New features:

• 3DFX support (Voodoo and Voodoo Rush)
• More detailed graphics (weather conditions, shadowing and such)
• One new track, Last Resort
• Three new cars (Ford Mustang Mach 3, Ferrari F355 F1 and Italdesign Nazca C2)
• Ford Indigo is also in the main line-up, new bonus cars included
• Cars are divided into three classes like in TNFS
• Possibility to drive the tracks reversed and/or mirrores
• New game style, Wild
• Game keeps a log of your driving (top lap time, total time and fatal crashes)
• Several new cheats

Without 3DFX Voodoo based video card the game looks just like the original NFS2, but when you plug a Voodoo into your computer, the graphics become totally unbelievable. I haven't seen a racing game with graphics like this before. Some effects like the rain and the shadows look really nice!

The new cars are a bit disappointment, McLaren F1 and Ford Indigo will still be the two ones you'll use, but at least there are some nice secret cars. Cars are divided into three classes, just like they were in The Need for Speed. This feature is quite welcome, 'cause it adds more challenge into tournaments and knockout races. New track, Last Resort, is quite acceptable, but it still a closed track. I only hope that there will be segmented tracks in NFS3... The possibility to drive the tracks reversed is quite nice. The track seems to be totally different one when driving it reversed.

To buy or not to buy? Well, if you don't have 3DFX Voodoo I can't think any reason why to buy NFS2 SE if you already have NFS2. You would only get the new track, new cars and several nice options. But you can also get the cars and the track into normal NFS2 with the patches that people have made. Things become different if you own a Voodoo card, the graphics and the smoother gameplay is worth of that $50 (and you will get $20 back, if you live in US or Canada). Naturally I can recommend the game if you don't have NFS2 already. 3DFX Voodoo owners could also try out the demo before deciding.