Review: Ridge Racer (NDS)

The revitalisation of the Ridge Racer series continues apace, thanks mainly to the arrival of two new handheld formats: the PSP and Nintendo DS. Whilst the PSP version has attracted much of the fanfare, its dual-screen brother has been running on empty - which is unfortunate, because Ridge Racer DS is very much a pilgrimage for fans of the series, retaining many familiar tracks and (most importantly) the arcade flavour.

With the added bonus of being playable on the move, along with its novel system of control, this is one DS title that deserves your attention. Eager to deliver a quality racer - in the midst of fevered anticipation for Mario Kart - Nintendo handled development duties themselves (while Namco's team handcrafted the fashionable PSP version). The single-player mode is comprised of Grand Prix races and car challenges - with the latter allowing you to take on and win those vehicles if successful. Truth be told, there really isn't anything within the DS framework that Gamestyle hasn't seen before; many have compared this game to the Nintendo 64 version of yore - and it's certainly a fair point of reference.

On paper, the Grand Prix mode looks commanding - with 20 tracks and over 30 cars to acquire - however such figures need to be placed in context. The tracks typically provide variations of the arcade concourse, which effectively translate to a handful of locations and environments. At a time when contemporary racing games seem obsessed with shortcuts and alternate routes, it's refreshing to find that Ridge Racer DS instead focuses on driving performance.

The cars themselves are categorised in terms of speed, handling, acceleration and so forth - and some motors will ideally appeal to expert players (for instance, those who would favour powersliding over cornering). Unfortunately, there are no customisation options outside of the car's gearbox and colour, so this leads to a rather generic-looking racing pack. During the race itself, the cars suffer from that 'floaty' feeling (as evidenced in Sega Rally 2) - never quite reacting with the terrain, and further exacerbated by the behind-the-vehicle viewpoint.

The collision detection is downright unfair, because you're likely to bounce off of the opponents rather than overtake them. Gamestyle has always favoured the in-car viewpoint, and it's here where the scintillating speed of Ridge Racer DS can be appreciated; a rock-solid framerate is accompanied by rough 'n' ready visuals that are slightly reminiscent of the PSone versions. And while the helicopters and famous landmarks are present and correct, Ridge Racer DS somehow doesn't shine as brightly as it could. By comparison, the soundtrack and announcers are pure Ridge Racer, and bring a reassuring and delightful tone to the capable handheld.

And while the sights and sounds can be a trip down memory lane, the AI also springs from another era. Your opponents are quite content to passively flow around the course, never interfering with each other and perhaps providing a yardstick for your own efforts. Ridge Racer has always been like this; in previous releases you would keep playing in the hope of actually seeing the lead car (on the extreme difficulty setting) - much less expecting to come first. And in many ways Ridge Racer DS continues a trend, slowly building its momentum as you win the lower races and work your way upwards.

Powersliding is the key to success, however depending on your control method, it's not always easy to implement (unless you've opted for the old-fashioned control method). Speaking of which, Nintendo have introduced three levels of control difficulty: the easiest employs the tiny D-pad for movement in conjunction with the buttons (ie, tried and true). The only criticism Gamestyle has with this method is that it confirms the D-pad is a touch too small, and its plastic construction a little too clunky. The next option is the stylus, which can be used to control the steering wheel on the lower screen. Mind-boggling at first, it goes against the grain of everything we've learned about racing schematics, but given time it becomes eerily comfortable. The thing to remember is that by removing the stylus (from the screen) the steering wheel will centre automatically. And while the first few races might resemble pinball - as you haphazardly collide with every obstacle on screen - the stylus increasingly offers a refined alternative (as opposed to the final control method: faux 'analogue' steering with the thumb cap).

Ridge Racer DS also provides an opportunity to play against five friends with only one cartridge (using the DS download function). And while Gamestyle hasn't yet sampled this feature, we're reliably informed that it's nothing less than extremely playable; a sentiment which sums up Ridge Racer DS perfectly - and confirms its reanimated status in the highly-competitive racing genre.

Rating: 7 / 10

Words by Jason Julier