Ridge Racer Revolution

Ridge Racer Revolution
European cover art
Developer(s)	Namco
Publisher(s)	Namco
Platform(s)	PlayStation
Release date(s)	JP December 3, 1995 EU May 1996 NA September 30, 1996
Genre(s)	Racing
Mode(s)	Single-player, Multiplayer

Ridge Racer Revolution (リッジレーサーレボリューション, Rijji Rēsā Reboryūshon) is a racing game developed by Namco for the PlayStation in 1995. It is the sequel of the inaugural game Ridge Racer. The game's covers between the Japanese version and the European & North America version are different in this game. The game's cover of the Japanese version features three regular racing cars. They are the car #3: F/A Racing, car #5: R.T. Blue Mappy and the car #18: R.T. Bosconian. However, the game's cover of the European & North America version features the debuting "White Angel" car. It is one of the three bosses which you have to unlock during this entire game.

Gameplay

The gameplay system remains unchanged from Ridge Racer with its set of checkpoints, time-limit and track layout (which remains the same at the beginning but then changes significantly). Like usual, the game consists of three course modes. But, the course level names are changed. They are called "Novice", "Intermediate" and "Expert". Also, all the circuits are all different between the course levels. This game contains unlimited restarts. The player can restart during a race at any time.

After the player wins the first 3 circuits on regular mode, the player has to go to the time trial mode to race on the 3 cars battle including the duel car. There are three duel cars including the original "Devil 13th Racing car" from the original Ridge Racer from the Novice course. The others are the "Devil Kid" (a smaller version of the Devil 13th car) from the Intermediate course and the debuting "White Angel 0" (as seen on the game cover) from the Expert course. Players will obtain those cars if they win them. This is especially important for these time trial race modes in this entire game. At the same time, the extra courses will be given.

Like usual, if the player obtains all three of the duel cars before playing the extra courses, the player can use one of the three cars to race in the extra courses (and race in the regular courses at the same time depending on player's like) in order to complete the entire game. After the entire game is complete, the player will unlock a new mode which is call the race scence selection. In this mode, the player can choose whether he/she can race during the normal race scene, the noon race scene, the evening race scene or the night race scene. The night race scene will be the most difficult race scene as you cannot see the road ahead during the race. The scene that the player choose will also apply to the Music Player mode, which the cars running scene will run either during the normal time, the noon time, the evening time or the night time.

Normally only 4 cars are selectable, but all 12 are selectable if a player is able to defeat 100% of the enemies on the Galaga '88 game before the title screen. In addition, if this is done in less than 44 shots, not only are all cars selectable, but the bodies are smaller and the wheels bigger, more resembling buggies. Other changes include a commentator with a higher-pitched voice and different handling of the cars. However, while you can still race the three bonus cars, you cannot win them in the buggy mode. One way to easily access the buggy mode from the beginning is to hold L1, R1 select, down and triangle all simultaneously from when the game loads until the space invaders game - a special laser will then emit from the ship to kill all of the enemies on the space invaders game. The buggy mode was a port of Pocket Racer, with cars look like Choro-Q model cars.

Ridge Racer Revolution has a two-player link-up mode which when played allowed the players access to the two courses from the original Ridge Racer game known as 'Special 1' and 'Special 2'. Namco makes no real changes to the original course apart from the odd texture such as the content on the billboards.

Like usual, the audio-tracks on the Ridge Racer Revolution game CD can be played in a standard CD-audio player, as game CD was mastered in Mixed Mode CD format. Track 1 is used for data.

Music

The Music was also featured on Ridge Racer 2 (1994).

• 0. Random Play
• 1. Drive U 2 Dancing
• 2. Grip
• 3. Over the Highway
• 4. ...Dat Dan Day...A
• 5. Lords of Techno
• 6. Maximum Zone
• 7. Rare Hero 2
• 8. Feeling Over This and That
• 9. Rotterdam Nation 94
• 10. Speedster Overheat
• 11. Rhythm Shift Beat

Special Unlockable feature

• Race scene selection: Normal, Noon, Evening, Night (unlockable by beating the entire game or by destroying no ships on the Galaga '88 minigame)

Audio

The soundtrack came from the Ridge Racer 2 arcade game.

Reception

Ridge Racer Revolution received a widespread critical acclaim and a near-perfect score of 39/40 from Famitsu. The game was a bestseller in the UK.^[1]

References