Though it's indisputable that Need for Speed has been a leader of the racing genre since its inception, most fans would agree that Need for Speed Underground and its sequel were true standout stars for the series and are in dire need of a remaster. Among the dozens of Need for Speed titles, only a few have succeeded in becoming fan favorites, including the likes of Need for Speed Hot Pursuit and its sequel or Need for Speed Most Wanted. But with its upcoming Need for Speed Unbound seemingly hearkening back to the series' older games, it seems EA is returning to the series' roots.
This means there has never been a better time for a remake collection of both Underground games. The original games' success is believed by fans to have been caused by "right time, right place" circumstances, and in hindsight they both are perfect representations of the cultural background they were influenced by. But beyond this, building on the success of the series, including its predecessor Hot Pursuit 2, the Underground games brought fresh ideas that reinvigorated Need for Speed. It would therefore be a missed opportunity to not tap into the remake scene after Unbound by starting with these fan favorites.
Nostalgia for Need for Speed Underground
Compared to other Need for Speed games, the Underground games have a distinctive aesthetic and tone that sets them apart from the series. Between burgeoning movie series like The Fast and Furious to the mainstream embrace of musical genres like rap and hip-hop, both Underground games can be seen as emblematic of the cultural backdrop they were released to. With a strong emphasis on street racing, vehicle customization akin to the likes of MTV's Pimp My Ride, and a soundtrack brimming with prominent rap, hip-hop, EDM, and more, Underground and its sequel are snapshots of the turn of the century.
Much of this is what fans argue makes these games so memorable and beloved across Need for Speed players. Though many celebrate the likes of Most Wanted as the series' greatest game, most if not all fans can agree that the Underground games were breaths of fresh air, capitalizing on the cultural trends and delivering new gameplay experiences beyond traditional racing, such as game modes focused on drifting or drag races. As a result, these games are among the most well-known for the series and would be the perfect choice for a remake collection that tapped into fans' nostalgia.
Why a Need for Speed Underground Remake Makes Sense
Though there have been various remasters and reboots in the series' history, Need for Speed hasn't seemed interested in keeping pace with the rest of the gaming industry and releasing remakes of its most successful games. So while Final Fantasy and Resident Evil ride the momentum of the remake trend, it seems as good a time as any for Need for Speed to finally do the same. Conveniently, as such a long-standing series, Need for Speed has a wealth of games to choose as the recipient of an overhaul for modern gaming systems.
Given that the likes of Hot Pursuit and Most Wanted have already seen multiple interpretations across Need for Speed's history, the Underground games serve as ideal candidates for a remake in terms of popularity and value. Not only are the games among the series' oldest and most demanded by fans for a remake, but EA could kill two birds with one stone by combining both games into one release either as separate games to play or merging the two together to form an updated, all-encompassing Need for Speed Underground game with new vehicles, music artists and songs, all with expanded gameplay modes and stories.
Need for Speed Underground released in 2003 for GameCube, PC, PS2, and Xbox.