Need for Speed: Underground Rivals

Gameplay

In Need for Speed: Underground Rivals, all races happen under the cover of night, and there is no free-roam mode to explore. Tuning is central to the experience; players earn Upgrade Points to unlock better performance and visual modifications. Two main modes are available: Underground, which serves as a career mode with four difficulty settings, and Quick Race for instant action. A driver status screen in the My Underground menu lets you check your statistics.

Circuit Race is split into four classes: Master, Novice, Pro, and Car Spec. The first three restrict cars based on power, while Car Spec only allows specific vehicles to enter certain events. Drag Race is a straight-line sprint to top speed, and it requires a manual transmission to play. In Drift Attack, you earn points by sliding through markers on the ground, and the highest score wins. Lap Knockout Race eliminates the last-place finisher after each lap until one racer remains. Nitrous Run challenges you to pass through gates; each gate adds time and refills your nitrous. Street Cross takes place on a tight inner circuit full of 90- and 180-degree turns, heavily inspired by Street X. Rally Relay involves two laps around a circuit, with a mandatory vehicle swap after the first lap.

Visual customization offers no gameplay advantage, as there is no star rating system. Body kits bundle visual parts together, so you cannot buy them individually. However, you can create custom lettering and place it on the windshield, taillights, and hood. The real focus is performance modifications, which let you adjust acceleration, top speed, and handling. Any car can be upgraded to compete with the strongest production models. Once you buy a performance part, you can install it on other cars without paying again.