The Bottom Line
- Jaw dropping graphics
- Fantastic music
- Ridge Racer PSP is the king of drift-racing videogames
- The intro movie alone was worth the price of admission
- Tons of unlockable content and cars
- Whats with the awful crash sound effects?
- Ridge Racer drives great, but the collisions physics are brutal
Description
- Graphics: 5 I knew the PSP could do amazing things, but Ridge Racer left me speechless
- Sound: 4 Amazing music, and lots of it, but man, that crashing sound effect sucks
- Concept: 3 It is another Ridge Racer, but it is done better than ever before
- Control: 4.5 I love the way Ridge Racer drives, but there are some cheap tricks to be learned
- Difficulty: 2.5 You will start to wonder if you are amazing, or if the first World Tour is too easy
- Replay: 5 There is a whole lot of Ridge Racer to be had, not to mention 8 player races
- Portability: 3.5 Ridge Racer takes some focus, so it may be hard to play in bursts
- All scores are out of 5. The overall rating is not an average of the above scores
- Rated: Everyone - very little to be offended about, but it may be too difficult for the tykes
Guide Review - Ridge Racer - PSP
Ridge Racer PSP is an arcade drift-racing game. What this means is that the physics are forgiving, you can expect to feel the speed, regardless of your skill level. Where the talent comes in is how well you can drift, or skid, around corners. Not only is this the fastest way around the track, but it is also how you build nitro, aka turbo boost.
Ridge Racer features 24 fantastic tracks, and many are conversions from previous titles. The soundtrack is extensive, and again, features remixes of previous tunes. There are several modes of play, but the Ridge Racer's heart is the World Tour mode, where you race in tournaments to unlock cars, tracks and prizes.
My only complaint is in the collisions. The sound effect when you hit a car or wall is unsatisfying, and rubbing another vehicle will cost you dearly. Driving feels fabulous, but any contact with the wall or an opponent feels like cheap punishment.
At the end of the day, any critiques I have are nit-picky. Ridge Racer is the handheld experience you've been dreaming of. It is a tight game that will have you dreaming of blurred taillights.
