Ridge Racer

Arcade Video game published 31 years ago by NAMCO, Ltd.

Listed in MAME

Info

Ridge Racer © 1993 Namco, Limited.

A superb, single-person racing game from Namco, featuring texture-mapped polygon graphics; in which the player competes against computer cars or attempts to set a 'personal best' in a time trail event. Ridge Racer features just a single racing track, but different sections of the track become available to add variety to the racing.

Ridge Racer's superb gameplay places a large emphasis on 'power sliding'; locking the car in a slide and drifting through corners. Perfecting this skill is key to winning races.

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(members only)

TECHNICAL/MACHINE PICT.

Namco System 22 hardware
Game ID: RR

Main CPU: 68020 (@ 24.576 Mhz), (2x) TMS32025 (@ 49.152 Mhz), M37702 (@ 16.384 Mhz)
Sound Chips: C352 (@ 16.384 Mhz)

Screen Orientation: Horizontal
Video Resolution: 640 x 580 Pixels
Screen Refresh: 60.00 Hz
Palette Colors: 32768

See 'UPDATES' section below for more info of this game's hardware revision (including regions).

Players: 1 only.
Control: Steering wheel.
Pedals: Accelerator and brake.

TRIVIA

Ridge Racer was released on October 7, 1993 in Japan. It was then released in December 1, 1993 in North America.

A Ridge Racer unit is prominently shown in the second episode of the Japanese TV show "Ninja Sentai KakuRanger," showing an actor playing the game rather poorly.

According to a promotional flyer, Ridge Racer was the first 3-D arcade game to feature texture mapped polygons.

Victor Entertainment released a limited-edition soundtrack album for this game (Ridge racer : Namco Game Sound Express Vol.11 - VICL-15025) on Januray 21, 1994.

A graphically enhanced version of the short track appears in Ridge Racer V as 'Sunny Beach' and Ridge Racer PSP as 'Seaside Route 765'. A graphically enhanced version of the long track appears in Ridge Racer V as 'Green Field' and Ridge Racer PSP as 'Ridge City Highway'.

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(members only)

UPDATES

Revision 1
* Software version: RR1 (Japan)

Revision 2
* Software version: RR2 (World)
* 3-screen version included in (VER.B only).

Revision 3
* Software version: RR3 (World)

SERIES

1. Ridge Racer (1993, Arcade)
2. Ridge Racer 2 (1994, Arcade)
3. Rave Racer (1995, Arcade)
4. Ridge Racer Revolution (1995, PlayStation)
5. Rage Racer (1996, PlayStation)
6. R4 - Ridge Racer Type 4 (1998, PlayStation)
7. Ridge Racer V (1999, PS2)
8. Ridge Racer 64 (2000, N64)
9. Ridge Racer V - Arcade Battle (2000, Arcade)
10. Ridge Racer DS (2004, DS)
11. Ridge Racers (2005, PSP)
12. Ridge Racer 6 (2005, XBOX360)
13. Ridge Racers 2 (2006, PSP)
14. Ridge Racer 7 (2006, PS3)
15. Ridge Racer 3D (2011, 3DS)
16. Ridge Racer (2011, PSVita)
17. Ridge Racer Unbounded (2012, PS3/XBOX360/Windows)

STAFF

Music Composers: Shinji Hosoe, Ayako Saso, Nobuyoshi Sano

PORTS

* Consoles:
japan Sony PlayStation (dec.3, 1994) "Ridge Racer [Model SLPS-00001]"
europe Sony PlayStation (sept.1995) "Ridge Racer [Model SCES-00001]"
usa Sony PlayStation (sept.9, 1995) "Ridge Racer [Model SLUS-94300]" : Also Long Box edition.
japan Sony PSP (dec.12, 2004) "Ridge Racers [Model UCAS-40015]"
usa Sony PSP (mar.22, 2005) "Ridge Racer [Model ULUS-10001]"
Sony PSP korea (may.2, 2005) "Ridge Racers [Model UCKS-45002]"
japan Sony PS2 (jul.21, 2005) "namCollection [Model SLPS-25500]"
europe Sony PSP (sept.1, 2005) "Ridge Racer [Model UCES=00002]"
Sony PlayStation Vita japan (dec.17, 2011) "Ridge Racer [Model VLJS-00001]"
Sony PlayStation Vita [AS] (dec.23, 2011) "Ridge Racer [Model VLAS-36001]"
Sony PlayStation Vita korea (feb.11, 2012) "Ridge Racer"
Sony PlayStation Vita europe (feb.22, 2012) "Ridge Racer [Model PCSB-00048]"
Sony PlayStation Vita australia (feb.23, 2012) "Ridge Racer"
Sony PlayStation Vita usa (mar.13, 2012) "Ridge Racer [Model PCSE-00001]"

* Others:
Mobile Phones usa (dec.1, 2005) "Ridge Racer"
brazil Zeebo (aug.11, 2009)

SOURCES

Game's manual.
Game's pictures.
Game's ROMs.
Game's screenshots.