Memories of the first Ridge Racer (PS1)

[outdated_gamer]

In general, I find sprite based, palette cycling 2D racing games horrible to play these days. Racing games were always meant to be polygonal 3D.

Outrun excluded, of course.

The cars in Screamer feel too light and they're way too wide. Also, how can you compare a game played with cursor keys to a sit down arcade cab with force feedback steering?!

Well that's opinions and taste for you, we all have different ones.

You are right that Screamer also didn't quite feel the best, but I still found it pretty fun. My personal fave racer of that era is The Need For Speed SE ("Road & Track") which mixed Arcade gameplay with simulation aspects (before going all Arcade with NFSII-IV and then again mixing realism and arcade play with Porsche Unleashed which is my fave in the series). But as far as "pure" Arcade racers are concerned, it's hard to top the original OutRun for me (the sequel was great too).

[The Last Ginja]

I loved the fact that you could load up the game and then put in a music CD of your own to listen to while flying round the course

[aztecca]

Hated this game when it came out and still do.Infact ridge racer, sega rally, virtua racing all that "type" of racer are complete cack imo.Give me wipeout, outrun 2 etc any day.

[mr jenzie]

only played it's demo but the arcade version is one of my few actual gaming achievements!!!

frequented LEISURELAND in paisley often, usually to play the snooker and pool tables, didn't play stick was a cowardly auto man

beat first track in THREE drives
beat second longer track in 20-odd drives
took MONTHS to beat the long reverse track ..... then the VERY NEXT DRIVE defeated the ghost car by THE TINIEST MARGINS!!!!! i also think it was on the same coin too!!!!!!
got a nice congrats from the guy watching me
and that's about as cool as i got lol

almost completed SEGA RALLY arcade too ..... i was ONE BLOODY CORNER from finishing the secret fourth track!

[Nemesis]

Loved it. Played it loads at my local arcade and bought a PlayStation on day one just to play Ridge Racer. Just to think it was only one track with a couple of variations which would be considered stingy in this era. Although the graphics were amazing for the time,I think special mention should go to the music and general sonics. The musical genre it adopted might've been a bit divisive but it did suit the game.

Only ran at 25fps too I thought it was almost arcade perfect as well but time has exposed that as a bit of a myth but still, what a launch game for the mighty PlayStation.

[The Hardest of All Freds]

I have been playing the DS port a lot recently. Cracking game. I remember seeing the original on Bad Influence and being more impressed with the soundtrack, and the fact you could play Galaga during the load screen.

[nakamura]

Ridge Racer is pure gaming nirvana. It is ultimate in skill based arcade gaming. Easy to pick up and hard to master, as many of the comments in here prove.

Floaty? Go and pick the yellow car and feel how heavy that turns. The game is geared for twitch style racing for either when you are weaving through traffic or through the twisties on the extra course. Of course any real expert would use the Negcon to give true precision, or the arcade game!