Ridge Racer 3D
Score: 76% ESRB: Everyone Publisher: BANDAI NAMCO Games America, Inc. Developer: BANDAI NAMCO Games America, Inc. Media: Cartridge/1 Players: 1; 2 - 4 (Local) Genre: Racing/ Racing (Arcade)
Graphics & Sound: Of the 3DS launch titles I've played, Ridge Racer 3D features one of the best implementations of the effect. The 3D effect isn't at all distracting and actually enhances gameplay to the point you don't notice things are 3D at all. Yeah, it seems to go against the entire concept behind the system, but trust me on this one. Namco has done a great job of picking out just the right elements to enhance, such as confetti that flies towards the screen after laps or various HUD items, such as the Namco Bandai mascot-adorned placards indicating where opponents are. On the technical side, Ridge Racer 3D looks a bit dull compared to other racing games, but still manages to pull out a bit of visual sparkle depending on the track. City tracks offer the most to look at, while most nature tracks are blotted with boring textures and trees. This is one of the cases where the 3D effect offers a nice visual kick. The bland areas stretch out a bit, adding an enhanced sense of speed. Cars are a bit on the blocky side, but still show off the 3DS's upgraded visual power. Each also comes with a number of color schemes and styles, which is always fun. Audio is what you would expect from a Ridge Racer title. The background sounds are full of upbeat synth-techno tunes, revving car engines and the occasional screech of tires. Then there's the always peppy announce team.
Gameplay: Ridge Racer 3D is, by now, a pretty familiar experience to most racing game fans, only now the experience is in 3D. Although you could accuse Namco Bandai of playing things close, or even rushing an under-developed game to the 3DS's launch window, it still does everything it needs to in order to provide a solid racing game. If you're new to the series, Ridge Racer 3D might throw you for a bit of a loop. It's an arcade-style racer, though it tends to ramp the twitchy, loose feeling common to the genre to super unrealistic proportions. Cars blast through the track at near sub-sonic speeds, yet still manage to hug the road. Collisions are never worse than a quick slow down and cars are nearly impervious to damage. The available modes are just as familiar as the gameplay, featuring Grand Prix, the game's main play mode, as well as Quick Races, Time Attack races and "Unlimited" races that run as long as you want to keep playing. Of the included modes, Grand Prix will likely soak up most of your playtime. It takes around 12 - 15 hours to complete. You begin in a basic tour, which restricts your choice of car, but before long, you'll have full access to all cars. The only major downside to the lengthy campaign is the number of repeated tracks. One race even features the same track in the same grouping, only one is in reverse. Although I wasn't able to really test out the feature (I was surprised I even got the chance to try it out at all, actually), Street Pass Duel is a really neat feature. If you encounter other 3DS owners in the wild, you can pass ghost data between systems, which you can then race against the next time you play. On the downside, Street Pass Duel is more or less the extent of Ridge Racer 3D's multiplayer. Local multiplayer races are available, though getting a decent match together is just as hard (if not harder, based on my experience) as picking up someone's Street Pass Data.
Difficulty: As racing games go, I'm not terrible, but in no way would I consider myself an expert. Even then, I found Ridge Racer 3D incredibly easy, at least through the first couple of circuits. Although I had to go back to a few races in order to win every cup, I never felt particularly challenged. The limitations on the early races, as well as some incredibly generous rubber-banding A.I., kept each race close enough that I was able to easily squeak across the finish line with a well-timed nitrous boost. By the time the more open races begin to pop up later on, course layouts are so familiar you'll know exactly how to tackle each. The biggest obstacle facing newcomers is the drift mechanic and sense of speed. Until you get the hang of handling, you'll likely skid out of control on even simple turns.
Game Mechanics: Controls are, as is the case with just about everything else, standard for the series. I can't emphasize enough how much I love the 3DS's Analog Stick. It's incredibly fluid and easy to slide around. At firstm I was worried it might be too slippery for Ridge Racer 3D's already loose driving mechanics, but was happy to discover the well-tuned balance between the two. There's just enough give in steering to help you make the most out of drifts, but you'll never over-steer. Mastering the drift mechanic is core to winning races. Initiating a drift is easy: just let off the accelerator, turn into the corner, and punch the accelerator again. Though you lose some control over your car during drifts, you still need to make sure you guide the car into the right racing line. Even here, where subtle movements are the key to everything, the Analog Stick really shines. It's challenging, but when you're able to correctly pull off a drift, it's a rush. Ridge Racer 3D pulls in Ridge Racer 7's slipstream mechanic for added fun. If you get behind an opponent, you'll pick up a bit of speed. You can enter a slipstream even if the car is way out in front of you (a meter indicates if you've entered slipstream) and ride it until you're practically piggybacking the car in front of you. Opponents are usually well aware if you're riding their slipstream and will try to lose you, but if you play things right, you can slingshot your way past them. Of course, opponents will try the same move, or even try to run you off the road. The best counter, other than checking your rear view mirror often, is choosing the right car and upgrades. Between Grand Prix races you can buy upgrade for cars, such as new nitrous packs. It also pays to study the specs on each car so you know exactly what you're up against and how your car will react to different maneuvers. Other than the added depth, there's little to Ridge Racer 3D that fans haven't seen already. At the same time, the effective use of 3D as well as the fun gameplay makes it a real star in the 3DS's launch line-up. The amount of content will keep you busy and it's even worth the purchase just to use as a showcase game while showing off your new 3D-enabled gadget.
-Starscream, GameVortex Communications AKA Ricky Tucker
Related Links: PlayStation Illustrated's Review of Ridge Racer 7
Petz: Bunnyz Bunch Yakuza 4