Need for Speed Underground 2

 Review

Common Sense Media says

Excellent game is a bit too racy for young kids.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Kids say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this E-rated game is geared toward a teen and adult audience, not young kids. The game highlights street racing, which is illegal and very dangerous. You'll also find subtle advertisements throughout the game, from car manufacturers such a Nissan and Hummer to billboards that highlight some of the largest automobile companies in the world. Like the game's predecessor, half-dressed women, including former E! "Wild On" host Brooke Burke, appear throughout the game.

  • Half-dressed girls dance around the first place car when it crosses the finish line.
  • Not applicable.
  • Girls in revealing clothing start each race and make several guest appearances throughout.

What's it about?

A sequel to the high-speed racing hit Need for Speed Underground, NEED FOR SPEED UNDERGROUND 2 is another winner (for older kids, anyway). It features more cars and more customization options that the first version, giving car junkies a chance to cruise the streets in the car of their dreams.

Gameplay is very similar to the first version, but with about 10 more car models available and even more detailed city environments. If you're new to the game, plan on spending several hours getting used to the speed, which is much faster than most racing games. Music pumping in the background and single and multi-player racing modes add to the excitement.


Is it any good?

 

While the entertainment value of the game is very high, the game is more suitable for older kids than the elementary school set. The game glamorizes the underground world of street racing. Zipping through city streets in the middle of the night as half-dressed models cheer you on may not be a message you want your 6-year-old getting.

Overall, the game provides an adrenaline rush and can be entertaining. If you know your kid is mature enough to separate the game from reality, Need for Speed Underground 2 would be a nice addition to any game collection. However, you may want to proceed with caution for the youngest members of your household.


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What families can talk about

Families can talk about the way women are presented in the game. Ask kids why they think the game makers felt this addition was necessary.


This review was written by Chris Saunders
Teen, 18 years old
April 9, 2008
 
Great Game, Bad Message
One of the songs ("Get Low" by Lil' Jon and the East Side Boyz) says some words that are sexually offensive, and you don't want kids going around asking what they mean.

Flag as inappropriate 
April 9, 2008
 
Awesome game!
CSM needs to get real. The game is soooo much fun.I play it all the time and I love customizing ur cars. I reccomend this game to everyone even girls (like me) cause guys may say it's a boy gams but it's not. Beware though, u will get addicted and my eyes turn red from staring at the computer screen and it looks like I have pink eye.

Flag as inappropriate 
Teen, 16 years old
April 9, 2008
 

Flag as inappropriate 
Teen, 17 years old
April 9, 2008
 
Tuners have never been cooler
NEED FOR SPEED UNDERGROUND 2 IS A SWEET RACER. THOUSANDS OF DIFFERENT UPGRADES AND PARTS ALLOW U TO PERSONALIZE AND CUSTOMIZE YOUR RIDE. CREATIVITY IS VALUED IN THE TUNER WORLD AND THAT IS PORTRAYED QUITE WELL IN THIS GAME. IT HAS GREAT GRAPHICS, EXPLORING IS ALWAYS FUN AND NOTHING INAPROPRIATE. A GREAT BUY!

Flag as inappropriate 
Teen, 18 years old
April 9, 2008
 

Flag as inappropriate 
Teen, 16 years old
April 9, 2008
 

Flag as inappropriate 
Teen, 15 years old
April 9, 2008
 
A W S O M E !!!!
I may be a girl but i still love this game, it's super fun! I like to customize my cars and everything else. And i honestly don't see any bad thing about it.

Flag as inappropriate 
Adult
April 9, 2008
 

Flag as inappropriate 
Teen, 17 years old
April 9, 2008
 
hell

Flag as inappropriate 

This review was written by Chris Saunders
Platforms:Nintendo GameCube
Available online?Not available online
Genre:Sports
Developer:EA Sports
Release date:November 29, 2004
Price:$45
ESRB rating:E

This review was written by Chris Saunders

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

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