It's a perfect subject for a game: the speed and attitude can be exaggerated, but no laws are broken and no innocent lives are endangered. Need for Speed Underground taps into that pop culture darling du jour: illegal street racing. Developed by the same team responsible for 2002's Hot Pursuit 2, the game also features official parts from Bilstein, Audiobahn, Dazz Motorsport, and other providers. Over 20 licensed cars are available to tweak and customize from such manufacturers as Mitsubishi, Toyota, and Suburu, among others. While battling rivals in drag races or more conventional pursuits, players can earn cash used to purchase an assortment of vehicle modifications. Players will enlist in various underground events held on city streets at dusk. As the title suggests, players are embroiled in the shadowy world of illicit street racing. EA Games' vaunted Need for Speed series, which first hit the gas in 1995 on the 3DO platform, continues with the multi-platform release of Need for Speed: Underground.
