Need For Speed Underground 2 hailed as 'peak gaming', and we agree

The racing game Need For Speed Underground 2 is still considered to be “peak gaming,” almost 20 years after its release.

While the racing game genre is currently dominated by the Forza Motorsport series on Xbox consoles and Gran Turismo on PlayStation consoles, the Need For Speed series is often considered to be the best of them all.

Honestly if you can't get your hands on Need For Speed, Forza Motorsport is likely the next best thing

Out of all the titles to choose from, seemingly none hold a candle to Need For Speed Underground 2, which was released in 2004 for PC, PS2, the original Xbox and the Nintendo GameCube, as well as a few handheld consoles.

Players fell in love with the hum of the engines, the expertly placed shortcuts, and the satisfying feeling of tearing past the competition on the last lap. It’s also held up quite well over the years, with graphics and a soundtrack often considered ahead of their time, though that hasn’t stopped modders from giving it a fresh coat of paint with Unreal Engine 5.

Need For Speed Underground 2 became the topic of discussion on Twitter when History Vids highlighted the game with a gameplay video.

Need for Speed Underground 2 (2004) pic.twitter.com/ZCYlH8ZLh9

— Historic Vids (@historyinmemes) January 7, 2024

Fans flocked to the comments to express their admiration for the racer, and hail it as one of the best games of all time, desperately in need of a remaster/remake.

One fan even went as far as to call it ”peak gaming,” saying there’s no better feeling than “Driving your favourite car listening to Riders On The Storm.”

Another followed their example, declaring Need For Speed Underground 2 to be “one of the best games of all time.”

One even let the nostalgia turn to emotion, saying “We never knew what we had till it was gone,” though there’s every chance we’ll see the game return one day if there’s enough of a demand for it.

Unfortunately Need For Speed Underground 2 is not available on modern PlayStation, Xbox or Nintendo consoles, though you can still play it on PC pretty easily.