"Need for Speed 3: Hot Pursuit" and "Need for Speed (6): Hot Pursuit 2" are, in my opinion, the best and defining Need for Speeds of the pre-Underground era.
Instead of the city-centric tuning-car fantasy of the later games, the early NfSs titles were all about racing with sports cars in exotic places, being chased by the police - or chasing others as the police.
As a result, is has a very different vibe, with a focus on more rural but very beautiful environments. There is a certain world-building "vibe" that got lost in the search for coolness/edgyness of the later titles.
It also feels a lot different - dare I say better - than the 2010 "Remake" of Hot Pursuit.
One of the defining games of my childhood - PLEASE bring it back, GOG.