| Ridge Racer | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre(s) | Racing |
| Developer(s) | Namco Nintendo Software Technology Namco Bandai Games Cellius Bugbear Entertainment |
| Publisher(s) | Namco Sony Computer Entertainment Nintendo Namco Bandai Games |
| Creator(s) | Yozo Sakagami Fumihiro Tanaka |
| Platform(s) | Arcade,PlayStation,PlayStation 2,Nintendo 64,GameCube,i-mode,J2ME,Zeebo,Xbox,PlayStation Portable,Nintendo DS,PlayStation 3,Xbox 360,Windows,Nintendo 3DS,PlayStation Vita,iOS,Android |
| First release | Ridge Racer 30 October 1993 |
| Latest release | Ridge Racer Draw & Drift 20 October 2016 |
Ridge Racer[a] is a series ofracingvideo games created byNamco and owned byBandai Namco Entertainment. The first game,Ridge Racer (1993), was originally released in arcades for theNamco System 22 hardware, later ported to thePlayStation one year later as a launch title. It was met with several sequels and spin-off games for multiple platforms, the latest being themobile gameRidge Racer Draw & Drift (2016) and the latest mainline game, developed in-house, wasRidge Racer 7 (2006). Gameplay involves the player racing against computer-controlled opponents to be the first to finish in a race.Drifting is a core aspect of the series and is used to keep speed while turning corners;Ridge Racer pioneered the real-life technique in video games. The series is considered influential to the racing game genre.[1]
| 1993 | Ridge Racer |
|---|---|
| 1994 | Ridge Racer 2 |
| 1995 | Rave Racer |
| Ridge Racer Revolution | |
| 1996 | Rage Racer |
| Pocket Racer | |
| 1997 | |
| 1998 | R4: Ridge Racer Type 4 |
| 1999 | |
| 2000 | Ridge Racer 64 |
| Ridge Racer V | |
| 2001 | |
| 2002 | |
| 2003 | R: Racing Evolution |
| 2004 | Ridge Racer |
| Ridge Racer DS | |
| 2005 | Ridge Racer 6 |
| Critical Velocity | |
| 2006 | Ridge Racer 7 |
| Ridge Racer 2 | |
| 2007 | |
| 2008 | |
| 2009 | Ridge Racer Accelerated |
| 2010 | Ridge Racer Drift |
| 2011 | Ridge Racer 3D |
| Ridge Racer | |
| 2012 | Ridge Racer Unbounded |
| 2013 | Ridge Racer Slipstream |
| 2014 | |
| 2015 | |
| 2016 | Ridge Racer Draw & Drift |
Ridge Racer is a spiritual successor toSim Drive (1992), a racing simulation game met with a limited release in Japanese arcades using an actual body of aMazda Eunos Roadster. Originally meant as anF1 racing game, similar to Namco's ownPole Position andFinal Lap series, it was instead replaced with racing on mountain roads, a popular trend for Japanese car enthusiasts at the time. The PlayStation version was a launch title for the console and an astounding success for both Namco, prompting the creation of several sequels for arcades and home platforms.
EarlierRidge Racer games received critical acclaim for their graphics, gameplay, and musical score, many citing it as a contributing factor to the success of the PlayStation in its early years. Later entries were criticized for straying too far from the source material and lack of content, withRidge Racer Vita (2011) being the first game to receive generally negative reception from critics; its base content was considered extremely lacking, with the player forced to obtain the vast majority of additional content by purchasing DLC.[2] The last mainline title,Ridge Racer Unbounded (2012) received mixed-to-average reception from critics.[3]
The basic gameplay of theRidge Racer series has remained relatively consistent throughout each installment. The objective is to race against computer-controlled opponents to finish each track in first place — the player begins the game in last place, and have a limited number of laps around the track to complete where they can overtake opponents. Some entries have a time limit that the player must race against, with each completed lap extending the timer; if the timer reaches zero, the game ends regardless of which lap the player was on. Later entries remove the timer and instead requires the player to finish the race in a minimum-assigned place to advance to the next course.
Unlike other racing games, which usually feature closed circuits,Ridge Racer instead has races laid out on streets, beaches, cities and mountains, taking place in the fictional coastal metropolis "Ridge City" — circuit tracks are included in some entries. Nearly every entry in the series features the original tracks fromRidge Racer andRidge Racer 2, sometimes modified to accompany for certain mechanics. Players candrift their car around corners to maintain speed, as most of the tracks were based on real-world locations that were not intended for race speeds.Ridge Racer Unbounded (2012) removes the drifting mechanic in favor ofvehicular combat, similar to theBurnout franchise.
The playable cars each have their own stats and mechanics, such as a faster speed or improved drifting. Many of these are also named after older Namco video games, includingDig Dug,Xevious,NebulasRay,Rolling Thunder,Bosconian andSolvalou. The PlayStation sequelR4: Ridge Racer Type 4 introduces the concept of racing teams for the series, all being named afterDig Dug,Mappy,Pac-Man,Xevious andGalaga. Similar to Namco's ownTekken series, several games feature classic Namco arcade games as short minigames that play during loading screens, a mechanic that was later trademarked by Namco — the PlayStation home port of the originalRidge Racer featuresGalaxian, whileRidge Racers featuresNew Rally-X. Completing these minigames will award the player with new tracks or cars, sometimes unlocking a full emulated version of the minigame to play.[10]
Starting withRage Racer, each game offers cars with fictional automakers and model names. Certain manufacturers specialize in a particular component of their cars' performance, such as top speed, grip, and acceleration:
Designed by Kei Yoshimizu, Reiko Nagase is avirtual idol fictional character who is the mascot and "host" of theRidge Racer series.[11][12] Described as arace queen fromTokyo,[13] Reiko officially first appeared and was named inRage Racer (1996), in the game'sfull motion video intro directed by Kei Yoshimizu from Keica,[14][15] also appearing in-game.[16] InR4: Ridge Racer Type 4 (1998),[17] she was given more prominence, as the opening animation, which used a song byKimara Lovelace, was a short story starring her.[18]Type 4 also introduced a redesign to her 3D model by Kei Yoshimizu.[19] This is when Namco started giving more exposure to the character, heavily using her image to promote the game.[20][21] She also appears inRidge Racer 64 (2000).
In 2000, Namco decided to replace Reiko inRidge Racer V with newcomer Ai Fukami[22].[23] The character also influenced Namco to create other virtual idols: the aforementioned Hitomi Yoshino, whose most notable appearance outside Japan was inMotoGP 2 andMotoGP 3; Rena Hayami ofR: Racing Evolution;[24] and several characters under the name Kei Nagase[25] in theAce Combat series, who bear a resemblance to Reiko Nagase. One of them, a selectable wingman inAce Combat 2 (1997), was officially identified as Reiko's younger sister born.[26] Reiko also made appearances in other games – most of them featuring her in the white-and-red outfit from theR4: Ridge Racer Type 4 promotional artwork – includingAnna Kournikova's Smash Court Tennis,Pac-Man Fever,[27] and as a bot in 2024'sAstro Bot.[28] In March 1999, she was featured in the PlayStation 2 pre-launch real-time technology demo program as the "Ridge Racer Girl".[29][30] The character has also been featured in other products licensed by Namco,[31] including the first and sixth wave of Namco Galsgashapon and other figurines and garage kits by various manufacturers.[32]
| Game | GameRankings | Metacritic |
|---|---|---|
| Ridge Racer | 81%[33] | - |
| Ridge Racer Revolution | 79%[34] | - |
| R4: Ridge Racer Type 4 | 88%[36] | 88[35] |
| Ridge Racer 64 | 85%[38] | 82[37] |
| Ridge Racer V | 80%[40] | 78[39] |
| Ridge Racer DS | 64%[42] | 63[41] |
| Ridge Racer | 89%[44] | 88[43] |
| Ridge Racer 6 | 70%[46] | 74[45] |
| Ridge Racers 2 | 70%[47] | - |
| Ridge Racer 7 | 79%[49] | 78[48] |
| Ridge Racer Accelerated | 52%[51] | 50[50] |
| Ridge Racer 3D | 75%[53] | 75[52] |
| Ridge Racer Unbounded | 69%[55] | 71[54] |
The originalRidge Racer was very well received by critics for its3D graphics, audio, and the drifting mechanics. It also received an admirable port to the PlayStation, where it became one of the best selling titles in the console's early lifetime. It is also considered as playing a part in giving Sony's system an edge over rivalSega'sSaturn during 1994–1995.
Its sequels during the 1990s were also highly successful, in particularRidge Racer Type 4, often considered the series' best. Its sequelRidge Racer V received more mediocre reviews, but the subsequent PSP title achieved very high praise. The series' 'idol' mascot Reiko Nagase, who has appeared in most games since 1996'sRage Racer, has often been rated among the most recognizable female characters in video games.
In 1999,Next Generation listed theRidge Racer series as number 11 on their "Top 50 Games of All Time", commenting that "there are certainly better car simulations, but when it comes to fun,Ridge Racer, the game that helped make PlayStation cool, is the one we come back to".[57]
The 2011 Vita title was negatively received for various reasons, whilst the latest console game,Ridge Racer Unbounded, was marked with a departure from the drifting style and mechanics of what the series is known for, experimenting with a more destructive style similar to theBurnout series, althoughRidge Racer 3D, a launch title for the 3DS, was better received compared toVita andUnbounded. The game was never as popular as its previous main titles and never had a Japanese release either.
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