Lap Knockout eliminates the last racer in each lap until one player remains the victor. Time Trial gives players three laps on a level with the goal being to beat the required time to get the gold, silver, or bronze medal. Sprint is a point-to-point race where competitors try to get from one end to the other before their opponent. This is similar to the delivery mission in Porsche Unleashed while the police pursuit makes it more challenging. Delivery is a timed point-to-point dash, with the police in pursuit. There are several a la carte race types in Hot Pursuit 2. In the latter players must complete the races while also evading capture.
Two primary game modes are offered: World Racing Championship, in which the player competes against other drivers in a series of races, and Hot Pursuit Ultimate Racer, which adds police to the races. It draws primarily from the gameplay and style of one of its predecessors, Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit. Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 is a racing game with an emphasis on evading the police and over-the-top courses featuring lengthy shortcuts. The player in pursuit of a speeder, having called for backup in the form of an additional police unit.
