased automatically. So I... Read Full Review
