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Need for Speed: Underground
Topic Started: Sep 13 2008, 09:24 PM (90 Views)
Girish
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Developer: EA Black Box
Publisher: EA Games
Engine: EAGL Version 4.0 (2004-02-04)
Platforms: Arcade, Windows, PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, GBA
Release dates: USA November 17, 2003
PAL November 28, 2003
Genre: Racing
Modes: Single player, Multiplayer
Ratings: CERO: B
ESRB: E
OFLC: G
PEGI: 3+
PEGI: 4+ (Portugal)
USK: No restrictions
Media: CD, DVD, GCN Game Disc, GBA Cartridge


INTRODUCTION:
Need for Speed: Underground (NFSU) is the seventh racing game in the Need for Speed video game series developed by EA Black Box and published by Electronic Arts in 2003. NFSU's premise (highly tuned, customized cars participating in illegal street races) is reminiscent of the import scene and the movies The Fast and the Furious and 2 Fast 2 Furious.

A complete re-imagining of the series' formula, NFSU offered a career mode featuring a storyline, and a garage mode that allowed players to fully customize their cars with a large variety of brand-name performance and visual upgrades. All races take place in a generic city at night (though the city bears some resemblance to New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles). Instead of hundred-thousand dollar exotics, Underground featured vehicles associated with the Import Scene. This, plus the increasingly arcade-like controls, became points of controversy for Need for Speed fans. Despite this, Underground was commercially very successful, and inspired a sequel.

It is rumored that the car manufacturers were very strict in how their vehicles were to be portrayed in this game, especially considering the "illegal street racing" reputation of the tuner culture. EA took some effort in making the races appear as sanctioned racing events, and included a public service announcement in the game's introduction. In addition, vehicles do not have damage models.

CHARACTERS:
Samantha
Honda Civic Coupe
Player's guide, and provider of unique visual parts.

Eddie
Nissan Skyline GT-R R34
Leader of the Eastsiders.

Melissa
Nissan Nismo 350Z (Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX in intro movie and promos)
Eddie's girlfriend.

Jose
Volkswagen Golf GTi
One of the first rivals, specialized in circuit races.

TJ (AKA Junkman)
Honda Civic Coupe
Provider of unique performance parts.

Kurt
Acura RSX / Mazda RX-7
One of the Eastsiders. Number 1 circuit racer.

Chad
Toyota Celica GT-S / Honda S2000
One of the Eastsiders. Number 1 sprint racer.

Todd
Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX / Mitsubishi Lancer ES
One of the Eastsiders. Number 1 drag racer.

Klutch
Dodge Neon
Number 15 drag racer.

Dirt
Nissan 240SX
Number 1 drift racer.

RACE TYPES:
Circuit
Circuit is a standard race that involves racing with up to four opponents cars around a loop track for two laps or more, and is the main mode of the game. For about the last 4 races of underground mode, the number of players decreases to only 1 rival, and the number of laps reach up to seven (Endurance Race).

Knockout Race
A variant of Circuit, Knockout Mode is similar to previous Need for Speed titles, involves "knocking out" the last racer who passes the starting line in each lap until the final leader of the race remains, and wins the race. In the case of Underground, Knockout sessions have a maximum of three laps for four racers.

Sprint Race
Sprint mode is a variation on the Circuit mode, where the contestants race in a point-to-point track instead of loop tracks. These races are typically shorter than "circuits" (with a maximum of 8 km in length), so players are required to be more cautious of any mistakes during racing.

Drift Race
Drifting is the most challenging and technical aspect of the game. Drift mode consists of one player in a short loop track, where the objective is to collect as many points as possible by drifting along the track. The player competes with three other contestants, who appear to accumulate scores along with the player during the drift session. The player would be required to beat these scores in order to obtain top positions.

Bonuses are awarded for players who drift in the outer borders of the track, drift vertically, or perform chained-drifting (continuous drifting by constantly steering the vehicle during drifts to maintain speed); if the player succeeds in ending a drift without collisions onto the sides of the track, the collected points are added into the score, otherwise, the collected points are canceled.

Drift mode is the only type of racing where time taken to complete the track does not matter, since players are given the freedom to complete the allocated number laps at their own pace. This may explain the absence of nitrous oxide in this mode, since it serves no apparent purpose in this situation.

Drag Race
In the Car Customization menu, cars such as the pictured Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R can be altered with performance upgrades and visual upgrades, such as paint colors and body kits.
In the Car Customization menu, cars such as the pictured Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R can be altered with performance upgrades and visual upgrades, such as paint colors and body kits.

Drag racing is the second most technical form of race in the game. It involves racing against one or three cars on typically straight tracks, and attempting to obtain top positions to win. In order to master Drag mode, players must employ good timing and reflexes for gear shifting, redlining, overtaking, and the use of nitrous oxide boosts;Because the player is going to put the engine to its limits the mode places particular emphasis in monitoring the tachometer during races, which is enlarged and situated on the leftmost portion of the screen. Steering in this mode is simplified to simply allow for lane changes, while the computer handles the steering along the lanes, and the player focuses more on maintaining an optimum speed for the car.

Two conditions will result in players being forfeited during a drag race: head-on collisions with an opponent, barriers or dividers (being 'Totaled'); or blown engines as a result from prolonged redlining and the subsequent overheating of the engine.
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