Namco’s Ridge Racer is my favorite racing gameall-time series. A remarkable mix of arcade drifting, excellent graphics, and music-focused soundtracks has established it as a iconic racing franchise, especially with titles such asRidge Racer Type 4 for the original PlayStation console, andRidge Racer 6 on Xbox 360 – both of which are still my top choices in the series today.
It’s a series that has been inactive for a long time, to my disappointment, with the last primary release –Ridge Racer Unbounded – coming from FlatOut and Wreckfest Developer Bugbear Entertainment in 2012. And to be honest, it’s best to say as little as possible about that game.
Now, developer Hamster has brought some vitality back to the series, with an excellent adaptation of the original.Ridge Racer for Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. Arcade Classics 2 Ridge Racerincludes the 1993 arcade version of the game, offering a few different modes and numerous options for personalizing your gameplay.
It’s quite lacking in substance, though. You’re not receiving anything similar toType 4’s 300+ cars or Ridge Racer 7’s massive campaign. As one would anticipate for an arcade racing game from its era, you receive one track, a single vehicle, and a half-dozen music selections. If this limited amount of content proves to be a problem, you may want to consider something else.Arcade Archives 2 Ridge Racera miss.
That doesn’t mean there aren’t a handful of activities available. The track changes and expands depending on the difficulty you choose, as well as the car’s maximum speed. The ‘Original’ mode offers numerous customizable settings to personalize your gameplay, and competing for online leaderboard times can be quite addictive. At $16.99 / £14.99, there’s a substantial amount of content for such an affordable price.
Slide through the curves
Ridge Racer might be the arcade racing game in its most authentic version. Comparable to others such asDaytona USA, You are required to complete multiple laps, striving to overtake other vehicles and reach checkpoints before the time runs out, which will provide you with additional time to keep racing.
Ridge Racer offers four levels of challenge, each altering the experience considerably. Beginner features a streamlined track layout over two laps. Intermediate maintains the same track but extends it to three laps with a faster maximum speed. Advanced provides the complete track layout, while Time Trial (referred to as T.T. in-game) challenges you against one driver on the full track with an increased top speed.
Despite having only one track, it remains a visual delight even now, and it’s remarkable how much diversity is included in a single circuit. The entire course takes you through a city, a seaside resort, a construction site, the countryside, and more within just a few minutes. Beautiful environmental details such as planes flying above and the time of day slowly changing add to the immersive racing experience. Zipping through it all at approximately 220km/h is a real pleasure, especially once you’ve mastered the drifting and handling.
Drifting, specifically, is undeniably the groundbreaking game mechanic of theRidge Racer series, and that began as early as this first entry. The key is to release the accelerator and gently apply the brakes while turning, thereby maneuvering your car through tight corners without losing much speed.
Achieving success here is highly rewarding, particularly since the game penalizes you with significant speed reduction if you collide with a wall or another vehicle. Although drifting will be improved in subsequent versions, it’s remarkable how well Namco executed this initial release.
Drift into the lead
What other modes are available?Arcade Archives 2: Ridge Racer?If you’re looking to test yourself against the online rankings, there are several methods available. Hi Score Mode offers an authentic arcade-style challenge, requiring you to attain the fastest race time possible with one credit.
Caravan Mode challenges you to race non-stop for five minutes, with your score determined by the distance you cover. In both Hi Score and Caravan, you can also select your difficulty level, each featuring its own ranking list. Additionally, Time Attack Mode presents a series of challenges where you must achieve times in each of the game’s four difficulty levels one after another.
There’s a significant amount of content to explore, especially for those chasing high scores, with numerous different approaches available. What you may observe, however, is that beyond Original Mode, your position on the track isn’t particularly important. The focus is on moving as quickly as possible, achieving the fastest times, or covering as much distance as you can.
Original Mode is the most flexible of the options. It’s the least formal of the modes, featuring save points, and is the only one that truly stops when you press the pause button. You will also be able to play Japanese or English ‘SD’ or ‘DX’ ROMs, with the main distinction being that DX includes a clutch button, replicating the arcade cabinet versions.
There are numerous options available as well. Full customization of the button layout is provided, along with different display settings, including wallpapers for the 4:3 resolution, screen layout choices with the possibility of widescreen, and various CRT filters (although I personally preferred playing without them for a clearer image quality).
You can also select from six different music tracks prior to entering a race.Ridge Racer is recognized for regularly featuring some of the finest soundtracks in the genre, although I can’t claim that is true for this initial release.
The music influenced by raves varies from acceptable to nearly unbearable, and left me longing for the clean mix of funk, house, and UK garage seen inRidge Racer Type 4. Although special recognition must be made of Speedster – Track 5 – which contains an iconic sample that is also featured in theJet Set Radio Soundtrack. That’s a big plus in my opinion.
Ridge Racer also bears the distinction of including what might be the series’ most annoying announcer. Delivering lines with an excessively charismatic tone reminiscent of an American game show host, you’ll hear “hey, somebody’s right on your tail!” repeatedly throughout a single race.
Is it worth playing Arcade Archives 2 Ridge Racer?
Play it if…
You desire a genuine arcade racing experienceRidge Racer was perhaps the standout arcade racing game of its time, and although it doesn’t have the extensive content that its numerous sequels offer, there is a simplicity and authenticity that is difficult to come by in modern racing games.
You enjoy the excitement of online rankingsPursuing the fastest possible moments inRidge Racer is where the majority of its enjoyment can be found. The game is ideal for short, easy-to-pick-up sessions, particularly when using the Switch 2’s portable mode.
Don’t play it if…
You were anticipating additional materialAs noted, a single track and vehicle is nothing like what lies ahead.Ridge Racergames could provide. I’m genuinely hoping for a comprehensive series collection release in the future, as this original game is clearly the foundation of the series.
Accessibility
There are hardly any modern accessibility features available.Arcade Classics 2 Ridge Racer.It’s pleasant to have the ability to customize the screen and button arrangements according to your preferences, but there isn’t much more to offer beyond that.
How I Evaluated Arcade Archives 2 Ridge Racer
I’ve spent four hours playing.Arcade Classics 2 Ridge RacerThus far. That’s more than sufficient to try out each of its modes multiple times, with much of that time dedicated to ascending the online leaderboards for every mode.
I played the game on Nintendo Switch 2, utilizing theNintendo Switch 2 Pro Controllerto play while docked. Although most of my gaming time was spent in handheld mode, typically during lunch breaks or just before going to bed.
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