Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed

Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed, released as Need for Speed: Porsche 2000 in Europe, is a racing video game released in 2000. It is the fifth installment in the Need for Speed series. Unlike other NFS titles, Porsche Unleashed centers on racing Porsche sports cars, with models ranging from 1950 to 2000. The game is noted for its extensive information regarding Porsche and its cars. Unlike the previous four Need for Speed games, Porsche Unleashed was not released in Japan.

Gameplay
Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed gives the player the opportunity to race Porsche cars throughout a range of tracks located in Europe. The cars were studied in detail in terms of driving mechanics in order to create a realistic simulation. The premise of the game remains largely the same compared to previous games in the series: driving and racing sports cars. However, the game only offers Porsches. The handling of the cars was improved, and the player can customize their cars drawing from an in-depth catalog of different Porsche as well as aftermarket parts. Although the game retains the police chases from Hot Pursuit and High Stakes, the feature is relatively minor and is only seen in the Factory Driver mode.

PlayStation version
The PS1 version contains different title/cars/music and different tracks. None of the tracks are the same between PC/PS1, with different locations, and names. It is likely that a completely different game engine was used.

Need for Speed: Top Speed
An additional online-only conversion of Porsche Unleashed, dubbed Need for Speed: Top Speed, was released in response to both the release of MacGillivray Freeman's 2002 IMAX film, Top Speed, and the Porsche Cayenne. The game features three existing tracks from Porsche Unleashed and three Porsche vehicles: the 911 (996) Turbo, the 959 and the Cayenne Turbo.

Access to Need for Speed: Top Speed was bundled alongside the PC version of Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2.

40 Jahre 911 Bundle
The 40 Jahre 911 Bundle was released on November 13, 2003 and was only available in Germany. It was a special 40th anniversary edition for the Porsche 911.

The CD box is packed in a unique metal box with the game itself patched to version 3.4. Also included is the official soundtrack of the game, although no additional game features were included.

Reception
In the United States, Porsche Unleashed's computer version sold 340,000 copies and earned $6.3 million by August 2006, after its release in March 2000. It was the country's 52nd best-selling computer game between January 2000 and August 2006. Combined sales of all Need for Speed computer games released between January 2000 and August 2006 had reached 2.5 million units in the United States by the latter date.

Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed received mixed to positive reviews. Aggregating review websites GameRankings and Metacritic gave the Microsoft Windows version 84.36%, the PlayStation version 74.50% and 78/100 and the Game Boy Advance version 59.25% and 62/100  In the UK, Official UK PlayStation Magazine gave the PS version eight out of ten and liked its structure, but said that many of the 70 cars were indistinguishable, and criticised the lifespan. They described the handling as "arcadey", and warned people who didn't like Porsches to "steer well clear".

PC Gamer US named Porsche Unleashed the best racing game of 2000.