Ridge Racer (1993 video game)
Ridge Racer | ||
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Arcade system Namco System 22 | |
Ridge Racer
Development took eight months, and the game is based on a trend among Japanese car enthusiasts, which involves racing on mountain roads while
Ridge Racer received a highly positive reception. Reviewers praised the 3D texture-mapped graphics, audio, drifting mechanics, and arcade racing gameplay, although some were critical of the lack of strong
Gameplay
Players choose a course, a car, a
A single course is featured comprising four configurations of increasing difficulty: Novice, Intermediate, Advanced and Time Trial (the latter two are extended).[9] The player races eleven opponents except in Time Trial, where there is only one.[10] The greater the difficulty, the faster the cars run; Time Trial is the fastest.[9][11] Each race consists of three laps (two on the beginner course).[11][12] Checkpoints that grant additional time when passed through are present throughout.[13][14] In the PlayStation version, after every race is won, reversed ones become available, and an additional opponent is encountered in Time Trial: the 13th Racing (also known as the "Devil" car), the fastest car.[6][15] On winning, the car is unlocked. The PlayStation version features a hidden "mirror" version of the tracks. It becomes a "mirror image" of itself; left turns become right turns and vice versa, and the surroundings switch sides of the road.[5][16] In the arcade version, the winning player's score is saved in action-replay highlights after finishing the game.[3][5]
In the PlayStation version, a mini-game of Galaxian can be played as the game loads. If won, eight additional cars become available.[17] Once the game has loaded, the CD is only needed to play six music tracks. The disc can be replaced during gameplay, although the game does not update; regardless of what disc is inserted, there will always be six tracks, corresponding to the starting points of the tracks on the game disc.[5][18]
Development and release
At the
Ridge Racer had a
During the release for arcade system board, Namco described Ridge Racer as "the most realistic driving game ever".[28] It featured three-dimensional polygon graphics with texture mapping.[28] In Japan, the game was demonstrated at the 1993 AM Show, held in August 1993.[29][30]
Ridge Racer Full Scale
The Ridge Racer Full Scale arcade version was released along with the standard arcade version in 1993. This version was designed to give the player a more realistic driving experience. Players (a passenger could sit in the car next to the driver) sat inside an adapted red Eunos Roadster,[31] the Japanese right-hand drive version of the Mazda MX-5 Miata and controlled the same car on-screen. The game was played in front of a 10 feet (3.0 m) wide, front-projected triple screen (which benefited from dimmed ambient lighting), with the wheel, gear stick and pedals functioning as the controls. The ignition key was used to start, the speed and RPM gauges were functional, and fans blew wind on the player from inside the air vents. Speakers concealed inside the car provided realistic engine and tire sounds; overhead speakers provided surround music.[22]
The Ridge Racer Full Scale cabinet cost £150,000 or $230,000 (equivalent to $470,000 in 2023) to purchase in 1994.[32]
PlayStation
Development of the PlayStation version began in April 1994. Because of the differences, it had to be produced essentially from scratch, and took nearly as long to develop as the arcade version, being half-complete in November.
The PlayStation version was shown at the 1995
Music
The soundtrack was produced at the same time as the game by
No. | Title | Music | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Welcome racer" | Shinji Hosoe | 0:50 |
2. | "Ridge Racer (Power Remix)" | Shinji Hosoe | 6:25 |
3. | "Rare Hero (Sanodigy Mix)" | Nobuyoshi Sano | 4:49 |
4. | "Feeling Over (Underground)" | Ayako Saso | 5:54 |
5. | "Rotterdam Nation (Foo Mix)" | Shinji Hosoe | 3:53 |
6. | "Speedster (I Like A.T Mix)" | Shinji Hosoe | 4:47 |
7. | "Rhythm Shift (12" version)" | Shinji Hosoe | 3:38 |
8. | "win win win (Death Mix)" | Shinji Hosoe | 0:58 |
Total length: | 31:14 |
Reception
Publication | Score | |
---|---|---|
Computer and Video Games | 80%[32] | 96%[51] |
Dragon | 2/5[52] | |
Edge | Positive[30][2] | 9/10[53] |
Electronic Gaming Monthly | 17.5/20[54] 18/20[55] | |
Famitsu | 37/40[56][57] | |
Game Informer | 8.75/10[60] | |
GamePro | 5/5[58][59] | |
Hyper | 92%[61] | |
IGN | 7.5/10[62] | |
Next Generation | 4/5[63] | |
PlayStation Official Magazine – UK | 8/10[64] | |
Coming Soon Magazine | 4.5/5[65] | |
The Electric Playground | 10/10[66] | |
Maximum | 4/5[67] |
Publication | Award |
---|---|
Electronic Gaming Monthly | Best Driving Game (1995)[68] |
Arcade
In Japan, Game Machine listed it on their 1 December 1993 issue as being the most-successful upright/cockpit arcade game of the month.[69] It went on to be the highest-grossing dedicated arcade game of 1994 in Japan.[70] In North America, Play Meter listed Ridge Racer to be the third most-popular arcade game in February 1994.[71] In the United Kingdom, it was London's top-grossing arcade game in early 1994.[32]
Upon release in arcades, Ridge Racer received critical acclaim, particularly for its graphics and sound. Following its
PlayStation
In Japan, the PlayStation version sold 859,085 units by 1995.[72] In the United States, it sold 609,422 units, including 60,958 bundled units and 548,464 standalone units.[73] This adds up to 1,468,507 units sold in Japan and the United States.
The PlayStation port also received positive reviews from critics. In a review of its Japanese console release,
Electronic Gaming Monthly's two sports reviewers praised the gameplay and music.
Despite positive reviews, the game was criticised by
Ridge Racer was awarded Best Driving Game of 1995 by Electronic Gaming Monthly.[68] In 1996, GamesMaster ranked the game 23rd on their "Top 100 Games of All Time."[74]
Legacy
Ridge Racer was listed as one of the
According to RePlay and Play Meter magazines, Ridge Racer was the first arcade game with texture-mapped 3D graphics.[82][83] Greg Reeves in Play Meter said the game's texture mapping combined "the depth, perspective, and distance" of Virtua Racing with the enhanced "scenery details" of OutRunners (1992), resulting in "scenery such as rocks, trees, and roads" that looked realistic.[84]
Ridge Racer influenced the development of rival Sega's arcade game Daytona USA. Sega mandated that Daytona USA had to be better than Ridge Racer.[85][86] Whereas Ridge Racer focused on simulation, Daytona USA instead aimed for "funky entertainment". Daytona USA shares some features with Ridge Racer, including a drifting mechanic.[87]
Ridge Racer has been followed by many sequels and helped establish the PlayStation's popularity.
Other releases
The PlayStation version was re-released for The Best, Greatest Hits, and Platinum ranges in 1997.[38] A PC port was cancelled.[90] Ridge Racer received a number of ports and spin-offs:
Ridge Racer: 3 Screen Edition
A version with three screens was released for arcades to give a
Pocket Racer
Pocket Racer (ポケットレーサー, Poketto Rēsā) is a
Ridge Racer Turbo
Mobile versions
A version for
References
Notes
Footnotes
- ^ "Ridge racer (Registration Number PA0000714062)". United States Copyright Office. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ a b c "Prescreen" (PDF). Edge. No. 6 (March 1994). 27 January 1994. pp. 20, 22–3.
- ^ a b "Ridge Racer (3)". The Arcade Flyer Archive. 1993. Retrieved 6 January 2012.
- ^ Winning Strategy, pp. 84–90.
- ^ a b c d SEGABits (April 2015). "This is Playstation – Ridge Racer". Youtube. SEGABits. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
- ^ a b c d Davison, John (13 September 2006). "Ridge Racer". 1UP. Archived from the original on 23 July 2012. Retrieved 6 January 2012.
- ^ Manual, p. 3.
- ^ Winning Strategy, pp. 2.
- ^ a b "Ridge Racer (2)". The Arcade Flyer Archive. 1993. Retrieved 6 January 2012.
- ^ Manual, pp. 4–5.
- ^ a b Winning Strategy, pp. 18,24,30,40.
- ^ Manual, p. 5.
- ^ Winning Strategy, p. 2.
- ^ Victory Guide, p. 4.
- ^ Winning Strategy, p. 84.
- ^ Victory Guide, p. 56.
- ^ Winning Strategy, p. 4.
- ^ Winning Strategy, p. 10.
- ^ a b c Electronic Gaming Monthly, Ziff Davis (40): 78,80. November 1992. ISSN 1058-918X
- ^ "1992 NAMCO SimRoad with Eunos Roadster(ナムコ・シムロード)". YouTube. 15 September 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f "System 16 – Namco System 22 Hardware (Namco)". System 16. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
- ^ a b "System 16 – Namco Medium Sized Attractions Hardware (Namco)". System 16. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
- ^ McFerran, Damien (28 May 2015). "Throwback Thursday: Ridge Racer". Red Bull. Retrieved 23 September 2015.
- ^ ISSN 1058-918X.
- ^ a b c "The Making of Ridge Racer". NowGamer. 6 March 2012. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-78546-106-4.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-7854-6207-8.
- ^ a b "Ridge Racer (1)". The Arcade Flyer Archive. 1993. Retrieved 6 January 2012.
- ^ a b "JAMMA 1993: Latest Tokyo Show Bigger Than Ever!". RePlay. Vol. 19, no. 1. October 1993. pp. 29, 127–50.
- ^ a b c "New wave graphics dominate AMS '93" (PDF). Edge. No. 2 (November 1993). 30 September 1993. pp. 16–8.
- ^ "Ridge Racer: Full Scale (3)". The Arcade Flyer Museum. 1993. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
- ^ Future Publishing. 15 March 1994. pp. 82–6.
- ^ ISSN 1350-1593.
- ^ ISSN 1350-1593.
- ISSN 1360-3167.
- ^ Leadbetter, Richard (3 December 2014). "20 years of PlayStation: the Ridge Racer revolution". Eurogamer.net. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
- ^ a b Hess, Michael & Plante, Chris (27 April 2009). "E3 Retrospective: Past Games of the Show". UGO. Archived from the original on 30 April 2009. Retrieved 6 January 2012.
- ^ a b "PlayStation/リッジレーサー バンダイナムコゲームス公式サイト バンダイナムコゲームス公式サイト". Namco Bandai Entertainment (in Japanese). Retrieved 25 September 2015.
- 1UP.com. Archived from the originalon 6 November 2015. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
- ^ "Ridge Racer (1995) – PlayStation". IGN. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
- ^ "15 Years of PlayStation Memories". playstation.com. 29 September 2010. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
- ^ Higton, Rich. "Ready to Launch: The PS1 Launch Games". PSGamer. Archived from the original on 25 September 2015. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
- Kileak The Blood(from SCE) [...] .
- ^ "Interview with Shinji Hosoe". Square Enix Music Online. January 2010. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
- ^ Greening, Chris (11 August 2014). "Nobuyoshi Sano Interview: Musical and Technical Innovator". Video Game Music Online. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
- ^ Greening, Chris (19 May 2010). "Ayako Saso Interview: Love of Dance". Video Game Music Online. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
- ^ Greening, Chris. "Namco Game Sound Express Vol. 11 – Ridge Racer :: Review by Chris". Video Game Music Online. Archived from the original on 6 February 2016. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
- ^ "Namco Game Sound Express VOL.11 Ridge Racer". VGMdb.
- AllGame. Archived from the originalon 14 November 2014. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ allgame. Archived from the originalon 15 November 2014. Retrieved 5 January 2012.
- EMAP. 15 January 1995. pp. 16–9.
- ^ a b Jay & Dee (September 1995). "Eye of the Monitor". Dragon. No. 221. pp. 115–118.
- ^ a b "Ridge Racer is the killer app that Namco – and Sony – can be proud of". EDGE. 22 December 1994. Archived from the original on 14 April 2012. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
- ^ a b "Ridge Racer (PlayStation) by Namco". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 74. Ziff Davis. September 1995. p. 114.
- ^ Electronic Gaming Monthly, 1998 Video Game Buyer's Guide, p. 74.
- ^ "リッジレーサー (PS)" [Ridge Racer]. Famitsu (in Japanese). Retrieved 11 October 2021.
- ^ "NEW GAMES CROSS REVIEW: リッジレーサー". Famitsu. No. 312. 9 December 1994. p. 40.
- ^ ISSN 1042-8658.
- ^ ISSN 1042-8658. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
- ^ a b "Game Informer Magazine September 1995 Issue". Game Informer. Archived from the original on 11 August 1997. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
- ^ Serda, Jason (May 1995). "Ridge Racer (Sony PlayStation)". Hyper. No. 18. pp. 36–7.
- ^ a b "Ridge Racer". IGN. 26 November 1996. Archived from the original on 17 May 2012. Retrieved 5 January 2012.
- ^ Imagine Media. April 1995. p. 86.
- Official UK PlayStation Magazine(Platinum Special): 114. 1999.
- ^ a b "Ridge Racer – Sony Playstation Review". Coming Soon Magazine. 1996. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ a b Lucas, Victor (18 September 1995). "Ridge Racer published by Namco for PlayStation". The Electric Playground. Archived from the original on 6 August 1997. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
- ^ ISSN 1360-3167.
- ^ a b "Electronic Gaming Monthly's Buyer's Guide". 1996.
{{cite magazine}}
: Cite magazine requires|magazine=
(help) - ^ "Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - アップライト, コックピット型TVゲーム機 (Upright/Cockpit Videos)". Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 462. Amusement Press, Inc. 1 December 1993. p. 25.
- ^ "Best Videos '94: "Puyo Puyo", "Ridge Racer" DX" (PDF). Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 487. Amusement Press, Inc. 1–15 January 1995. p. 36.
- ^ "Equipment Poll - Video & Pinball Combined". Play Meter. Vol. 20, no. 3. Skybird Publishing. February 1994. p. 8.
- ^ "1995 Top 100". Game Data Library. Famitsu. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
- NPD Group. Archivedfrom the original on 20 May 2005. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
- ^ "Top 100 Games of All Time" (PDF). GamesMaster (44): 77. July 1996.
- ^ "Game Informer's Top 100 Games of All Time (Circa Issue 100)". Game Informer. 2001. Archived from the original on 29 December 2014. Retrieved 28 December 2014.
- ^ "100 Greatest Games The Best Computer Games Ever Made". Yahoo!. 2005. Archived from the original on 31 July 2005. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
- ^ "The Greatest 200 Videogames of Their Time". Electronic Gaming Monthly. 6 February 2006. Archived from the original on 23 May 2011. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
- ISBN 978-1-904994-21-3.
- ^ "Guinness World Records 2009 Gamer's Edition reveals the Top 50 console games of all time". Guinness World Records. 27 February 2009. Archived from the original on 7 January 2010. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
- ^ "100 Greatest Retro Games part 1". NowGamer. 31 March 2010. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
- ^ Howitt, Grant (28 March 2012). "The 10 Greatest arcade games of ALL TIME". FHM. Archived from the original on 31 March 2012.
- ^ "Top Stories of '93: The Big Bows Arrive". RePlay. Vol. 19, no. 4. January 1994. p. 50.
- ^ "Ridge Racer". Play Meter. Vol. 20, no. 4. March 1994. p. 194.
- ^ Reeves, Greg (October 1994). "Player's Perspective: Simulators and scary creatures in videoland". Play Meter. Vol. 20, no. 11. pp. 115–9.
- ISBN 9781476631967.
- Gamasutra. Archivedfrom the original on 15 October 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
- ^ Thorpe, Nick (August 2018). "The Making of Daytona USA". Retro Gamer. No. 184. pp. 20–29 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ Levy, Stuart; Semrad, Ed (January 1997). "Rage Racer". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 90. Ziff Davis. p. 112.
- ^ "Top 25 Games of All Time: Complete List". IGN. 23 January 2002. Archived from the original on 4 May 2010. Retrieved 6 January 2012.
- ^ Kelly, Andy (18 February 2021). "PlayStation classic Ridge Racer was almost a PC game". PC Gamer. Future plc. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
- ^ "System 16 – Namco System 11 Hardware (Namco)". System 16. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
- ISBN 978-4-7669-2427-5.
- ISBN 978-4-87465-290-9.)
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link - ^ "PlayStation/-R4 RIDGE RACER TYPE 4". Bandai Namco Entertainment. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
- ^ "R4: Ridge Racer Type 4 – PlayStation". IGN. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
- ^ Barker, Sammy (11 August 2010). "Feature: Late To The Party #2: Ridge Racer Type 4 on PSone". Push Square. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
- ^ Ridge Racer Type 4 manual (PAL ed.). Namco. 1998.
- ^ "R4 RIDGE RACER TYPE 4®". PlayStation.Store. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ Scott Alan Marriott. "R4: Ridge Racer Type 4 – Overview". allgame. Archived from the original on 14 November 2014. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Games with 3D graphics running at 60 fps – 5th Generation Consoles". Gamepilgrimage. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
- ISBN 978-4-7572-0307-5.
- ^ "R4 Ridge Racer Type 4 Guran Puri Hisshou Kouryaku Pureisutēshon Magajin Tokubetsu Furoku" R4 Ridge Racer Type 4 グランプリ必勝攻略 プレイステーションマガジン 特別付録 [R4 Ridge Racer Type 4 Grand Prix Victory Guide PlayStation Magazine Special Extra]. PlayStation Magazine (Booklet) (in Japanese). 17 December 1998. p. 54.
- ^ a b Buchanan, Levi (11 January 2006). "Ridge Racer (2005) – Wireless". IGN. Archived from the original on 17 May 2012. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
- ^ "Namco Games – IGN". IGN. Retrieved 7 October 2015.[dead link ]
- ^ Gerstmann, Jeff (15 December 2005). "Ridge Racer Review". GameSpot. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
- ^ "Ridge Racer 3D". Namco Bandai Entertainment. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
- ^ "R i d g e R a c e r ™ b y N A M C O" (PDF). Namco Bandai Entertainment. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 April 2013. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
- ^ "Zeebo ganha investimento, "Resident Evil" e "Ridge Racer"". UOL Jogos (in Portuguese). Retrieved 22 September 2015.
- ^ "Ridge Racer (2009)". GameSpot. Retrieved 7 October 2015.
Sources
- Ridge Racer saisoku ou (Pureisutēshon hisshouhou supesharu) RIDGE RACER最速王 (プレイステーション必勝法スペシャル) [Ridge Racer fastest champion (PlayStation winning strategy special)] (in Japanese). Tokyo: Keibunsha. 1995. ISBN 4-7669-2166-6.
- Rijji Rēsā hisshou kouryaku hou (Pureisutēshon kanpeki kouryaku shirīzu) リッジレーサー必勝攻略法 (プレイステーション完璧攻略シリーズ) [Ridge Racer Victory Guide (PlayStation complete guide series)] (in Japanese). Tokyo: Futabasha. 31 January 1995. ISBN 978-4-575-28423-2.
- Ridge Racer Instruction Manual (PAL ed.). Namco. 1994.
External links
- Ridge Racer at the Killer List of Videogames
- Ridge Racer at MobyGames