Hello again and welcome to the latest instalment of Retro Revival, where I discuss classic games that have been brought to modern platforms. These can be via HD Remasters, emulated ports and titles that are part of ollections. This time will be a follow up to a previous feature, covering a sequel to the original Arcade Ridge Racer that has been a long time coming. So let’s take a look at Rave Racer, now available through Hamster’s Arcade Archives/Archives 2 series.
Disclaimer: the games that are discussed in this feature have been purchased by me, so the opinions presented within are my own. There has been no sponsorship of the content in this feature. There will be links to the different versions available provided at the bottom of this feature, where possible.
So with the introductions out of the way, let’s get started. I will be discussing the general gameplay experience for the game, with some details behind the scenes where possible, then my person thoughts on it. Please note, the Arcade Archives 2 version of Rave Racer is the copy I own, so I will be discussing features that are only available in this version.
About the game
Rave Racer is the second sequel to the iconic Ridge Racer, a full 3D racing game with an emphasis on high speed racing and tight drifting. Unlike the first Ridge Racer, there are four different tracks available for players, with both configurations of the Ridge Racer track, alongside two new races for players. This title also features View Change, where players can switch between bumper view and behind the car, giving players a choice of perspectives.
The four different race tracks have difficulty tied to them, with the races designated as Novice, Intermediate, Advanced and professional, although this is not shown. At the default settings, the races all have three laps with a max speed of 230KMH/143MPH. In these races, the player will face off with 11 other competitors, with one of them being the rival for the race. Before selecting a track, the player can select manual or automatic gear change.
However, if the player presses down the view change button, they can access the T.T. Time Trial race. This is a head to head race against a single opponent, where the player must beat them to the finish line, just like a regular race. But this one is different as the speed is increased to 255KMH/159MPH, adding a little more challenge to these races. There is also a mirror mode, which can be accessed via code during the countdown for a race.
The returning Ridge Racer track and its variants are the same as before, with some cosmetic additions, like billboard signs promoting other Namco titles. These include signs for the original Tekken, Alpine Racer, Cyber Command and signs for classics like Pac-Man and Sky Kid, all of which were available in arcades at this time. Players can also see people watching the races, further adding life to the world the races are taking place in.
The new tracks of Mountain and City maintain the same details, which makes all of them feel like they fit together in a cohesive place. These tracks also have alternate paths that players can take intentionally or not, with some of them taking longer to reach the finish. All of these elements make the game feel like a natural evolution of the series, further building on the foundations of the previous games. There is also a brand new soundtrack for this game too.
As the player races through each of the tracks, players will need to keep an eye on two different timers. The first being the race timer, which will run during each of the laps, with a best single lap and total race records that player can challenge. Then there is the time limit, which will count down as the player is racing and end the race if it expires. To extend the time, the player will need to pass checkpoints on the track, extending the time to reach the finish line.
If the player is able to finish a race in first place, they will get an interactive minigame where the player can knock over cones. This lasts for less than a minutes, but is a fun little bonus for players to have some fun with. If the player is able to get the best time in a T.T. race, the player will be able to enter their name into the rankings. These rankings will show up during the attract demo, but sadly the game doesn’t save the rankings that players enter between sessions.
As this is part of the Arcade Archives line of games, there are additional modes and bonuses that players have access to. This includes the addition of adjustable dip switches, where players can change difficulty and lap settings for all the different tracks. By changing these settings, the game will adjust to match, increasing the opponents in the races and the time target for Time Trials. This allows players to have more control over the experience.
Then there are the game modes that players can access, with the main mode Original Game, having the option of Japanese and English versions. These are available as SD and DX variants, which are based upon the cabinets that were released. The SD variation only uses a simple up and down gear shift, however, the DX version features a more complex gear system for maximum realism. Both variations are the same aside from text that appears.
There are also additional game modes that players can take on, with the Caravan and High Score modes, where players will be able to compete with players globally. In Caravan mode, players have 5 minutes to get the best score possible, counting the distance as Milage points. Then in High Score, the player must get the fastest time during a stage. The last challenge is Time Attack, where players race all of the tracks and record the best time for each.
Unique to this release is the multiplayer mode, available in 2 or 4 player split screen available in the Japanese or English version of the game. When playing this mode, the active players can challenge the single player mode, or they can accept link mode for competitive play. When playing either mode, the players will have car colors based on their position. This car setting can be altered in single player, which has 8 colors to choose from as the multiple systems could be linked.
There have been a few quality of life additions that have been added, which is standard for Arcade Archives releases. These include the ability to save and load freely, as well as the ability to rewind the game to fix mistakes. There are also visual settings, that let players modify the way the game looks, with CRT filters and settings, including the ability to add screen noise. These features and the Dip Switch access make the experience highly customisable for players.
Personal Thoughts
Ridge Racer is one of my favourite arcade racers of all time, alongside games like Daytona USA and SEGA Rally Championship (those will be covered in the future). So when Rave Racer was revealed during a recent Nintendo Direct, the excitement was there immediately. There was a little bit of a wait, but as soon as I got the chance to pick it up, I immediately grabbed it and didn’t look back because this is a very special game.
Ridge Racer was released in 1993, with a numbered sequel as Ridge Racer 2 in 1994. Then in 1995, Rave Racer was released in the arcades on the Namco System 22 Arcade Hardware, offering single machines or Dual cabinets in Standard and Deluxe varieties. The Dual Cabinets are special, as you could connect up to four of them in sequence for 8 player multiplayer games. This was a year after SEGA released DAYTONA USA, which had an 8 player variant.
What makes this game as special as it is, is the fact that it has been locked to the arcades officially since 1995. This release marks one of the longest gaps between release in arcades and the home, although there was unofficial emulation out there which kept the game alive. I had tried to play it in the past, but the emulation was not there at that time. This however feels natural, with Hamster doing another excellent job bringing the game to the modern hardware.
This game is a big leap over the previously released Ridge Racer, as there are four playable tracks, multiplayer and the inclusion of view change. The gameplay feels near identical, which is good as any of the skills gained from playing the first game can transfer to this. Just be aware that this game is a little tougher, as the A.I. for the rival racer can be a little aggressive. It takes a little while to get used to the new tracks, but they are a tremendous amount of fun.
The racing flows perfectly, as it has that amazing sense of speed, which is felt when drifting around corners and taking tight turns. There is sadly a little bit of a downgrade with the tracks, as the day/night transitions for the Ridge Racer track are missing. But they do make up for this by expanding the tracks visual details, like the billboards, spectators and Namco references/imagery that are added. This makes it feel more lively when racing.
I very much enjoy this game and while I still prefer the original Ridge Racer, there is plenty of content on offer in this release. It expands on everything that was implemented in the original, with the experience being very satisfying and a lot of fun to play. Playing Solo in handheld or on TV has that rush of speed, showing off the excitement that players in the arcade experienced. Just make sure if you play multiplayer, you use a TV as the player screens can be pretty small.
This is another home run from Hamster, making another game that has been saved from obscurity, and the hope I had for more games in the Ridge Racer feature was not misplaced. The fact that Namco gave the green light for this to be released, makes me happy and I do hope they let more of their classics to be released. Maybe we will see games like Tekken, Alpine Racer or Cyber Command in the future, all of which are featured on billboards in Rave Racer.
If you have enjoyed this feature, then please stick around and see what else catches your eye. I cover a wide range of games in reviews, get special previews and put out regular features. I have Lost Gems covering forgotten games, more Retro Revival features and the occasional Gaming Oddities piece, where I cover weird and wacky titles. So stay a while and have a look around. Links to the game are below.
Link to Nintendo Switch 2 version (HERE)
Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)
Link to PlayStation 4 version (HERE)
Link to PlayStation 5 version (HERE)
Link to Xbox version (HERE)
W.Kohaku Media 