This is Just What I Wanted to See

Arcade Archives: Ridge Racer Review (Switch)

Genre: Racing
Number of Players: 1
Developer: Hamster Corporation
Publisher: Hamster Corporation
Release Date: June 5, 2025
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Also Available On: Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series S/X

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Throughout the nearly 30 years I’ve been playing Namco’s Ridge Racer on the PlayStation, the closest I could get to experiencing the arcade original was Ridge Racer Turbo on the Ridge Racer Type 4 bonus disc. It was essentially a demo of the PlayStation port that ran at 60fps instead of the standard 30fps. While I appreciated the visual upgrade, it was still hampered by the graphical limitations of the home console at the time.

As the years rolled on and the series continued to evolve, there was a part of me that always wanted a shot at playing the original. I’m sure some of you reading this can relate. Well the time has finally come, thanks to our friends at Hamster Corporation publishing the arcade version of Ridge Racer to headline their next lineup of arcade titles in the Arcade Archives series. So, how does it hold up?

All the gameplay ingredients that made Ridge Racer a hit 32 years ago are present here once again. The Gouraud shading, texture-mapped polygon graphics, and vibrant colors look absolutely gorgeous, running at 60 FPS without my Switch breaking a sweat (and look great both docked and undocked by the way). The difference between this and the PlayStation port I was accustomed to became abundantly clear when, making other things, I could clearly make out the yacht near the beach shore on the left about halfway through the course. I never really noticed it was there until playing the Arcade Archives release.

The goal in the game is quite simple — finish the race in first place, reaching all the checkpoints in between before the timer runs out. While every opponent puts up a decent attempt at challenging you for pole position, you’ll especially want to beware of the rival yellow car (the yellow marker on the mini-map), which is never far behind you should you pass it. I mean this thing will hound you the entire race, just waiting for you to slip up.

Besides its visual presentation, Ridge Racer’s bread and butter was the drifting mechanic players needed to master to successfully navigate sharp corners without drastically slowing down or kissing the wall. Drifting is engaged by tapping the brake, then pressing the accelerator at the right time while also maintaining control of the car through the turn. It’s incredibly fun to do once you get the hang of it, although the timing and vehicle response when performing the maneuver are noticeably different from the PlayStation version.

The game features a single race course with four distinct characteristics, each tailored to the selected skill level. The Novice and Intermediate courses are the same section of track, with an increase of laps and top speed for the latter skill mode. The Advanced and Time Trial courses add a longer technical section of track and even higher max speeds for both courses. Time Trial is by far the most challenging course since it’s just you vs. the yellow rival car you’ll be doggedly pursuing at high speeds.

Aside from the smoother framerate, the competitors on the track racing against you are noticeably more aggressive. They don’t just passively cruise as if on a pre-determined rail like they do in the PlayStation version. As you make your way to the front of the pack, a surprising number of cars can keep pace with you for a good stretch of road before finally falling behind, assuming you’ve mastered drifting through critical turns. It felt like a worthy challenge for me, as someone who never got to play the arcade version until now.

Taken at face value, Ridge Racer set the bar by which other contemporary arcade racing games were measured. Being re-released as part of the Arcade Archives line means that you get a mostly no-frills 1:1 accurate port of the original game. That alone makes this an instant purchase for longtime diehard Ridge Racer fans.

For the more casual consumer, I’d advise a bit of caution. Bear in mind that certain features included in the PlayStation version were never in the arcade original. You cannot select a car to drive; you only have the default red Namco car (the one with the number 76 and “Rave War” decals). Only the first-person viewpoint is available, which may turn off some who prefer to see the car in the 3rd-person view while driving. That lovely little ending you get after winning races on all skills? Sorry, not here. As the point of the arcade game was to maximize the spending of credits/quarters per race, each victory (or loss) ends with a Game Over screen. It was never meant to be played with a complete ending in mind.

However, several options to customize the gameplay experience beyond the original settings were added. You can tweak the difficulty of each skill level, though it only affects the allotted time between checkpoints more so than the performance of your car or the competing racers. You can also play with the number of laps on each skill level, which is great if you want to spend more time listening to the available music tracks as you race.

There is also a high score and caravan mode, both of which register your best race times in online rankings. And finally, you do have the option of playing the standard Japanese and English language versions, or their DX variations. The DX version includes additional support for an H-shifter and clutch if you want to get hardcore with the driving. While these extras are nice, there is nothing further in terms of content or online multiplayer racing. So if you’ve been curious about purchasing this to experience the arcade original, just know that you are getting exactly that and not much else.

Assuming the lack of substantial extras isn’t a turnoff for you, then Racer Racer is every bit worth the $14.99 asking price ($16.99 on Switch 2, PS5, and Xbox Series S/X). If you’re unsure if this is something you’d want to plunk down your hard-earned money for, maybe hold out for a sale at some point. And if you have zero interest in this game or series and you made it this far into the review, well, thank you for reading. I’m truly honored.

When a new Arcade Archives entry is announced, we expect an arcade-perfect port of the game, and Hamster delivered on that promise. It is undoubtedly the easiest way to access the original Ridge Racer, not to mention the best way to play it, short of having the full-scale cabinet with the steering wheel and pedals. It is certainly worth experiencing for historical context, if nothing more. Best of all, you don’t have to be one genius of a driver to enjoy it.

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