Ridge Racer 64

Unless you've had your head buried in the sand for the past few years you'll know that the Ridge Racer series is a big thing on the PlayStation. Well now like Resident Evil, Fighting Force and Destruction Derby the N64 has its very own Namco arcade racing title: Ridge Racer 64. It's long overdue, but was it worth the wait? Hasn't Ridge Racer become old hat now? Has it hell! Like a fine piece of Stilton this game has matured to perfection, becoming a game that N64 owners can be truly proud of.

Not only do you get all the original Ridge Racer and Ridge Racer Revolution tracks but there are also four brand new circuits to tear around. Add to this a four-player game and 25 gorgeous cars and you can tell that this is not a sloppy conversion done to make Nintendo a fast buck. Being a devil-may-care race-driver constantly pushing your car to its limits is what this game is all about... and what fun it is too!

From the moment you put the pedal to the metal at the start of the first race you know that you're in for the ride of your life. In fact if this game were a car it would be a Lamborghini!

There are no slow races to ease you in on Ridge Racer 64, it's break neck action from the word go. What's even cooler is that as you progress through the game and unlock more cars and tracks the game just gets faster! Needless to say memorising every corner of each track is essential for getting anywhere near to pole position in this game.

B-Ridge

If you've played any of the previous PlayStation incarnations of Ridge Racer before, then you'll already be familiar with the tracks. The courses from Ridge Racer and Ridge Racer Revolution have been recreated corner for corner in this version. It's not only the tracks that have been reproduced though, because you even get the trees, buildings and landscape thrown in for good measure. All these levels have been lavished with improved up-to-date graphics to keep up with the sheer quality of the four all-new N64-only courses.

Quality is certainly one thing that this game is not short of. Each and every one of the nine huge tracks looks stunningly crisp on screen and if you have got time to take your eyes off the road there are loads of little details to appreciate. We're not just talking the obligatory airships here either, because the lighting effects really do have to be seen to be believed! The lighting on the dusk levels in particular looks great but it's the blurred tail lights on the cars themselves which really gives this game an edge. As if you really needed a greater feeling of speed in the game! The headlights on the night levels also look superb, but annoyingly you don't get a pool of light in front of the car – something which could've helped on the darker stages. Instead you only get to see the headlights on the cinematic replays, after the race is over!

F-Ridge

Other little details that stand out in Ridge Racer 64 include the burning tyres on the road. Perform a simple power slide and your wheels start smoking more than Cancer Man in the X-Files. Not only do you leave long black tyre marks on the road, but the streaks from your vehicle and other cars remain on the road surface. This serves to warn you where things went a bit pear-shaped on the previous laps. Unfortunately kicking the car out into a powerslide is a little too easy in this game, a problem that's not unique to the N64 version. Those who have played Ridge Racer before will know exactly what to expect.

Be warned: the worst thing you can do in this game is to take your finger off the accelerator – this is after all an arcade racer not a realistic driving simulation! If you step off the juice for even a second whilst turning you automatically begin to career into an over-the-top arcade powerslide. This makes the cars a nightmare to control around difficult corners, because mastering the powerslide is far from easy. It can feel as if someone has poured oil onto the corners! This may all add to the arcade experience, but it does mean that you'll need to practice before you can maintain a controlled drift.

Ridge-D

The playability has been improved for this N64 incarnation of the Ridge Racer series and to keep the fans happy Nintendo have included three different control styles in the game. The handling options from the original Ridge Racer and Revolution games have been included along with an all-new control style. So basically you've got three games in one! Once you get used to the controls then caning it along the tarmac shouldn't be a problem.

The only thing that's likely to get in your way are the other racers, something which they do have an annoying habit of doing. This problem is especially noticeable on the thinner areas of track where overtaking is practically impossible and hitting other cars only results in you losing speed! This may be an arcade racer but precision driving is still necessary – perhaps even more so than in other race games – because hitting the sides results in serious speed loss. This wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for the fact that invisible walls mark the kerbs so riding on the grass verges is never a viable option.

Uno-Ridge-Inal

It's when you do crash into the sides that this game hits its first big hurdle, the sound effects. Picture the scene: you're cruising along a road quite happily listening to the pleasing hum of your engine. Suddenly you lose control and slide out into the barrier. If you've got a tin can around the house then hit it with a spoon, because that's the sound effect you get! What's that you say? You can cope with that? Well you have to listen to it every single time you hit a surface, whether it's rock, sand or metal! If you were annoyed at crashing, you're gonna be even more annoyed after hearing this dull clanking sound! This being a racing game you also get some suitably cheesy upbeat dance music to help drone out the poor quality sound effects. The music isn't exactly awe-inspiring but it does serve Ridge Racer adequately, giving you an extra sensation of speed. Lastly, you get the compulsory arcade commentary, which can get a tad repetitive and annoying. Overall though it helps to create the right effect and it can be helpful at times, telling you when you're on the finishing straight and more importantly if you're closing on the leader. Annoyingly, this is the only confirmation you get that you're anyway near first place and it would have been nice to know how far away the race leader was at all times as that would have allowed you to better plan your racing strategy.

Por-Ridge

The most disappointing thing about Ridge Racer 64 is the frame rate, which is dodgy to say the least. The weirdest thing is that this drop in frame rate only occurs when playing the game in the behind car view and not in the nose-cam position. Considering that the bonnet view runs much faster and features a wing mirror while remaining super smooth, the sluggishness of the behind car view is surprising. It's not that the drop in frame rate with your car on screen makes the game unplayable, but it's a shame, letting the tyres down on an otherwise perfect sports car title.

If you can sacrifice not being able to look at your own car then there's no reason why you won't love this game. It even saves to cart so you don't have to buy a new controller pack. Ladies and gentlemen the race has finished and we have a winner! This is the best racing game on the N64 to date and a fine example of the N64's power. All we need now is a good fighting game!

Hey there arcade junkies! In this month's installment we'll be highlighting Namco's latest racing tour-de-force, Ridge Racers. This incredible title follows along the lines of Sega's Virtua Racing but improves on the graphics by using some of the most advanced circuitry ever seen in a coin-op.

The action takes place in various settings such as city and country environments, complete with long winding tunnels and expansive bridges. The cars and the backgrounds look so realistic and fluid that you'll be totally amazed!

The tunnel sequences are real nail-biters because you have to not only avoid the other cars, but also an assortment of road hazards such as construction signs, speed bumps, and guard rails from Hell!

As for your competition - needless to say that they are some of the best drivers the world has ever seen! Take care driving around corners and going into turns because the other racers are completely relentless. Also use caution around areas where there is heavy road construction. There are many traps you may encounter. Some of these are warning barricades which will cause your car to spin helplessly out of control.

Remember, if you lose control of your car, quickly counter-steer in the direction of the spin. The tracks themselves are very challenging and offer a high degree of difficulty.

On-screen, you get a speedometer, a shift graphic to help you with changing gears, a model of your track, and a time and position indicator. All of the controls are cleanly placed and make for quick learning. You'll really have to be quick to win your heat! Actually, you'd better be quick just to get to play because Ridge Racers is awesome!

It took long enough to arrive but finally it did and it was worth the wait! Ridge Racer 64 is unarguably the best version of the game so far but there are bound to be those of you out there who find themselves needing a bit of a hand with it. Look no farther than 64 Magazine's comprehensive guide!

Track 1 – Ridge Racer Novice

This first track comes from the very first Ridge Racer game and, is fairly easy going. There are a couple of tricky tight turns but most of the time you can keep your foot flat to the floor!

Track 2 – Revolution Novice

The second track was first seen in Ridge Racer Revolution and is a little more tricky. A few difficult corners require use of your Powerslide technique, but you can win this easily.

Track 3- Renegade Novice

This is a totally new track, unique to the N64. It is a testing track with a few tough turns and a tricky chicane, but with a little practice you should beat your rivals and collect your first trophy!

Track 4 - Ridge Racer Intermediate

The competition gets just a little hotter, but you should still have no trouble at all on this easy course. Try opening up the new cars to give yourself some much needed extra speed.

Track 5 - Revolution Intermediate

Speed is important if you want to win this race as it's a fairly tough track. There are a couple of. tight turns to test your Powersliding abilities and there's a chicane which could cause problems!

Track 6 - Renegade Intermediate

The Renegade course is a long one, with a whole load of sharp turns added to make it a bit harder. Good reactions and a very fast car are important if you wish to take first prize!

Track 7 - Ridge Racer Expert

There are no more easy tracks, so now it's down to some really tough racing. Use your new cars for extra speed and do your best to avoid collisions with the other sluggish racers!

Track 8 - Revolution Expert

This time the course is a lot harder and the other racers start to cut you up. Do your best to avoid them and use your Powerslide to help you through the dangerous comers at top speed!

Track 9 – Renegade Expert

Practice makes perfect and you need a few attempts to beat the racers on this tough course. The tunnels are a real pain, though your Powerslide can help you through at top speed!