«Underground 2 Revived»: NFS Underground 2 in the browser — with online play and 120 fps
A fan project called Underground 2 Revived has rebuilt the PC version of Need for Speed: Underground 2 for Chrome and Firefox: the game opens on the site without installation or downloading. It includes free roam, races with friends on the project's server and up to 120 frames per second, and no EA account is required.
Original code, but on the web
Enthusiasts took the guts of the 2004 PC version of Need for Speed: Underground 2 and recompiled it for the browser. Graphics are rendered by WebGPU, sound goes through Web Audio, and it should all work in Chrome and Firefox. There's no need to install the game — just open the project page.
Graphics, controls, and the little things
- Graphics: up to 120 frames per second, widescreen mode with a resolution to match your monitor, and maximum settings — while keeping the original look.
- Gamepads: Xbox and PlayStation controllers connect with vibration support.
- Keyboard: the layout can be remapped in the game's settings menu.
- Details: intro videos are skipped with a single press, and switching to another tab pauses the game — except in LAN and online.
Online without an EA account
Free roam and joint races with friends run on the project's own server; no EA registration is needed for this. The horn will also come in handy in online drives: you can honk both in free roam and in races.
Saves stay in the browser
Progress is written automatically for each profile, and the game notifies you every time it saves. Profile data is stored in the browser's memory. In the saves section, you can download a single zip with all profiles, settings, the settings.ini file, and screenshots — and restore a copy from it; when restoring, the current data in the browser is replaced. The settings.ini itself can be edited as text.
What else is at hand
The F9 menu gives you fullscreen, controls help, a log, and exit from the game. The frame counter is toggled separately (F8), and F12 takes a screenshot — it is saved along with the profiles. Game data can be preloaded onto your computer in advance or deleted to free up space.
Fan status
The creators don't hide what they're doing: the nfsu2.xyz homepage states directly «Fan project. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Electronic Arts». That is, Electronic Arts has nothing to do with this venture, and no one guarantees that the site will work tomorrow either — so it's worth taking a look while it's available.
Would you take a drive around Bayview right in a browser tab? Share your impressions in the comments and keep up with Need for Speed news on nfs.place!