Enhance your racing experience with crucial bug fixes and improved graphics for smoother gameplay
Enhance your racing experience with crucial bug fixes and improved graphics for smoother gameplay
Vote (26 votes)
Program license Free
Developer ELECTRONIC ARTS
Version 1.2
Works under Windows
Vote
(26 votes)
Developer
ELECTRONIC ARTS
Works under
Windows
Program license
Free
Version
1.2
Pros
- Enhanced LAN support for those who play within a game room
- Less system crashes
- Slightly improved graphics
- A better online connection during game play
Cons
- A questionable approach to hiding one's reputation
- Besides the bug fixes, there are very few outward improvements
The Need for Speed Underground 2 patch is intended to boost one's playing experience on this classic game.
Need for Speed Underground 2 has been a popular computer-based racing game for some time. Provided by Electronic Arts, this update is intended to fix certain bugs and issues with NVIDIA 6800 video cards that had previously plagued users. As the file size is rather small, this patch is able to accommodate most operating systems without placing an unnecessary strain on performance levels. It should also be mentioned here that the 1.2 version is absolutely free for download onto Windows operating systems.
Bug Fixes
Many of the problems that have been corrected centre around the functionality of the game during normal play. For example, some gamers found it quite frustrating that older operating systems such as Windows ME and Windows 98 would suffer system crashes during normal operation. The Need for Speed Underground 2 Patch has addressed this issue. Also, online game play has been optimised and local games hosted over a LAN system will no longer need an active Internet connection. This was a concern in the past for those who preferred to play in game rooms.
Improving Player Reputations
Need for Speed Underground 2 would flag a player if the game believed that he or she was taking advantage of the system or otherwise playing unfairly. This patch can be seen as a form of a "cheat", for an icon that signals dubious methods to the community can be instantly removed. This is a vast improvement for those who could have been flagged for server errors alone. The only drawback is that those who may very well have been abusing the system can likewise block their negative reputation.
Improved Graphics
It is important to recall that Need for Speed 2 Underground has been produced more than a decade ago. So the graphics may leave much to be desired in comparison to modern racing games. This patch is able to slightly enhance the appearance of the vehicles and the environment while also allowing the game play to be a bit smoother than the normal version. Those who prefer to run the game at higher resolutions will certainly be impressed with this fix.
System Requirements
This patch has a total file size of 8.2 megabytes. It is compatible with Windows 98, Windows 98 SE, Windows ME, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows 2003, Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8. While the Direct X 9.0 video codec is recommended, older models can also be used (due to the age of the game itself).
The Verdict
This is a highly functional patch ideal for anyone who has been frustrated by the bugs encountered within Need for Speed 2. However, most of these bugs occurred on older operating systems such as Windows 98 and Windows 2000. Newer platforms are not likely to experience such issues and the patch may very well be redundant. To summarise, let us list some of the major advantages and shortcomings of this upgrade.
Pros
- Enhanced LAN support for those who play within a game room
- Less system crashes
- Slightly improved graphics
- A better online connection during game play
Cons
- A questionable approach to hiding one's reputation
- Besides the bug fixes, there are very few outward improvements
Pros
- Enhances and changes the way you play online
- Reduces crashes during online modes of play
- Offers LAN playing without an internet connection
- Suitable for use with all operating systems
- Downloads in minutes
Cons
- Doesn't solve all glitches and bugs
- Newer patches are available
- Requires a full version of the game on your system
- Offers more support for online players than offline players
Need for Speed 2 Underground is one of the most popular and loved games in the franchise, and with this Need for Speed 2 Underground patch, you can improve your performance and get more out of the game.
The game itself features four different race modes that were available on previous editions, including circuit, drift, drag, and sprint races. Playing the career mode requires that you race through the game and build up your points which you can then use to redeem for new vehicles and other items in the game. Though most of the vehicles available are from Japanese manufacturers, you'll also find plenty of European and domestic models too.
Though Need for Speed 2 Underground is a fully functioning game on its own, you really need to download this patch to get the most out of the game. The patch eliminates the glitches that often occur when playing in multi-player mode online. Those glitches may cause your game to crash right in the middle of a big race. Using the patch is especially important for those running an older version of Windows like Windows 98, which doesn't offer as much support as newer versions do.
The patch also lets you host games and races against friends and other players without needing an internet connection. Though you will need a LAN network, you can now use this patch to race in all modes against anyone connected to that network.
A common problem with the full game is that it lets others flag your account based on your actions. This places a small icon over your vehicle that may keep other players from working with you. With this new patch, you and other players will never see an icon over your car, which is helpful for those flagged by players for nefarious reasons.
The Need for Speed 2 Underground patch supports all versions of the game and all operating systems. Keep in mind that the developers no longer offer support for the full game or the patch itself. If you want to eliminate the bugs plaguing your game though, you need this patch.
Pros
- Enhances and changes the way you play online
- Reduces crashes during online modes of play
- Offers LAN playing without an internet connection
- Suitable for use with all operating systems
- Downloads in minutes
Cons
- Doesn't solve all glitches and bugs
- Newer patches are available
- Requires a full version of the game on your system
- Offers more support for online players than offline players
