Which Need for Speed game introduced drift events as a core gameplay mode?

Need for Speed: Underground introduced drift events as a core gameplay mode.

Released in 2003, Underground shifted the series away from exotic-car racing on scenic roads and toward illegal tuner-car street racing. Its event selection included circuit, sprint, drag, and drift competitions. In drift events, players earned points by holding controlled slides, linking drifts, and avoiding collisions rather than simply reaching the finish line first.

The game’s drift mode helped establish a mechanic that became strongly associated with later Need for Speed titles. Underground 2 expanded drifting with additional environments, including parking-garage courses and downhill events, which is why players sometimes credit the sequel instead. However, the original Underground introduced the mode to the main series’ modern tuner-focused formula. It also introduced drag racing, extensive visual customization, and the series’ first substantial story-driven career structure.