Need for Speed Underground 2 review

Need for Speed Underground 2 is the PS2 racer for tuner culture. EA's November 2004 shipping release describes a free-roaming city with more than 125 miles of open road across five interconnected neighborhoods, where rival races can start anywhere. Customization is the headline: EA counts 70 billion possible car combinations, from performance tuning to hydraulics, spinner rims and scissor doors. Modes include StreetX, Downhill Drift and the Underground Racing League, and the soundtrack has 27 songs plus an exclusive Snoop Dogg remix of Riders On The Storm. EA Canada developed it, and the ESRB rated it E for Everyone, which makes it the open-world pick for younger players. The used price is the obstacle: DKOldies lists it at $74.99 before sales, well above its $49.99 launch MSRP. Buy Most Wanted instead if police chases matter more to you than body kits.

Who it is for

Tuner fans who want to customize every part of a car

Price

Used PS2 disc from $74.99 at DKOldies (regular price, before sales).

Original price: $74.99
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 11, 2026.

Key features

• Free-roaming city with more than 125 miles of open road
• 70 billion possible car combinations, including performance tuning
• Visual upgrades such as hydraulics, spinner rims and scissor doors
• StreetX, Downhill Drift and Underground Racing League modes
• 27 licensed songs plus Snoop Dogg's remix of Riders On The Storm

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: The deepest visual customization on this list, by EA's count of 70 billion combinations
• Strength: Five interconnected neighborhoods to explore
• Strength: Rated E for Everyone, unlike Most Wanted
• Weakness: $74.99 used, the second most expensive disc here
• Weakness: Online play was a 2004 launch feature, so plan on offline play
• Weakness: Tuner styling dates the game more than Gran Turismo's real-world cars

Key facts

• Developer: EA Canada
• Publisher: Electronic Arts
• ESRB: Everyone
• Open road: More than 125 miles
• Launch MSRP: $49.99 (PS2)

Where it ranks

Need for Speed Underground 2 is No. 7 in our Best PS2 Racing Games verdict.