Something’s missing from EA’s launch line-up. And we don’t mean FIFA or Tiger Woods in this instance, either. There’s no Need For Speed Underground. Admittedly, it says ‘NFSU Rivals’ on the box, but without the free-roaming element that distanced the PS2 series from other racers, it’s a big step backwards. There are no two ways about it; this is one of the few launch titles that really feels like it has lost something in translation. Having said that, it’s fast, smooth, glossy racing all the way, and though it’s basically just a collection of standalone races, whatever mode you’re playing in – and though the number of cars available has been reduced to 24 for the handheld – it holds together well enough without ever being outstanding, and all the custom elements have been retained. Not as fast as WipEout Pure, and not as playable as Ridge Racers, Rivals sits at the back of the grid for the start of the PSP race.