Need for Speed: Underground [PS2]

Putting the pedal to the metal isn't a new concept to gamers, but taking that high-speed action to city streets certainly is. In fact, since street racing is illegal, therein lies the charm of a nitrous-soaked romp like Need for Speed Underground.

Whether you were introduced to the recent phenomenon through the Vin Diesel action flick The Fast and the Furious, or got your first dose from Rockstar's Midnight Club franchise, one thing's for sure: Electronic Arts has upped the ante to create the quintessential street racer.

While it's difficult to pinpoint the best aspect of Underground, its attention to detail is astounding. By turning the ignition in "Go Underground" mode, you'll be tossed into the cultural aspects of the gearhead sport. With a mere $10,000 in your pocket, you'll have to leave your opponents choking on exhaust to score your dream car. But rather than limit players to purchasing vehicles as a whole, the game breaks the shopping process down to the individual parts of the engine. Decals, neon undercarriage lighting, nitrous oxide boosts, turbo kits, or even a basic paint job are only a few of the nearly endless list of customization options, all available to racers with a huge wad of cash. If you happen to win all 111 streetwise challenges, you can score the sweetest, tricked-out ride on the road.

By jacking an Ethernet cord into your PC or PS2, you can then take that souped-up auto onto the online circuit, competing against up to three other midnight clubbers to prove once and for all that you are the definitive king of the asphalt (Xbox and GameCube only offer split-screen multiplayer). You can choose from a variety of the single-player race options, including standard circuit jaunts, sprints, or free runs. But it's the drift and drag runs that really shine. True to the real-life sport, drifting pushes the limits of driving precision, demanding that players smoothly navigate sharp-cornered courses by power-sliding with grace. Such driving takes able breaking, turning, and acceleration coordination.

Drag races are a tad more straightforward. Basically, you have to shift with the utmost precision while driving forward, avoiding cross-traffic and other obstacles by moving slightly to the right or left. It sounds easy, but when scraping fenders with players online, even a seemingly insignificant mistake like shifting one second too late makes a huge impact on your overall run.

Aside from the deep mechanical tinkering and loads of racing modes, the most impressive aspect of Underground doesn't concern gameplay. Without any exaggeration, developer EA Canada has designed one of the slickest visual experiences to date, giving players a sensationalized sense of speed by employing a slew of eye candy -- a cocktail of lighting effects, reflections, neon glows, motion blurs, and plenty more secret ingredients. It's cool, period.

Are you all revved up yet?