Installation
ReCarbon installs the game from your own disc image: it copies the files it needs and checks each one against a manifest of hashes. Nothing is downloaded.
1. Make a disc image
Section titled “1. Make a disc image”Make an image (.iso) of your own Xbox 360 disc of Need for Speed: Carbon, or extract it to a
folder. This site doesn’t explain how to obtain game files in any other way, and the project won’t
help with that.
2. Install the game
Section titled “2. Install the game”With the first-run installer
Section titled “With the first-run installer”Start ReCarbon. If no installed game is found, the installer screen opens:
- It looks for disc images in the usual places, or you browse for yours.
- It checks the image.
- It copies and verifies the files, with progress.
- Then the game starts.
From the command line
Section titled “From the command line”The same installer works from Terminal, for scripts and SSH sessions:
ReCarbon --install <image.iso or extracted folder> [--dest <folder>]Without --dest, the game goes into ReCarbon’s data folder:
~/Library/Application Support/ReCarbon/game. Ctrl-C cancels cleanly and removes the partial
copy. Other commands:
| Command | Does |
|---|---|
ReCarbon --verify <image or folder> |
Hash-checks every file without copying |
ReCarbon --find-images [folder…] |
Lists disc images in the usual places, or in these folders |
ReCarbon --where |
Prints where the game install was found, and the data folders |
ReCarbon --portable on / off |
Keeps the data and the game in ReCarbon’s own folder (portable mode), or moves them back |
In the alpha packaging check (2026-10-23), --install copied and verified 78 files (5.3 GB) in
4 seconds. When the install folder had moved, the app found the game in the default folder and
started.
3. Play
Section titled “3. Play”Start ReCarbon. Press F1 (Fn+F1 on a Mac keyboard, or Cmd+,) for ReCarbon’s Settings at any time; see Controls and the Garage.
Where ReCarbon keeps things
Section titled “Where ReCarbon keeps things”| What | Where |
|---|---|
| Settings | ~/Library/Application Support/ReCarbon/settings.toml |
| Saves, logs, installed game | ~/Library/Application Support/ReCarbon/ (logs/, game/) |
| Caches (shaders, pipelines; safe to delete) | ~/Library/Caches/ReCarbon/ |
A RetroNative project.
ReCarbon is an unofficial fan project. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Electronic Arts Inc. or the Need for Speed brand. Need for Speed and Carbon are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. and are used here only to describe the game. No game files are included or distributed: you need your own legally obtained copy of the Xbox 360 disc.