Ridge Racer DS is the second of the racing titles to be launched on the Nintendo DS, and also the second game from Namco. I had truly awaited the day I could get this title and give it a whirl having already been able to get a taste of the racing world on DS with Asphalt Urban GT. After a bit of a delay I was finally able to get this game and I have to admit I do believe it was worth the wait.

Now unless you're someone who's never paid any attention to racing games before, or just have been living under a rock for the past decade I'm quite sure you've heard of Namco's venerable Ridge Racer series. Both an arcade title and also a line of console based games as well, this is its first venture into the handheld arena. While this is basically a fine tuned port of a later release Nintendo 64 title it does bring a bit of something new to the table as well.

Features

Wireless support for up to 6 players (on 1 card, or up to 6)

Multiple game modes such as: Quick Play, Grand Prix, Car Attack and Time Attack

A mix of classic and new Ridge Racer courses

Unlockable cars and courses

Three choices in game control design

Presentation:

Over the years of it's existance for quite awhile it had been greatly influenced by its arcade counterparts in relation to design. Ridge Racer has been known for a simple way to extend the life of the game without doing a great deal more in design content. Basically the series would rely on a single track and then make slight variations in the course with two added designs of increasing difficulty.

Ridge Racer on the Nintendo DS does follow this similar game design format. From the get go the game gives you the option of apparantly three tracks according to the screen, though it's obvious much more can be unlocked. The opening courses you have are the original tracks called Ridge Racer Classic and Revolution Northwest, but also a new one called Renegade Southwest which is a desert course.

The menus as you will find are easily navigated intuitively with both the d-pad or the stylus on the touch screen. Beyond selecting your course you can then pick from one of the cars open to you. On each car you can then further select the colorization of your car on a slide bar, and finally pick if you want manual or automatic shifting.


Gameplay

Ridge Racer DS follows in the long line of games in its series to offer up some incredibly tight play control. For the most part the gameplay offered up to the user is a big positive. The framerate is run at a rate that is consistant and smooth giving a nice feel of speed. As far as the controls for the game go they are very responsive under whichever design you choose to use.

The long standing legacy of the Ridge Racer games is that you have the ability to cause your car to drift through turns. Drifting in the series is the motion of allowing the back end of the car to fishtale in a direction you desire so you can make a tight turn while losing minimal speed. A really great Ridge Racer driver would never have to use the brake except maybe in an emergency, or to execute a type of drifting. This game keeps up the drifting legacy with a new fluid style that allows for both acceleration and brake drifting to smoothly clear a tight corner.

I had mentioned in a plural sense that this game has more than one method of controlling your car at your disposal, actually three in all. The easy mode of control is basically just using the d-pad as you would much like on the old Playstation titles. The next option which I don't feel allows for a comfortable level of control is to use the stylus on the touch screen combined with buttons on either side of the unit to control. Then there is the third type of control which has seen some controversy online. This type is based on using the thumb nub on your DS strap to have true non-tension based analog control. For those with the patience and willingness to try and learn this control style you will find the game the most easiest to control at your whim.

The touchpad is sensitive and it just takes smooth minor motions along the bend of the course to keep on a smooth path. Any sharp movements will have you instantly and repeatedly creaming the wall at every turn. While in this mode to center your car you can either move your thumb back, or quickly release your thumb for a second to get the same result.

A few game modes are open to the user from the beginning of the game, though more can unlock periodically during gameplay. The standard arcade mode is present, and also an easy difficulty set two lap quick race is there for one with just a moment to play. Finally there is also the time attack mode to help you get faster on your laps. Also, as you proceed through the tiers of the game you will have a Car Attack open to you. This mode after each tier will have three cars to race in a one on one battle to the finish, and if you succeed you will have a new car in your garage.

While the overall package is excellent the difficulty can be a concern. For veterans of the series the game should be fairly easy, but those who are not will find a challenge. There are a fair share of courses and cars to earn along the way and it will be a fluid on screen ride the entire trip. Following each race you will be privy to a fun full replay mode, and unlike in Asphalt Urban GT you will be able to see all the cars on screen, and any other objects in motion on that course you just finished as well. The only true flaws to the gameplay of this title are collision issues, but nothing that can truly ruin the game for you. I found at times while I was racing that when I would get hit from behind sometimes the enemy car would fly through me while I would drop back, but sometimes I'd get a boost and they'd stay back. Being clipped from the side I found would usually result in the same as from rear-ending a car, a fair speed reduction which to me doesn't seem right seeing that the other car would just jet off. And finally in some places the walls, even if they are just grass off the blacktop, when hit will cause the same kind of sound effect and slow down. Due to these collision issues the game can become frustrating to some people. This could play as a lesson to try even harder to stay on course and improve your performance.