Ridge Racer (リッジレーサー) is a racing video game series developed and published for arcade systems, home game consoles, handheld game consoles, personal computers and mobile phones by Bandai Namco Entertainment, formerly Namco. The first game, Ridge Racer (1993), was originally released in arcades for the Namco System 22 hardware, later ported to the PlayStation one year later as a launch title. It was met with several sequels and spin-off games for multiple platforms, the latest being the mobile game Ridge Racer Draw & Drift (2016) and the latest mainline game, developed in-house, was Ridge 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.

History

Ridge Racer is a spiritual successor to Sim Drive (1992), a racing simulation game met with a limited release in Japanese arcades using an actual body of a Mazda Eunos Roadster. Originally meant as an F1 racing game, similar to Namco's own Pole Position and Final 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. Earlier Ridge 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, with Ridge 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. The last mainline title, Ridge Racer Unbounded (2012) received mixed-to-average reception from critics.

Games list

Spin-offs and related games

Common elements

The basic gameplay of the Ridge 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 from Ridge Racer and Ridge Racer 2, sometimes modified to accompany for certain mechanics. Players can drift 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 of vehicular combat, similar to the Burnout 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, including Dig Dug, Xevious, NebulasRay, Rolling Thunder, Bosconian and Solvalou. The PlayStation sequel R4: Ridge Racer Type 4 introduces the concept of racing teams for the series, all being named after Dig Dug, Mappy, Pac-Man, Xevious and Galaga. Similar to Namco's own Tekken 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 original Ridge Racer features Galaxian, while Ridge Racers features New 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.

Automakers

Starting with Rage 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:

Reiko Nagase

Designed by Kei Yoshimizu, Reiko Nagase is a virtual idol fictional character who is the mascot and "host" of the Ridge Racer series. Described as a race queen from Tokyo, Reiko officially first appeared and was named in Rage Racer (1996), in the game's full motion video intro directed by Kei Yoshimizu from Keica, also appearing in-game. In R4: Ridge Racer Type 4 (1998), she was given more prominence, as the opening animation, which used a song by Kimara Lovelace, was a short story starring her. Type 4 also introduced a redesign to her 3D model by Kei Yoshimizu. This is when Namco started giving more exposure to the character, heavily using her image to promote the game. She also appears in the Nintendo-developed Ridge Racer 64 (2000). In 2000, Namco decided to replace Reiko in Ridge Racer V with newcomer Ai Fukami (深水 藍). In 2001, Namco also created an "image girl" for their Namco Sports line named Hitomi Yoshino (吉乃ひとみ), who was featured in a Ridge Racer trailer shown in the 2002 edition of the E3 even as the Ridge Racer series does not belong to that line. However, since Reiko's popularity with fans remained strong, Namco decided to bring her back for 2004's Ridge Racers with a revamped 3D model. She further appeared with various altered looks in Ridge Racer 6, Ridge Racer 7 (officially described as "the racing queen of your dreams" ), Ridge Racers 2, Ridge Racer Accelerated, Ridge Racer 3D, and Ridge Racer Slipstream. The character also influenced Namco to create other virtual idols: the aforementioned Hitomi Yoshino, whose most notable appearance outside Japan was in MotoGP 2 and MotoGP 3; Rena Hayami of R: Racing Evolution; and several characters under the name Kei Nagase (ケイ・永瀬) in the Ace Combat series, who bear a resemblance to Reiko Nagase. One of them, a selectable wingman in Ace Combat 2 (1997), was officially identified as Reiko's younger sister born. Reiko also made appearances in other games – most of them featuring her in the white-and-red outfit from the R4: Ridge Racer Type 4 promotional artwork – including Anna Kournikova's Smash Court Tennis, Pac-Man Fever, and as a bot in 2024's Astro Bot. In March 1999, she was featured in the PlayStation 2 pre-launch real-time technology demo program as the "Ridge Racer Girl". The character has also been featured in other products licensed by Namco, including the first and sixth wave of Namco Gals gashapon and other figurines and garage kits by various manufacturers. Reiko Nagase has been very well received by gamers and journalists alike. Japanese arcade magazine Gamest named her as the 20th best character of 1995 just for her cameo in Rave Racer. German magazine Mega Fun included Reiko in R4: Ridge Racer Type 4 among the five nominees for the title of "Videogame Babe 1999". Including the "stylish, sassy and supercool" Reiko among the top five "cyberbabes" (defined as female video game characters "who appeal to both boys and girls") in 1999, the Daily Mirror noted "she's become an icon" in Japan. Australian Station commented on "Reiko's wholesome sexiness and huge popularity, it's undeniable that she's a symbol identified with the original PlayStation". In 2000, she was IGN editor Doug Perry's personal choice for the best "Babe of Videogames", as for how for him Reiko presented "just the opposite of Lara Croft. She's sexy, she's subtle, and she has a great smile". In 2014, Japanese magazine Dengeki PlayStation placed her among the 200 best characters in the 20-year history of the PlayStation brand.

Reception

The original Ridge Racer was very well received by critics for its 3D 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 rival Sega's Saturn during 1994–1995. Its sequels during the 1990s were also highly successful, in particular Ridge Racer Type 4, often considered the series' best. Its sequel Ridge 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's Rage Racer, has often been rated among the most recognizable female characters in video games. In 1999, Next Generation listed the Ridge 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". 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 the Burnout series, although Ridge Racer 3D, a launch title for the 3DS, was better received compared to Vita and Unbounded. The game was never as popular as its previous main titles and never had a Japanese release either.