NFSU2 parks at retail

Electronic Arts today announced the release of Need for Speed Underground 2 for the Xbox, PlayStation 2, GameCube, PC, and Game Boy Advance. The sequel to one of last year's best-sellers continues the series' "Fast and Furious"-esque street racing action and adds the star talent of Wild On's Brooke Burke as its curvaceous hostess. The musical stylings of Snoop Dogg, Chingy, and Xzibit are also part of the NFSU2 mix.

In Need for Speed Underground 2, drivers find themselves back on square one with no car, no cash, and a reputation in desperate need of building up. The game focuses squarely on high-octane street racing, and drivers will be able to choose which forks in the road they wish to take thanks to the open-ended gameplay on offer. The new free-roaming city environments feature five interconnected neighborhoods, each with its own flavor. Tuning and customizing cars is back once again, and there are more than 70 billion (according to Electronic Arts) car combinations possible. Functional upgrades include tweaks to hydraulics and spoilers, while cosmetic upgrades involve decals and spinning hubcaps.

The EA Canada-developed NFSU2 features online play for the PS2, Xbox, and PC. The title is rated "E" for Everyone and has an MSRP of $49.99 for the PS2, Xbox, and GameCube, $39.99 for the PC, and $29.99 for the GBA.