Tony Hawk's Underground 2

How to Play

The game has been tested on Windows 7 64-bit, Windows 10 and Windows 11, it works fine. You may experience some small troubles when you play the game on modern systems, check our Guide and Notes for details

Install & play guide:

• Mount the disc image of CD1. You will need the utility for mounting disc image files, like WinCDEmu, UltraISO, Alcohol 52%/Alcohol 120% or Daemon Tools Lite
• Launch the installation, use one of the serial keys from the text file (if autorun doesn't work - simply launch the installation from Setup.exe inside the disc). It is recommended to install the game not in default path, but in some other, non-system folder, like C:/Games/Tony Hawk's Underground 2, so you won't have troubles with NoCD or fixes
• You can skip the installation of GameSpy Arcade, it doesn't work anymore since the GameSpy's servers were closed years ago
• When the installation process will ask for CD2 - mount the disc image of CD2. Do the same when the installation process will ask for next discs. The next discs must be in the same virtual drive as CD1, so first un-mount the disc image of CD1, then mount the next discs
• After you installed the game, use NoCD, simply copy THUG2.exe from the archive and put it into Tony Hawk's Underground 2/Game directory, agree to replace the original file
• Then install the Blur Fix, because the blur effect in the game doesn't work correctly on modern systems, making it unplayable
• Open the Tony Hawk's Underground 2/Game directory and find THUG2.exe. Right click on THUG2.exe -> Properties -> Compatibility -> Set "Run this app in compatibility mode with Windows XP" and "Run as administrator"
• Run the Launcher (Launcher.exe) to configure the game settings
• Launch the game and play. If the game doesn't work in compatibility mode with Windows XP - try to launch it in compatibility mode with other version of Windows (Windows 98, Windows 2000, etc.)

If this installation guide looks too complicated for you, you can use DVD version compiled by %.gone, it includes NoCD, Blur Fix and 100% save file, and doesn't require the serial key.

Optionally, we recommend you to install ClownJob'd THUG2 Version mod by %.gone or PARTYMOD by PARTYMANX. It is unofficial patches by fans, both include fixes for better compatibility with modern systems, and extra features, such as the support of high screen resolutions and working through OpenSpy multiplayer mode. PARTYMOD is currently in active development, the author regularly releases new versions

Notes:

• If the installation doesn't start - try to launch Setup.exe in compatibility mode with old version of Windows (98, 2000 or XP)
• It is recommended to install all versions of Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable and NET Framework for the correct work of the game. Also it is recommended to install K-Lite Codec Pack for the correct work of in-game videos
• The game works on DirectX 9, so if you're using Windows 8, 8.1, 10 or 11 - you need to enable DirectPlay: Go to Control Panel, and select 'Programs'. Select 'Turn Windows features on and off', click on 'Legacy Components' and check the box 'DirectPlay'. Select OK, once the installation is done, restart your computer
• The game was using SafeDisc DRM protection, which doesn't work on modern systems, use NoCD to "break" the DRM protection and play without the disc. If you see the error that there's not enough space on the hard drive when you copy NoCD files - re-install the game in non-system folder, like D:/Games/Tony Hawk's Underground 2, Windows Protection may block copying of files to system folders (like C:/Program Files or C:/Windows)
• On Windows Vista and later, the blur effect in the game is broken! That cause many gameplay issues and makes the game unplayable, here's the video example how it looks. To fix it use Blur Fix, simply replace the game files as in instruction. Or use ClownJob'd THUG2 Version mod or PARTYMOD, both include the fix for broken blur effect
• The Blur Fix doesn't work with Russian version, because it doesn't have scripts folder. If you want to disable the blur in Russian version, first download THUG2 Scripts archive, extract it to THUG2/game/data folder, then replace skutils.qb file in THUG2/game/data/scripts/game folder with this one, with disabled blur. Check this thread for more details
• The game has localizations on English, French & German language, with full English audio & text and text-only localization on French and German. By default, the installer automatically should detect the language of your system. If you have French or German language in your system, but the installed game has English language - use ClownJob'd THUG2 Version mod and change the language through ClownJob'd.ini file
• By default the game supports only 4:3 screen ratio resolutions. But you can play the game in wide screen resolutions by using unofficial patches: ClownJob'd THUG2 Version mod or PARTYMOD, both include fixes for high screen resolutions
• Another method is to use Widescreen Fix by ThirteenAG. To install it simply copy all files from the archive and put in Tony Hawk's Underground 2/Game folder, next to THUG2.exe, then open TonyHawksUnderground2.WidescreenFix.ini and change ResX = and ResY = parameters to enable the screen resolution you need (for example, if you want to run the game in 1920x1080 mode, make ResX = 1920 and ResY = 1080)
• The game has a lot of mods, the biggest one is THUG Pro mod that includes the levels from almost all Tony Hawk's games, the expanded multiplayer mode with custom servers and more customization options. We highly recommend that mod to everybody who already completed all Tony Hawk's games and want some extra content. THUG Pro is focused on multiplayer game, if you want to play it in singleplayer - use this mod
• To find more mods, check THPSX forum, THPS-Modding and this big collection of different mods
• Multiplayer of the game was working through GameSpy servers, but its servers were closed years ago. If you want to play the game in multiplayer, use OpenSpy app; or install ClownJob'd THUG2 Version mod or PARTYMOD, both mods include OpenSpy fix for multiplayer game. THUG Pro mod has its own fix for multiplayer mode, with custom servers. Also, the game had LAN multiplayer, so as alternative, you can play the multiplayer mode with LAN emulators, like Hamachi or RadminVPN
• The game has controller support, but it works properly only with DirectInput-type controllers. It doesn't work with XInput-type controllers (Xbox gamepad and similar), install ClownJob'd THUG2 Version mod to enable the support of XInput. Alternatively, try to use PARTYMOD, it has improved controller support. THUG Pro mod has fixes for controllers too. If the game doesn't recognize your controller and you cannot configure it in the Launcher (Launcher.exe) - try using one of the additional tools from PCGamingWiki guide for controllers
• The game has mods for HQ Music, sounds and videos from the Xbox version of the game, you can find them here or in archive of mods from now disfunctional THPS-Mods website
• If you have the issue when you selected "Random Soundtrack" setting but the game still plays the same order by default - use ThirteenAG's Widescreen Fix or ClownJob'd THUG2 Version mod
• Don't forget to check PCGamingWiki if you have troubles!