Need for Speed: Underground

EA UNLEASHES NEED FOR SPEED UNDERGROUND New Twist on Legendary Series is First Racing Game with Console vs. PC Online Play

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., November 17, 2003 – Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS) today announced that Need for Speed’ Underground has shipped to retail nationwide under the EA GAMES’ brand. The latest installment in EA’s legendary racing franchise, Need for Speed Underground is now available for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, the Xbox’ video game system from Microsoft, the Nintendo GameCube’, and PC.

Need for Speed Underground thrusts players into the adrenaline-filled world of urban racing, challenging gamers to win cash, cars and respect as they put their driving skills to the test in their own fully-customizable urban exotic supercar. The game features 20 of the most sought-after tuner cars from manufacturers including Nissan Motor Co., Honda’, Toyota’, and Mitsubishi Motors. Gamers will be able to customize their cars with hundreds of aftermarket parts from 52 manufacturers, including NOS®, Sparco®, HKS®, and more.

Featuring a thrilling sense of speed created by a team led by an OSCAR®-nominated special effects expert, the game features more than 100 events including circuit races, drag races, drift races and more. Need for Speed Underground also supports online play for the PlayStation 2 console (requires Broadband connection and Network Adaptor for the PlayStation 2) and PC (requires Internet connection). The game lets player take their customized cars online and compete with up to three other racers online. It is also the first racing game to allow PlayStation 2 and PC gamers to compete in head-to-head gameplay online.

The game’s EA GAMES’ TRAX soundtrack features new tracks and remixes from today’s biggest artists, including The Crystal Method, Rob Zombie, Rancid, and more.

Need for Speed Underground, which was developed by EA Canada, is rated “E” (Everyone) by the ESRB and retails for $49.95 on console platforms, $39.95 for PC, and $29.95 for Game Boy Advance. For more information on the online features of the product, see the platform-specific pages at www.needforspeed.com, the official home page for Need for Speed Underground.

About Electronic Arts Electronic Arts (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world’s leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, Electronic Arts posted revenues of $2.5 billion for fiscal 2003. The company develops, publishes and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under three brand names: EA SPORTS’, EA GAMES’, and EA SPORTS BIG’. EA's homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA’s products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.

Source:

Press Release

Build and race the fastest urban exotic!

Enter the world of urban street racing and high performance tuner cars with the latest title in the hit Need for Speed series: Need for Speed’ Underground. Take on today's most popular tuner cars from Mitsubishi Motors, Subaru®, Toyota’ and many more, building the ultimate street machine by earning cash to pay for custom body kits and a host of licensed car performance mods. But just creating a custom street racing machine will not get you to the top; it takes a certain amount of attitude and razor sharp driving skills to compete in the tough world of urban racing.

A number of diverse events set in gritty, nighttime environments make up the heart of street competition. Players become complete street racers by perfecting skills in each event by nailing the perfect shift in drag racing and by putting their street cred on the line, racing through the city streets late at night.

Prove you belong in the elite street racing circles, work your way up the underground rankings and take on the best of the best in each discipline.

FEATURES - Featuring 20 fully customizable, licensed cars are included in the game from Mitsubishi Motors, Subaru®, Toyota’ and many more.

• Several unique racing and mission-based events including the following:

  • Drag Racing - Explode off of the line with three other racers on the verge of losing control-watch out for cross traffic.
  • Street Racing - Heat up the cold city streets with some high octane, high speed racing, finding the fastest lines through a variety of open city racecourses.- Hundreds of ways to customize your ride. Pick from major aftermarket parts manufacturers including AEM Inc., Audiobahn®., Bilstein®, Dazz Motorsport, DC Sports, Eibach® Enkei, GReddy Performance Products Inc., HKS®, Holley®, Injen’, Jackson Racing, MOMO, Neuspeed®, Nitrous Express Inc., O.Z®, PIAA, Skunk2 Racing, Sparco®, StreetGlow®, Turbonetics Inc.

• Graphic Presentation: Need for Speed Underground's amazing graphics will immerse gamers in the world of after hours street racing. The diverse urban nighttime environments are modeled after a variety of real-world urban landscapes. A new sensation of speed has been created in the game by the award winning Need For Speed team and an OSCAR® nominated Hollywood visual effects expert.

• Over 100 unique events give racers the opportunity to earn cash, buy more upgrades, and unlock cars and tracks while increasing their street reputation.

• A diverse collection of high-octane music keeps the game rolling.

• Online support for up to 4 players on the PlayStation 2 (broadband only - Europe TBA) and PC.

Source:

Electronic Arts UK website - PlayStation 2

Auch der neueste Titel der erfolgreichen Need for Speed-Serie bringt den Spieler wieder in heißen Topwagen auf die Straße. Wenn man genug Geld gesammelt hat, kann man sich für aktuelle Fahrzeuge von Mitsubishi Motors, Subaru®, Toyota und vielen anderen tolle Updates kaufen, um Aussehen oder Leistung der lizenzierten Wagen nach eigenen Wünschen zu gestalten. Aber alleine damit wird man nicht auf die vorderen Plätze gelangen. Knallhartes fahrerisches Können und die richtige Einstellung sind gefragt, wenn man in der Welt der Straßenrennen bestehen will.

Eine Vielzahl von Events in nächtlichen Umgebungen sind das Herzstück der Straßenwettbewerbe. Der Spieler wird zum echten Racer und muß sein können in jedem Event verbessern, während er in dunklen Nächten die Straßen der Stadt unsicher macht.

Will man zur Elite der Straßenrennen-Szene gehören, muss man sich den Respekt verdienen und langsam vorarbeiten. Eine Herausforderung der Besten der Besten in jeder Disziplin.

Features:

Zwanzig lizenzierte Wagen, die nach eigenen Wünschen verändert werden können, von Mitsubishi Motors, Subaru, Toyota und vielen anderen.

Zahlreiche einzigartige Rennevents, unter anderem:

• Drag Racing: Am Start mit drei anderen Rennfahrern, immer am Limit auf dem Weg zum Ziel.
• Street Racing: Die kalten Straßen der Stadt wollen aufgeheizt werden - mit Dynamik und Höchstgeschwindigkeit - immer auf der Suche nach dem schnellsten Weg zum Ziel auf verschiedenen Strecken in der Stadt.

Unendlich viele Möglichkeiten, seinen Rennstil zu verbessern, mit einer Auswahl von wichtigen Ersatzteilen berühmter Hersteller wie z.B. AEM Inc., Audiobahn®, Bilstein®, Dazz Motorsport, DC Sports, Eibach®, Enkei, GReddy Performance Products Inc., HKS®, Holley®, Injen, Jackson Racing, MOMO, Neuspeed®, Nitrous Express Inc., O.Z®, PIAA, Skunk2 Racing, Sparco®, StreetGlow® und Turbonetics Inc.

Need for Speed Underground wartet mit fantastischer Grafik auf, die den Spieler sofort in die Welt der nächtlichen Straßenrennen entführt. Die verschiedenen nächtlichen Umgebungen der Stadt wurden anhand zahlreicher realer Städte detailliert modelliert. Ein neues Gefühl für Geschwindigkeit wurde entwickelt vom ausgezeichneten Need For Speed-Team und einem für den OSCAR® nominierten Hollywood-Experten für visuelle Effekte.

Mehr als 100 einzigartige Events bieten dem Spieler die Möglichkeit, Geld zu verdienen, Upgrades zu kaufen sowie Strecken und Wagen freizuschalten, während er seinen Ruf in der Szene stetig verbessert.

Eine ausgefeilte Sammlung hochrangiger Musikstücke trägt zur fantastischen Atmosphäre des Spiels bei.

Online-Unterstützung für bis zu 4 Spieler (nur Breitband)

Source:

www.electronic-arts.de - PlayStation 2/Windows

The vivid world of tricked-out cars and illegal street racing tears onto the GCN in Need For Speed: Underground.

Urban street racing hits the Nintendo GameCube with EA's finely-tuned take on high performance street cars. Build your own racer by earning cash to pay for custom body kits and fully-licensed performance mods. Need for Speed: Underground delivers both drag racing and street racing courses, each set in gritty nighttime environments not regulated by any governing bodies.

Features

• Customize 20 licensed cars from Honda, Toyota, Mitsubishi Motors and many more.
• Tweak your car in hundreds of ways with aftermarket parts from real-world manufacturers, including AEM Inc., Audiobahn, Bilstein, Neuspeed and more.
• Test your driving skills in over 100 unique events. Perform well to increase your rep and earn cash to spend on mods.
• A rockin' soundtrack will keep your head noddin' as you burn through the city streets.

Bottom Line

Some folks are content to drive a car as-is right off the assembly line, pop a tennis ball on their antenna and bump Neil Diamond on the eight-track. These are the people that won't appreciate Need For Speed: Underground. If you've even considered revving your engine while waiting for a stoplight to turn green, you have to take this game for a ride.

Source:

www.nintendo.com – Nintendo GameCube

Enter the world of urban street racing and high performance tuner cars with the latest title in the hit Need for Speed series: Need for Speed’ Underground. Take on today’s most popular tuner cars from Mitsubishi Motors, Subaru®, Toyota’ and many more, building the ultimate street machine by earning cash to pay for custom body kits and a host of licensed car performance mods. But just creating a custom street racing machine will not get you to the top; it takes a certain amount of attitude and razor sharp driving skills to compete in the tough world of urban racing.

A number of diverse events set in gritty, nighttime environments make up the heart of street competition. Players become complete street racers by perfecting skills in each event by nailing the perfect shift in drag racing and by putting their street cred on the line, racing through the city streets late at night.

Prove you belong in the elite street racing circles, work your way up the underground rankings and take on the best of the best in each discipline.

Key Features

• Featuring 20 fully customizable, licensed cars are included in the game from Mitsubishi Motors, Subaru®, Toyota’ and many more.

• Several unique racing and mission-based events including the following:

• Drag Racing—Explode off of the line with three other racers on the verge of losing control—watch out for cross traffic.

• Street Racing—Heat up the cold city streets with some high octane, high speed racing, finding the fastest lines through a variety of open city racecourses.

• Hundreds of ways to customize your ride. Pick from major aftermarket parts manufacturers including AEM Inc., Audiobahn®., Bilstein®, Dazz Motorsport, DC Sports, Eibach® Enkei, GReddy Performance Products Inc., HKS®, Holley®, Injen’, Jackson Racing, MOMO, Neuspeed®, Nitrous Express Inc., O.Z®, PIAA, Skunk2 Racing, Sparco®, StreetGlow®, Turbonetics Inc.

• Graphic Presentation: Need for Speed Underground’s amazing graphics will immerse gamers in the world of after hours street racing. The diverse urban nighttime environments are modeled after a variety of real-world urban landscapes. A new sensation of speed has been created in the game by the award winning Need For Speed team and an OSCAR® nominated Hollywood visual effects expert.

• Over 100 unique events give racers the opportunity to earn cash, buy more upgrades, and unlock cars and tracks while increasing their street reputation.

• A diverse collection of high-octane music keeps the game rolling.

Source:

www.nintendo.com.au – GameCube

Enter the world of urban street racing and high performance tuner cars with the latest title in the hit Need for Speed series: Need for Speed™ Underground.

Take on today's most popular tuner cars from Mitsubishi Motors, Subaru®, Toyota™ and many more and build the ultimate street machine by earning cash to pay for custom body kits and a host of licensed car performance mods. Either alone or with a friend, prove you belong in the elite street racing circles and work your way up the underground rankings.

• Unprecedented customisation: Incredible visual and performance customizations from licensed top-name manufacturers. Change your car's appearance to fit your personality, and change its performance to fit your driving style
• Unbelievable sense of speed: Graphics that obliterate the envelope and turbocharged physics make this the fastest gameplay experience ever.
• Skill-perfecting modes: Hone your skills in Drift, Drag, and Circuit racing modes to win upgrades, including weight reduction kits, turbo, metallic paints, suspension kits, and nitrous. Then, go Underground to become the ultimate street racer in the epic Story mode.

Source:

www.xbox.com