Electronic Gaming Monthly's Top 11 Ridge Racer Games

Pop quiz, hotshot: What’s the long-running racing game franchise celebrating its thirtieth anniversary this year that is best-known for its over-the-top drifts? It’s Ridge Racer! While Kaz Hirai may have accidentally turned it into a meme, there was a time when Ridge Racer was known as a fun and always reliable game that could launch with just about any system. With R4: Ridge Racer Type 4 hitting PlayStation 4 and 5 this week, I decided to flip through the pages of Electronic Gaming Monthly to see how it ranked against the other games in the 30-year-old franchise.
Now, in case you’re wondering, EGM reviewed a total of eleven Ridge Racer games between 1995 and 2009. That includes pretty much all of the sequels and spin-offs leading right up to the magazine’s death. Sadly, they weren’t around long enough to cover the terrible Vita game, Ridge Racer 3D and the shockingly great Ridge Racer Unbounded. The good news is that they covered pretty much everything else, making this a fun and competitive list. What we’re going to do is countdown the best and worst Ridge Racer games using Electronic Gaming Monthly’s own words and scores. There’s no editorializing here, we’re going to focus on what the critics said back when these games first came out. So, pull up to the starting line and rev your engine, because this is another white-knuckle inducing episode of EGM Ranks Ridge Racer.
0:00 - Introduction
1:34 - Commercial: Ridge Racer Revolution (U.S.)
2:06 - Ridge Racer DS (Nintendo DS)
2:50 - R: Racing Evolution (PS2, GCN & Xbox)
3:30 - Ridge Racer 6 (Xbox 360)
4:18 - Ridge Racer 7 (PlayStation 3)
5:06 - Ridge Racer 64 (Nintendo 64)
5:42 - Ridge Racer (PlayStation)
6:09 - R4: Ridge Racer Type 4 (PlayStation)
6:41 - Ridge Racer (PlayStation Portable)
7:21 - Ridge Racer Revolution (PlayStation)
7:42 - Rage Racer (PlayStation)
8:13 - Ridge Racer V (PlayStation 2)
9:08 - Commercial: Ridge Racer 64 (U.S.)
9:24 - Question of the Day
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[@unbearifiedbear1885]

RRT4 is one of the best console racers of *all time* The graphics, the soundtrack, the colour palette, the vibe, the format.. all of it The absolute culmination of 90s racing - one of my favourite games ever made

[@tobynormoyle637]

But do you think it feels like Ridge Racer? It felt very much like a departure from the series to me. While I know Type 4 is immensely popular and has some good points, all the things you called out felt very anti Ridge Racer to me. Not saying they are bad, they just were alien to the series.

[@Soonjai]

I´m really shocked how much higher RR 64 was rated than 6 and 7.

[@IslandBoy-808]

I know.RR64 is trash compared to RR6 and RR7. RR6 and RR7 is even better than RR PSP.

[@unbearifiedbear1885]

The average score was higher because the reviews went full ham - N64 players had wanted a Ridge Racer since launch, so it was a big win for the console when it effectively got a lite amalgamation of every PS1 game in a single title.... and N64 racing games tended to look like dog sht; RR64 looked great. It reviewed very well. RR6 & 7 were seen as solid but safe and bland at the time, which they are - given what RR used to represent on PlayStation, it naturally led to more tepid scores

[@jainee4507]

Ridge Racer 2 on the PSP is the most content rich of all the games. You should have included it.

[@DefunctGames]

Unfortunately, Electronic Gaming Monthly didn't review Ridge Racer 2, so I couldn't include it. I agree with your assessment, though. It's one of the best Ridge Racers.

[@Fellipe2k5]

RR6 and RR7 are amazing

[@TacoDiceCosas]

My favorite is RR Type 4, one of my all tine favorites. Currently i'm playing this and Ridge Racer 2 PSP in my PS5 and made me wanting a collection of all the classic games. Not even remasters, just perfect ports of the arcades and console versions. Namco should do it for the anniversary.

[@KTJohnsonkidThunder]

Here are my favorite Ridge Racer titles: R4 RR64 RR PSP RR 3D

[@Wrekkshoppe]

Why Namco has never released a Ridge Racer Remastered collection is beyond me. Also, Ridge Racer Type 4 is objectively the BEST Ridge Racer game, ever.

[@DefunctGames]

That's a really great question. And not just Ridge Racer, but also Namco's other major franchises, like Tekken and SoulCalibur. They were good about releasing classic arcade compilations in the 32-bit era, but that's almost 30 years ago. Ridge Racer, Tekken and SoulCalibur remastered collections is just free money sitting on the table.

[@Wrekkshoppe]

@@DefunctGames I'd kill for a competently produced TEKKEN remastered collection. You should make a video about gaming series that deserve remastered collections.

[@DefunctGames]

Believe it or not, that's dangerously close to a half-written series I was calling Remake, Remaster or Reboot. Go through franchises that have either been dormant for a long time or don't have a retro collection. I was starting it with the Strike series, because that was HUGE for Electronic Arts back in the 1990s, and then nothing. They refuse to even acknowledge it existed. Seems like you could do something with a Strike reboot. Perhaps I'll add those Namco games to the list and get that series going. Good idea.

[@Wrekkshoppe]

@@DefunctGames Yeah, can't wait to see it

[@IslandBoy-808]

Because it seems Namco has pretty much given up on the series.RR:Unbounded(plays nothing like a RR game)is proof of this.

[@tobynormoyle637]

Wow, go EGM! Ridge Racer V on top followed by Rage Racer, Ridge Racer Revolution, and then the PSP game. Coming into this I would have never expected to see the top 4 match my own opinions. 6 and 7 feel a bit low to me, but having RRV followed by Rage Racer in the top spots in a world where everyone says Type 4 is the best game despite it not really feeling like part of the series is a win I will gladly take!

[@theceoofbasedandlitswagger2456]

To answer the question of the day, it's a hard choice between Ridge Racer V and 6. The original and Revolution have too little content, I suck with R4's handling (probably because RV was my first home console game, so I played it much more.), R: Racing Evolution is R: Racing Evolution (though from what I've played, it's actually pretty fun) and I have yet to play Rage Racer, Ridge Racer 7, Unbounded (same thing with R: Racing Evolution), or any of the handheld games. On one hand, I love Ridge Racer V's art design; it feels like a glorious culmination of everything that the 200s was about: the rise of technology and the limitless possibilities of the future. I also think it has the best handling of the classic era, along with some awesome licensed tracks by Boom Boom Satellites (which I was introduced to via this game and have easily become my favorite music band of all time). But on the other hand, Ridge Racer 6 is faster, more interesting tracks, an equally awesome soundtrack, heck, I love the nitrous gameplay! (I know that's a hot take, but to me, it's an ingenious gameplay mechanic that adds both strategy and thrill to the game.) Although I'm not sure on whether or not the handling is better. But really, in the end, what I'm trying to say is... NAMCO PLEEEEEEAAAASE MAKE RIDGE RACER 8!!! PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@apollosungod2819]

Ridge Racer 64 was NOT actually reprogrammed by "Nintendo" but by student programmers from a university that Nintendo of America sponsored and funded with Super Nintendo dev kits and later N64 dev kits... That means that the devs who handled Ridge Racer 64 were just rookie programmers at best... and it shows... and it was their request to Nintendo and Namco so it was the student or by then graduated programmers who wanted to bring the buzz of the Ridge Racer series from Sony PlayStation to the Nintendo 64. There are obvious problems with Ridge Racer 64... the main one being that it was handled by rookie devs, not the veteran programmers at either Namco or Nintendo. The other problem is that they made rookie mistakes by trying to change the look and setting of the Ridge Racer Revolution race tracks from a tropical island (bear in mind that Japan's southern regions are basically tropical and humid) with mountains and ridges to make it look more forest like for some weird reason... Also the devs kinda missed the point that Ridge Racer was an arcade game converted to Sony PlayStation hardware so they needed to fine tune the game but due to their skill level as programmers, they just didn't have it... also too by that point if they had chosen to handle another 3d graphics game before taking on Ridge Racer to build up their experience on the N64 hardware then they might have had better programming skills and might have gotten a larger ROM Cartridge size to also include the Rage Racer race tracks and mountain gameplay physics. I feel that was a fair criticism towards the student devs because it seemed like they wanted to handle a smash hit arcade/PlayStation game series and out-do the hardcore programmers who created it just by relying on the N64 hardware which was more than powerful enough to handle the PS1 games and make them look closer to the arcade or approximate it given that unlike Namco Super System 22 the Nintendo 64 had advanced texture filtering and the fact that the ROM Cartridge format under experienced programmers could have done this... but they should have tried handling some other game first. Anyway the Ridge Racer series was never about launching "any console" like you stated or claim... that only began to happen with the Nintendo DS because Namco's and Sony's brass felt Ridge Racer was a videogame that brought good luck to the Sony PlayStation launch... which is why Ridge Racer V launched the PS2 and PSP and so on... Nintendo tried getting in on it and Microsoft, who had been paying off companies that made smash hit PlayStation games also wanted to get the luck from Ridge Racer or perceived luck anyways because in Japan the Sega Saturn was very lucky to have Virtua Fighter 1 as a launch title that was the sole reason why the more expensive Sega Saturn outsold the lower priced Sony PlayStation in Japan... the problem with Sega was obviously Sega of America's 90s management having the dumbest agenda and ideas that were out of touch with a next generation transition because they wanted to hold on to the past with the 32X they created thus that 32X garbage robbed the Sega Saturn of getting Virtua Racing made by Sega's internal Japanese dev teams which would have exposed Ridge Racer as not being as good as it was perceived... and I'm a RR fan btw but the older Virtua Racing arcade game and MegaDrive port just has more advanced gameplay mechanics and physics and features than Ridge Racer ever did.

[@acecarrera1]

There was giant enemy crab in Riiidge Racer...remember that one?

[@MGSDude01]

Original Ridge Racer was the first video game I remember playing as a little kid. R Racing wasn’t too shabby imo, but hated Unbounded when I played it. Ridge Racer 7 and 3DS are my most favorites in the series. Really hoping Bandai Namco is planning a legit comeback with putting the PSP game and R4 on the PS Plus subscription. Got ‘em both and hope Rage Racer comes too.

[@oscarestivencarabalyherrer1279]

We're gonna celebrate the 30th anniversary of Ridge Racer series from namco gettin' themselves into

[@brichan1851]

Talk about a series that is begging for a comeback. Why did Namco abandon such a great racer?!

[@tiago9819]

Funny how I agree with the reviewer that said that the drift mechanic is so much the focus on the games of this series that I end up not liking Ridge Racer because of this. Is nearly Impossible to win playing normally. But I understand that exactly this is what makes the series different from competitors back in the day. That being said I kinda like the 3DS one, since the drift is simplified I can play It more like a normal racing game lol

[@darktetsuya]

QOTD: I'd probably have to give it to the original! great graphics, a banger soundtrack (track 6 still remains my favorite to this day) and tight controls! yeah it's only limited to like three tracks (plus I think the inverted mirror courses?) but it does help getting the extra cars if you're good at the galaxian minigame. and then there's that boss black car too. definitely an all-time great racer!

[@PugLifeJM]

Ridge Racer Unbounded is sooo underrated. That game is really awesome.

[@rsoub4086]

Liked the art but the game was so poor map design, it felt same tracks in all map

[@oscarestivencarabalyherrer1279]

I get the feeling about Ridge Racer Slipstream on this mobile games about 10 years ago

[@mikvance]

Ridge Racer V is the Most Wanted (2005) of the series. That’s how good it is.😂

[@goodie2shoes874]

lowkey R5 is the best in the series. Each car handles completely differently from one another and acts as the perfect execution of the classic RR handling. It was peak classic RR handling switched to the nitrous focused PSP games.

[@nemesisprime2993]

Namco are giving up on their Racing franchises too, quickly, R: Racing Evo need pt 2 with more realistic features, unbound need a pt 2 with more features, and finally the world favorite the Ridge Racer series, Namco must not give up on their racing games they just need improvement, just look back at the way R4 turn it out it's still one of greatest in the series, we still like it up to this day, so Namco we are waiting for Ridge Racer 8, Unbound and R:racing Evolution 2, continue the story with the the girls.

[@9ElevenGamer]

Awesome!

[@Hayseed1976]

Ridge Racer 7 was my favorite then the PSP version, I also really liked the 3DS version. Never played Ridge Racer V or the 64 versions.

[@Chillywilly8818]

3ds version is pretty solid...

[@yellowvespagts300]

Im so glad that you forgot about unbound)

[@DefunctGames]

Couldn't include it, as it was released four years after Electronic Gaming Monthly folded.

[@cyberpunknut1099]

Thought for sure the top one would be Ridge Racer Revolution but yep, the ones at the top are all excellent. Really only a few crappy games in the series. Was real disappointed with the 3DS game. QOTD, Ridge Racer Revolution.

[@AVEXentSUCKS]

Unbounded, no way I refuse to accept that as part of the RR games.

[@angelserrano9049]

Is it a good standalone game?

[@bremaster93]

@@angelserrano9049It is a good game but Split/Second is slightly better.

[@angelserrano9049]

@@bremaster93 I have and love split second 👍🏼👍🏼🔥🔥i bought unbound for cheap btw thanks for the response

[@bremaster93]

@@angelserrano9049 Your welcome, I hope you enjoy it. 😆

[@unbearifiedbear1885]

Split/Second is criminally unrecognised - solid af

[@JenMistress]

Hey, they asked if they wanted to call it Ridge Racer 7, when there already was a Ridge Racer 64. Guess they could have called it Ridge Racer 65. 😉😂🤣 Yeah, I know 64 was Nintendo's thing at the time, but had to make the joke. As for the question, in all honesty, I have yet to punch my Ridge Racer Vcard, so can't say that any of them yet, though they do look like fun.