A new version of the NFS.onl launcher, Kickstart v2.8, is now available.
This update introduces one of the most anticipated features among competitive players - Delta.

The new Delta system adds live sector comparisons, time differences, and completion percentage for Sprints.
It allows players to see exactly where they gain or lose time during a run,
providing precise feedback for improving lap consistency.

Also included in this release:

Delta time + sector bars + completed percentage for Sprints

Digital-only setting for ladder or top 5

Option to use the original mouse pointer

General bugfixes and adjustments

As developer Redhair noted, Kickstart has evolved step by step into a full-featured power-user tool.
For competitive players, this marks a major step forward in how runs can be analyzed and compared.
Players can even share their delta files with others to directly compare their laps,
offering new possibilities for practice and improvement.

The update can be installed directly via the Upgrade button inside Kickstart.
Once again, thanks to Redhair for his ongoing work and dedication to keeping the Underground scene alive.

There haven't been any new overall records since Marchiii's run, but many players showed fresh personal bests.
Activity on the leaderboards is clearly rising again, with old names returning and new ones showing up in the uploads.

Redhair is still working on the Delta feature. He recently shared screenshots on the Retro Racing Point Discord -
showing a new pause menu where different delta files can be selected.
It looks like the feature is nearing completion, and once released, it could be a big plus for competitive players.

On track:

Shadow has been on fire lately with his Neon runs, including a 37.03 on Atlantica Reverse,
putting him inside the current top 10 on that track.

godfecto continues improving steadily, with strong RX-7 and Neon runs on Atlantica and Port Royal Reverse.
His 38.25 on Atlantica Reverse and multiple sub-39 RX-7 laps show consistency and progress.

URxSeva has been active as well, uploading new runs on Olympic Square and Atlantica, showing he's still in the mix.

pennywise2004 and TheKindest also posted new times,
with solid laps across several tracks like Olympic Square, Atlantica, Port Royal, and Inner City.

angrydriver, a newcomer, has been testing various cars on Atlantica and already posting mid- to high-38s.
Not yet on the Free Run leaderboard, but potential is clearly visible.

Sparks made a surprise comeback with a 59.01 on Market Street - plus a few other times - after a long quiet stretch.

Carter set a 37.43 (NOS) on Port Royal Reverse - a new RX-7 record for that track, sitting just behind ScorpioNNN's Neon.

No new overall records were broken this week, but NFS Underground is far from silent.
Shadow, godfecto, URxSeva, TheKindest, pennywise2004 and others are showing new bests, new faces are appearing,
and even some players we thought were gone are resurfacing.
The game isn't forgotten - the chase for faster laps continues.

Breaking news from the Free Run leaderboard: Marchiii just set a new Overall Record.

It has been a while since we last saw one of these. The last time an Overall Record was broken was by F1scher in Sprint.
In Free Run, the most recent update dates back to 2025-07-27, when ScorpioNNN hit 0:46.51 on Stadium Reverse without NOS.

Now Marchiii, currently #2 on the Free Run ranking,
pushed the limits again. With his Acura Integra Type R he set a time of 0:57.52 on Market Street - a new World Record.

Congratulations to Marchiii for this outstanding run. A new benchmark is set for everyone chasing hotlaps!
Watch the record-setting lap here: https://youtu.be/DQm46DKt_Lg

Good news, racers! Normally, hosting NFS Underground means forwarding UDP ports 3658-3659 in your router.
Not hard, but more and more connections don't support IPv4, so port forwarding doesn't work for some players.

Redhair made a script and a YouTube guide that lets anyone host NFS Underground using a VPS server.
It's actually easier than normal port forwarding.

The only step is renting a VPS-but these are cheap, quick to set up, and cost just 1-2 € per month.
If you already have a server for another purpose, it doesn't cost anything extra.

This is a simple and practical solution for hosting NFS Underground games.
Huge thanks to Redhair for making this possible!

Check out the guide here: http://wiki.nfs.onl/doku.php?id=tutorials:vps_server