Circuit is a standard race that involves racing with up to three opponents' cars around a loop track for two or more laps. It is the main mode of the game.
Knockout Mode is similar to previous Need for Speed titles. It is played on the circuit tracks, and involves "knocking out" the last racer who passes the finish line in each lap until the final leader of the race remains, and wins the race. In Underground, Knockout sessions have a maximum of three laps for four racers.
Sprint mode is a variation on the Circuit mode, where the contestants race in a point-to-point track instead of loop tracks. These races are typically shorter than "circuits" (with a maximum of 8 km in length), so players are required to be more cautious of any mistakes during racing, such as crashing into barriers or vehicles.
Drifting is the most challenging and technical aspect of the game. Drift mode consists of one player in a short loop track, where the objective is to collect as many points as possible by drifting along the track. The player competes with three other contestants, who appear to accumulate scores along with the player during the drift session. The player would be required to beat these scores in order to obtain top positions.
