Need for Speed Underground 2 DS (Evolution)

Title: Need for Speed Underground 2 DS

borgster101 - January 27, 2005 09:52 AM (GMT)

As there are a fair few NFS fans in this forum, I thought I'd post some information regarding the NFS title to grace the Nintendo DS, the title actually looks to make good use of the DS features enhancing the NFS Underground exprience.

Need for Speed Underground will utilize both screens for multiple features. During races, the lower-screen will, not surprisingly, be used for track maps. Its touch-sensitive feature will also come into play when players need to kick in their car's nitrous for a massive boost of speed. But Need for Speed Underground has always been about personal expression and customization, and the Nintendo DS' touch-screen will come into play here to put custom decals on their rides. The development team has incorporated a paint program that enables decal artists to create whatever their minds can conceive for true vehicular personality. Anything you can draw with the stylus can be slapped on specific locations of your car's exterior.

Source

user posted image

DJ-Civic - January 27, 2005 11:27 AM (GMT)

I thought it was NFSU *1*? Anyway, it looks alright but a bit rough around the edges. I do like the way the stylus is going to be used though.

BrotherEstapol - January 27, 2005 01:34 PM (GMT)

*AHEM* <_<

QUOTE (BrotherEstapol @ Jan 26 2005, 03:02 PM)

QUOTE

Pocketeers, the development studio previously responsible for the two Need for Speed Underground titles for the Game Boy Advance. The team has already proven itself with, at the very least, amazing 3D graphic engines on hardware that was never meant to pull 3D off...at all. With the Nintendo DS hardware, however, Pocketeers has a lot more capabilities under the hood to work with, so we're expecting some impressive things out of the visuals that Need for Speed Underground DS will push. The early screenshots offered up by Electronic Arts already show sharper car models and texture work on the environments, but we'll have to wait and see the game in motion before we make a final assessment on the team's grasp of the DS' capabilities.

As for utilizing the other components of the Nintendo DS system, Need for Speed Underground will utilize both screens for multiple features. During races, the lower-screen will, not surprisingly, be used for track maps. Its touch-sensitive feature will also come into play when players need to kick in their car's nitrous for a massive boost of speed. But Need for Speed Underground has always been about personal expression and customization, and the Nintendo DS' touch-screen will come into play here to put custom decals on their rides. The development team has incorporated a paint program that enables decal artists to create whatever their minds can conceive for true vehicular personality. Anything you can draw with the stylus can be slapped on specific locations of your car's exterior.

Of course, wireless play is obviously a huge draw for the Nintendo DS version of Need for Speed Underground. Though Electronic Arts hasn't confirmed the feature yet, we're expecting that the game will require a copy of the game for each player that wants to enter the race; it certainly would be killer to have Game Share mode a la Ridge Racer DS for single cartridge multiplayer, the game looks far too complex to make this feature a reality this early in the Nintendo DS' life. Fingers crossed, though.

Electronic Arts is expected to make an official announcement regarding Need for Speed Underground DS later this week. In the meantime, have a look at some exclusive screenshots by hitting the media links below.

http://ds.ign.com/articles/582/582623p1.html?fromint=1

user posted image

QUOTE

Nintendo Power has published the first information and screens showcasing the Nintendo DS version of Need for Speed: Underground. The game, set for a release in March, will debut gameplay never seen before.

Not only does the game look awesome, it also features some touch-screen options that will interest the hardcore racers out there. For example, the game allows Nitro-tank programming and a decal creation system.

The nitro-tank option is pretty interesting. Though you will be able to use nitro by simply pressing a DS button you can also modulate nitrous flow with touch control to get more or less bang from your boost. How a player will be able to handle this during a fierce race still remains to be seen though.

NFSU for the Nintendo DS allows gamers to tune cars under-the-hood but also to create his or her own decals with a touch-based paint program. Pretty awesome! And after having customized the vehicle you can show it to up to four of your friends by competing against through the wireless WIFI connection.

To see some of these features in action click the image below and scroll your way through six screens scanned from Nintendo Power. Enjoy!

http://www.cube-europe.com/news.php?nid=7372

user posted image

I like the custom logo thing, and if they can get online play to work, I think this could be a great title. :)

http://s7.invisionfree.com/Evolution/index...opic=311&st=280

Manny M - January 27, 2005 08:45 PM (GMT)

Mike was right in putting it here though Timmy.

Also, i'll just repeat what I said in the other thread. Rough. Around. Edges.

borgster101 - January 28, 2005 02:44 AM (GMT)

Ah well it is a separate game Estapol :P .

I agree that it does look a little 'rough around the edges' however given the technology which is essentially an N64 (or actually a bit better than N64, since Mario actually looks better on DS than on the 64), it's decent.

On the graphics though, history of handheld gaming thus far has shown us that graphics is not an important factor in handheld gaming. The gameboy has been the dominant leader in the handheld industry despite the fact that its competitors displayed superior graphics (Game Gear, N-Gage), when looking at the DS and PSP a similar situation arisies. My point is that graphics are not a factor in handheld gaming to the extent that they are in console gaming.

Gio - January 28, 2005 10:56 AM (GMT)

Wow, this'll be great! *oh my god he's delerious!*

borgster101 - January 28, 2005 11:13 AM (GMT)

Just because the game is from EA, there is no need to instantly declare that it is crap.

JJJames7 - January 29, 2005 07:23 AM (GMT)

If this Vinal drawing works properly, and the game mechanics are good enough, then this game will be one to look out for. Hopefully it will be out sometime after launch.

borgster101 - January 30, 2005 03:52 AM (GMT)

Yeah the touch screen customisiation is the coolest concept because it will greatly simplfy customising your cars and has the oppurtunity to give you far more creative control :)

NismoR34 - January 30, 2005 03:43 PM (GMT)

I only thought that the touch screen (with the stylus) was going to be used for Nitrous only and therefore thought that it was just a lame arse port.

However, now that I know about this decal/vinyl aspect, I really hope that it makes NFSU 2 a better experience. Looks good, and if it rates reasonably highly with reviews, then I shall pick it up for the DS eventually. :)

JJJames7 - January 31, 2005 01:38 AM (GMT)

Well, I don't know about anyone else, but I had a look at a carry case picture for the DS, which holdes a stylus, two GBA games and four DS games.

Anyway, the stylus is sitting next to the GBA games, and it's less than a cm bigger. The bastard is tiny! Also, I put the resolution of 256x192 into paint and printed it off (the screen resolution of the DS), and tried to draw with precision with my GBA cart, if you get what I mean.

Small stylus + Small screen = Difficult feature.

Gio - January 31, 2005 06:11 AM (GMT)

QUOTE (borgster101 @ Jan 28 2005, 10:13 PM)

Just because the game is from EA, there is no need to instantly declare that it is crap.

I've played Need For Speed Underground 2 and stand by that statement.

borgster101 - February 1, 2005 11:09 AM (GMT)

QUOTE (JJJames7 @ Jan 31 2005, 11:38 AM)

Having used the stylus in PictoChat I dont think it's a difficult feature to use, the stylus while small works well for the handheld. Hence I'd assume that customisation in NFS would be quite simple to use.

DJ-Civic - February 1, 2005 11:50 AM (GMT)

The stylus works fine, but i'm sure the custom vinyl option will be limited. Just look at that smiley face...
You won't be able to create something like in say, Photoshop. It'll be mainly squiggles.

UltraGekko - March 2, 2005 10:55 AM (GMT)

NFSU2 DS Ad

Only a tiny bit of game footage at the end but it's looking nice and fluid.

BrotherEstapol - March 2, 2005 12:36 PM (GMT)

Cool ad. :P

Not as good looking as the other versions, but apparently they have it running at 60fps, which makes up for it IMHO. :D

DJ-Civic - March 2, 2005 02:51 PM (GMT)

Hehe, that IS cool. Looks better in motion too.

borgster101 - March 3, 2005 02:13 AM (GMT)

There was an interview in IGN were the guy was saying that the game will have the feel of the the a PS2 NFS game, I guess not in terms of the graphics but in the overall sense of speed.

It's actually looking quite promising.

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