Ridge Racer 7
Encyclopedia
Ridge Racer 7 is the seventh console installment in the Ridge Racer
series of racing games, released on PlayStation 3
. The game has around 40 cars, many of which return from Ridge Racer 6
and the PSP incarnations of the game
. There are also 22 courses, available in forward, reverse and mirror mode. The game runs at 1080p
resolution and at 60 frames per second. It also features Dolby Digital
5.1 surround sound and free online gameplay via the PlayStation Network.
The game was first unveiled at the 2006 E3 event in a teaser trailer, and the first trailer of game footage was shown at the 2006 Tokyo Game Show
.
Like many other games in the series, it features a Full Motion Video
opening that stars Reiko Nagase.
The game has since been re-issued under Sony's 'Platinum' and 'The Best' budget lines.
A Patch was made available in October 2010 entitled "Ridge Racer 7 3D License Version" that enables Ridge Racer 7 to be played in 3D.
This game sees the "unlimited restarts" return for the first time since Ridge Racer Revolution
in 1996, which means the player can restart during the race (including the regular races and the duel races) at anytime if the player is not satisfied with his/her race, race results and so on. Also, the player can re-play the same race series for more points and money.
Ridge Racer (series)
Ridge Racer is a series of arcade racing games developed and published by Namco for both the arcade and various gaming systems. In each of the games, players race on courses set in and around the fictional Ridge City while utilizing the concepts of drift racing to quickly traverse...
series of racing games, released on PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
. The game has around 40 cars, many of which return from Ridge Racer 6
Ridge Racer 6
Ridge Racer 6 has received generally positive reviews.Pro-G gave the game 8/10, calling it "the closest I've seen to an arcade racer on a home console, in both looks and playability." Gamespy awarded Ridge Racer 6 4.5/5 praising its "killer graphics" and "great presentation", but criticising its...
and the PSP incarnations of the game
Ridge Racer (PSP)
Ridge Racer for the PSP is an arcade racing video game developed by Namco. It is named after the eponymous Ridge Racer video game series to which it belongs. The game was released in Japan as...
. There are also 22 courses, available in forward, reverse and mirror mode. The game runs at 1080p
1080p
1080p is the shorthand identification for a set of HDTV high-definition video modes that are characterized by 1080 horizontal lines of resolution and progressive scan, meaning the image is not interlaced as is the case with the 1080i display standard....
resolution and at 60 frames per second. It also features Dolby Digital
Dolby Digital
Dolby Digital is the name for audio compression technologies developed by Dolby Laboratories. It was originally called Dolby Stereo Digital until 1994. Except for Dolby TrueHD, the audio compression is lossy. The first use of Dolby Digital was to provide digital sound in cinemas from 35mm film prints...
5.1 surround sound and free online gameplay via the PlayStation Network.
The game was first unveiled at the 2006 E3 event in a teaser trailer, and the first trailer of game footage was shown at the 2006 Tokyo Game Show
Tokyo Game Show
The , commonly known as TGS, is a video game expo / convention held annually in the Makuhari Messe, in Chiba, Japan. It is presented by the Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association and the Nikkei Business Publications, Inc...
.
Like many other games in the series, it features a Full Motion Video
Full motion video
Full motion video based games are video games that rely upon pre-recorded TV-quality movie or animation rather than sprites, vectors, or 3D models to display action in the game. In the early 1990s a diverse set of games utilized this format...
opening that stars Reiko Nagase.
The game has since been re-issued under Sony's 'Platinum' and 'The Best' budget lines.
A Patch was made available in October 2010 entitled "Ridge Racer 7 3D License Version" that enables Ridge Racer 7 to be played in 3D.
Gameplay
As always, gameplay revolves around highspeed circuit racing featuring Ridge Racer's "drift" handling, where the player slides the car around hairpin turns without any great loss of speed. New features to this iteration include car body and engine customization which can have an impact on the performance, handling and nitrous system of the car. Ridge Racer 7 also boosted the use of slipstreaming as a prominent feature in the game, compared to previous iterations which included the feature but did not show its presence.This game sees the "unlimited restarts" return for the first time since Ridge Racer Revolution
Ridge Racer Revolution
Ridge Racer Revolution is a racing game developed by Namco for the PlayStation in 1995. It is the sequel of the inaugural game Ridge Racer. The game's covers between the Japanese version and the European & North America version are different in this game. The game's cover of the Japanese...
in 1996, which means the player can restart during the race (including the regular races and the duel races) at anytime if the player is not satisfied with his/her race, race results and so on. Also, the player can re-play the same race series for more points and money.
Single Player
- Ridge State Grand Prix - the basic Grand Prix mode.
- Manufacturer's Trials - special races where the player can earn parts to customize their car.
- UFRA Single Event- special races with restrictions.
- Extreme Battle - extra races with a much higher difficulty.
Multiplayer
- Global Time Attack - a time trial mode where players race their cars around the circuits as fast as possible and post their best lap times on a global leaderboard.
- Standard Race - a standard race over the Internet for up to 14 players.
- Pair Time Attack - Similar to Global Time Attack, but instead combines the times of two racers working in tandem to achieve fast lap times.
- Team Battle - players are split into red and blue teams (other colors are featured, such as yellow, green and pink), with a points system used to decide which team wins after a race.
- Pair Battle - players are split into teams of two to race, and the winning team is that with the smallest total race time.
- UFRA Special Event - A set of 25 extra events, downloaded for free from the PlayStation Store, which boast a much higher difficulty than any event in the Ridge State Grand Prix mode. The choice of cars is often preset or massively narrowed down.
- Multi Race - a racing mode for two players on the same screen. This is not an online mode.
Ranking System
A global ranking system is used to rank players. It uses a combination of FP (Fame points), CR (Credits, the game's currency) and OBP (Online Battle Points, gained in the online races) to work out an overall number of RP (Ridge Points), which are displayed on the player's Ridge State ID Card. A more in-depth explanation is featured here. A number of players have used an in-game flaw to gain massive amounts of FP and CR in a short space of time.Extras
On 22 March 2007, Namco released downloadable extras and content for Ridge Racer 7 through the PlayStation Network. This content includes extra events (the UFRA Special Events) and special decals for customizing the roof of the car. Players also have the option to purchase extra background music for their game. These add-ons were added to the US PlayStation Store on June 1, 2007. The decals and events are free, while the background music can be bought per song or in packs for prices from $0.99 to $14.99 (or £2.99/3 euro per song pack on the UK/Ireland store).Reception & Awards
- Famitsu Magazine (JP) 36/40
- IGNIGNIGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
8.3/10 - GameSpotGameSpotGameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
8/10 - EurogamerEurogamerEurogamer is a Brighton-based website focused on video games news, reviews, previews and interviews. It is operated by Eurogamer Network Ltd., which was formed in 1999 by brothers Rupert and Nick Loman. Eurogamer has grown to become one of the most important European-based websites focused on...
7/10 - Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine 10/10
- Edge Magazine 6/10