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by TheDCD on 04.06.11  Time to bring out the ol’ Kaz Hirai joke for the 3DS launch. “It’s Ridge Racer! Riiiidge Racer!” Okay, now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, it’s time to check out Namco’s latest in the long-running series, Ridge Racer 3D. If you’re expecting major changes, you’ll have to wait for next year’s Ridge Racer Unbound to arrive on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. This is vintage RR through and through. And get this, it’s actually not half bad.
Like several other games in the series, you’ve got a basic goal – get first place in a number of circuit events. You start out behind the rest of the pack, eventually using acceleration and turbo boosts to try and catch up into first place. It’s nice to see that each opponent carries a classic Namco character name – Blinky just ate our dust. As you proceed, new tracks open up, and you’re also given access to various new cars. Not that their performance changes, mind you. All of this has been covered before in other games, and there’s nothing that genuinely stands out about the gameplay. The drifting is still as ridiculous as ever, as you can go into a power drift around 900 yards or so and not even put the slightest balding effect on your tires. Still, it’s an easy mechanic to get into, and one you can use to your advantage when it comes to building up those nitros. Still, we would’ve liked some form of competition. The game sadly doesn’t offer any sort of competitive angle with other players. You can’t take on others online, and there are no leaderboards to compare your best times with. Namco should’ve included both of these to make the most out of the game. Regardless, what’s here is fun, and you’ll really see that in the graphics. Namco did an exquisite job reproducing this game in 3D, with everything from airports to underwater aquariums to twisting mountain roads, all coming at you at ludicrous speed. It’s a lot to take in, and the effect is done very well. The cars look good too, and going into the bumper view really puts everything in perspective for you. As for audio, some classic Namco tune mixes are here, along with plenty of techno to keep your foot drilled to the floor. The only thing getting in the way is the female announcer, who is borderline annoying. Starting up the race, she automatically chastises you for being in last place. Hey, lady, WE JUST STARTED! Cut us some slack. The rest of the race, she constantly tries to cheer you on, but, really, we just want her to shush. Please?
No, Ridge Racer 3D doesn’t change the game, as it still plays and looks about the same as it always did. However, the controls are still good, and the 3D views are really worth taking in if you’re looking for a quality racer. Since Mario Kart isn’t around to deliver the goods, the next best place to hit is the Ridge.
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