|
 |
|
|
|
|
News |
|
Review |
|
Preview |
|
Videos |
|
|
|
Cheats |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| | Title:
Ridge Racer DS
..............................................
System:
Nintendo DS
..............................................
Genre:
Racing/Sports
..............................................
Publisher:
Namco
..............................................
Developer:
NST (Nintendo Software Technology)
..............................................
Release:
12/07/2004
..............................................
Online:
No
..............................................
ESRB:
Everyone (E)
..............................................
 |
Pac-Man handled with split-decision accuracy way back in those arcade days -- and it's a pity that arcades are virtually non-existent now. It was important then, and control is still as much of a factor in gaming now. Over 20 years after they introduced the world to Pac-Man, Namco redefines control today with one of their newer-compared-to-Pac-Man-but-old-to-some-of-you titles: Ridge Racer.
Since it’s a racing simulator, there really is no story. But, I will humor you fine people: You are a crazed-for-racing Nintendo DS owner. You want a title to satisfy your urge to race, and only race, with the ability to do that racing in customized cars on a fair number of unique tracks. You decide to read this review because you are thinking about purchasing Ridge Racer DS to satisfy that crazy urge. Thus, the story doesn’t really have an ending, just a beginning!
Control is handled one of three ways: D-pad, stylus or thumb strap. The D-pad works quite well, though, certain cars (the ones with high handling characteristics) seem to be digitally controlled rather than analog; movement isn’t gradual, but instantaneous. When you simply touch the D-pad in any direction, the car rifles to that direction as if shoved, making for some complicated and highly unrealistic driving. Other vehicles do work well, though, and fits what Namco characterizes as “easy play.”
Stylus control is considered to be of “hard play” caliber, though I would beg to differ; it should be renamed "crappy play." Using the stylus, holding the DS and controlling your acceleration (let’s not even get into manual shifting) is quite the feat. It doesn’t make for user-friendliness and prompted me to quickly reset the game and change control options.
Thumb strap control, which Namco labeled “expert play,” works the best in most cases, and when adapted to, really propels this game into the direction it was headed. Whereas the D-pad can be quick and quirky, the thumb strap control is methodical and productive, if applied correctly. Move your thumb in graceful, calculated, and smooth movements, and it works quite well and provides the realistic driving experience that Namco was shooting for in the design lab. The catch, you ask? Well that would be the matter of “drifting” the design team of Ridge Racer DS integrates into its control scheme. It’s damn hard to drift with the thumb strap control. The D-pad works the best here and, to be honest, if you don’t master drifting, you cannot advance through the higher stages.
It’s a good thing that the thumb strap and D-pad controls promote calculated gameplay because there is little room for error. The tracks contain invisible borders and do not allow you to cross the mustard lines without penalty. You won’t find any shortcuts if you notice an open dirt road off to the side of the track and go for it; rather, the car just makes a painful noise and you slow down. This lack of leniency also goes for bumping other cars racing on the track, whether you tap, slam or bump into them, you slow down. When a couple of them are together on a narrow stretch, trying to pass becomes irritating --rubbing is not racing in this title. You must be fluid in your control and keep the automobile between the dotted lines to stay in the lead because the lead is what you need to advance. Not third, not second, but first place is the only position that will allow you to advance to later races. This makes the difficulty on the game that much harder, adding on to the steep learning curve you must overcome to be proficient at one (or all) of the three control options.
There are three options of play to choose from the main menu: Quick race, Single Player or Multiplayer (you can also change options such as control from an Options menu). Quick race is just that –a quick jump into a race without choice of car or track – you race with the "F/A" race car on the RR Novice course against 11 CPU-controlled cars.
Multiplayer is another obvious one….fine, I’ll explain. You can either join or create a “room” to race others via the wireless abilities of the DS. Also, this title can be played when everyone has their own game card, or you can play a limited number of tracks with one game card. Six players can play any of them at any one time. If you know six people who live near you that own this game and a DS, I applaud you and your ability to play this game to its fullest.
Single Player is obviously going to be the place you’ll be spending most of your hours, because we both know you don’t have six friends with this game. Single Player has three options of play under its belt as well: Grand Prix, Car Attack and Time Attack. Time Attack is simply an option to beat the times on previously played tracks. This applies only to tracks already opened, obviously. Car Attack is a mano-y-mano slugfest against a car that is better than yours. If you win, you win the defeated car. Grand Prix is what can also be called “career mode.” Here is where you load or create a profile and advance through the many tracks and challenges that Ridge Racer has to offer. As in most cases, the difficulty becomes increasingly harder as you advance by taking 1st place on each course. Once you complete the three courses under each category (novice, intermediate, expert etc.) you move on to the next level and the Car Attack option opens for each category defeated.
Now look at your DS and revel in its miniscule size. Now associate that size with the graphics you would normally see on the Nintendo 64, because that is where the core graphics engine of this game comes from -- this game is actually an overhauled version of Ridge Racer 64, as you may well know by now. The original, quality graphics are maintained quite well on your little handheld DS and, perceptively, give nothing up; the framerate is still fairly smooth and the backgrounds are convincing. The only thing you may notice is that some contours may appear blocky; however, this is nothing to frown over because this is the way you would’ve seen it on your N64 and does not retract from the experience. In fact, I probably wouldn’t have really noticed if I weren’t scrutinizing the game in the first place. In case my words were lost on you, the graphics are good and do well to keep you enthralled and attuned with a 3D experience on such a little device.
Woo wee! If you check out the hardware specs of the DS, you’ll see that it, unlike its little GBA cousin, supplies stereo sound straight from the onboard speakers. What does this mean for Ridge Racer? Really good sound! Take a car for a ride and zip through a track. Did you notice something when you went under a bridge or between a canyon? Yes, that’s right, the sound shifted in pitch and depth to simulate you actually going through that canyon or under a bridge. It’s quite impressive, actually. Couple that with unbeatable and original music, and you have an aural fiesta going on while you’re racing for the checkered flag. Ridge Racer DS supplies you with choice cuts (music) to listen to by pressing left or right on the control pad before a race. All the songs are Namco originals and predate to the other Ridge Racer games. Nope, not a bad thing at all because they work so well with this game and provide the upbeat atmosphere you would associate with a racing game. Bravo, I say, bravo! The only downside is the original and annoying voice casting which is present. However, you can adjust the volume of each sound characteristic and that includes turning stuff off – like that annoying announcer telling you, “it’s the final lap, go for it!”
Ridge Racer DS is an instant classic, just as the original was, while providing a new experience in control. It’s a testament to the capabilities of the DS and worthy of being a launch title. Granted, it’s no Gran Turismo, with a buttload of licensed and upgradeable cars, but it still gives you what you really want from a racing simulator: a fast-paced, well controlled racing experience with high replay value. Pac-Man would be proud to see the metamorphoses in video game control that began with him.
| The Core Score |
Overall
7 |
| Fun |
|
8 |
| Gameplay |
|
7 |
| Graphics |
|
5.5 |
| Audio |
|
9 |
| Replay |
|
7 |
|
| | | |
