cars and bikes

Take the crashes of Burnout 2(although to a lesser degree with no damage), the customization of cars in Auto Modellista(but to a greater extent), the underground racing themes of Midnight Club and Tokyo Extreme Racer, and slap on the NFS title and this is what you end up with. A really good game(but not quite perfect or THE definitive version) that is arguably the best of its racing sub-genre. With really good graphics, gameplay, and options(especially in the customization area of your car), this game is highly recommended as a buy for those heavily into this type of racing(drag, drift, import street racing scene). For other Gamecube owners, a rental is still a must if only to see what the system can do in some talented hands.

general info=
2-player simultaneous, uses 8 blocks, progressive-scan compatible, THX certified, Dolby Surround Pro Logic II, rated E.

pros=
* great graphics with progressive scan(no widescreen though) capabilties(with proper support/hookups)
* intense and challenging(3 difficulty settings) 4-car races in expansive urban areas(they all take place at night)
* at least 25 songs to choose from(mix of rap, rock, but coulda used more electronica imo)
* customizing your car is a game in and of itself in NFSU(has auto-save feature so you won't forget, or lose what you've done to your car)

cons=
* no replays or replay modes AT ALL(there is a 'jump camera' that briefly replays an in-game crash or jump, but you have to set it to max and it hardly makes up for the missing replay options)
* could have used more licensed cars(only 20), and had more variety overall in its tracks/courses/music selection etc.
* slightly awkward controller set-up, but you'll get used to/over it
* only 2-player head 2 head, only PS2/PC owners have online options

As one can see, a great game with just a few minor shortcomings/omissions that prevent it from being a near-perfect game(but hey, that's what sequels are for right?). Overall, if you love underground street racing games and the customizing/modifying aspect of them, then this is a worthy game to add to your Gamecube collection. For all others, at least rent it, you might find yourself strangely addicted. (note: framerates hover around the acceptable 30 frames per second but sometimes take a dip, nothing that should hinder gameplay or fun, but to the trained eye will be noticeable)

This game is a great balance of fun and realism. Not as realistic as some of the other games, but just a really ridiculous amount of fun. The game modes are great (Drag, Circuit, Sprint, and Drift) and make for a good amount of variety. The graphics are fantastic, the audio is great (not enough blowoff valve noise, unfortunately), and the music is always good. The tracks are huge, have all kinds of shortcuts and opportunities for extra style points. The sense of speed is absolutely incredible, and pushing the NOS button is just too sweet. There's over 100 'missions', which makes the game appropriately long.

There's a few downsides, but none of them is overwhelming. If you don't have a high-res cable, the graphics suffer quite a bit, and gameplay suffers from fuzzy graphics turnout. The music *sometimes* feels a bit repetitive, but there's a lot of tracks, so it's not a terrible thing. I'm not huge on the trigger accelerators (prefer the buttons for acceleration) but it's also not a big deal. The steering can suddenly feel twitchy, but I suppose that happens when you're pushing 150mph. I really, really wish there was a 'wander' mode where you could wander the streets and pick a fight (see Tokyo Extreme Racer Zero).

Finally, my biggest compliment and my biggest beef with this game stem from the same thing: the VW Golf GTi. I think this is the only game that includes this amazing car (a good thing) but the research is horrible (a really bad thing.) Whoever did the research for the game intended for it to be a VW Golf (not a GTi), and the stats reflect that. Luckily, you can beef up the car to its rightful place (in front of all the other cars), so it's all good.

All in all, I give it a full 5 stars because it's amazingly fun, and is the second best street racing game I've ever played (see Tokyo Extreme Racer Zero). It's a solid, worthy buy. For the GameCube, it's definitely a good toss-up between this and Auto Modellista, and this game has a more realistic feel.

First off, I must say this game is awesome. I have been playing it since I have received it a few months back. I have beaten all the levels on the Underground mode and am now playing with a Civic only. I used the Skyline the first time, and found that it isn't all that. Yes, it is fast and furious (sorry for the pun), but it is a bit slow on some races. I had to trade it in for the RX7, which spanked it in a drag on hard with full options. The Rex (RX7) has better handling than the Skyline, and is faster off the line. I have hit 234 mph on a drag with the Rex. Skyline only got to 190. Use the Skyline, then trade for the Rex when you can't win with the Skyline. It works.

Graphics are good. It makes you stay on your toes when you come around a corner at 135+ mph. Sounds are good, although the music can get repetitive. Game play is good as well. As you progress through the Underground, your skill will rise. And the re-play value is great. You can go back thru and use different cars.

All I can say is you won't be disappointed if you buy this game.