Arcade Archives 2: Ridge Racer Review - Screenshot 1 of 4
Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Handheld/Undocked)

I can appreciate that it's a thoroughly annoying thing to say to anyone under the age of 30, but you really had to be there with games like Namco's Ridge Racer. The original 1993 arcade release was nothing short of breathtaking—so much so that when EDGE magazine put a screenshot on its cover, I remember thinking it simply couldn't be an actual video game—and it delivered blisteringly fast, textured-mapped 3D visuals the likes of which we simply hadn't experienced up to that point.

While the subsequent PlayStation port would generate a legion of new fans and the series would continue through the decades, the original coin-op holds a truly unique place in gaming history—so the fact that it's now possible to play on your shiny new Switch 2 (as well as other platforms) is a genuine 'pinch me' moment for me personally, despite the fact that the average smartphone is many, many times more powerful than the Namco System 22 arcade board which powered the original '93 coin-op.

Arcade Archives 2: Ridge Racer Review - Screenshot 2 of 4
Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Handheld/Undocked)

Released as part of Hamster's new Arcade Archives 2 range, Ridge Racer is just as playable in 2025 as it was over 30 years ago. Granted, the visuals look dated when compared to the likes of Forza and Gran Turismo, but the sense of speed remains impressive, and the game simply feels great to control and play.

The drifting mechanic, which can sometimes make it feel like you're racing on rails, is still one of the most instantly gratifying seen in any racing game. Few experiences are as striking as pulling off the perfect 'Ridge Racer drift' on a tight corner with inch-perfect precision whilst simultaneously overtaking multiple rival cars.

The game famously takes place on a single circuit, with the 'Novice' mode limiting your speed to a maximum of 160 km/h and two laps, while 'Intermediate' maintains the same track layout but bumps the top speed up to 200 km/h as well as tasking you with completing three laps. The 'Advanced' option gives the full circuit at 200 km/h, but the real challenge is the Time Trial mode, where you are pitted against a single opponent, and the maximum speed is 220 km/h.

Arcade Archives 2: Ridge Racer Review - Screenshot 3 of 4
Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Handheld/Undocked)

It's worth noting that, unlike the PS1 version, you can only choose from a single vehicle, and there's no reversed tracks or 'mirror' mode, so it definitely feels a little more limited than the domestic port (the Galaxian minigame, which plays as the game loads on PS1, is also absent, for obvious reasons). You're getting the coin-op experience here, which is both good and bad; it looks far better than the PlayStation version but lacks content.

There's no denying that Ridge Racer, as an experience, doesn't offer all that much. In fact, even a player with modest skills is likely to reach first place in all of the modes within a day or two; after all, this was originally designed for arcades, and players wouldn't be expected to spend more than a few minutes playing it.

However, because this is part of the Arcade Archives 2 series, Ridge Racer's longevity is extended somewhat. Along with the usual benefits like screen filters and borders, there are a host of high-score modes that allow you to compete with players worldwide for the best race time.

Arcade Archives 2: Ridge Racer Review - Screenshot 4 of 4
Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Handheld/Undocked)

The thrill of getting the best possible time and rising up the global leaderboards is one which will almost certainly appeal to most racing fans; it's the same thing that compelled arcade-goers to keep popping coins into the original machine back in 1993—only with this version, you're competing against the world, not just the visitors at your local amusement arcade.

Outside from a minor hiccup with the music selector — according to the digital manual, you pick music tracks using the shift up ('B') and down ('Y') buttons, when in reality, you need to use the right-hand analogue stick — this is a superb conversion and is just about as close to the Ridge Racer arcade as most people are likely to get, short of actually owning an original cabinet.

There are even options to play the standard arcade ROM and the 'Deluxe' version, the latter of which includes controls for engaging the clutch and neutral gears, as these were present in the DX version of the coin-op. It's a shame that the Switch 2 doesn't have analogue shoulder triggers for proportional throttle control, but it's not as big an issue as you might imagine.

Conclusion

While it lacks the additional content seen in the PS1 port, the original arcade iteration of Ridge Racer remains a landmark release in the history of the racing genre, and it's just as gripping and playable today as it was back in 1993. The ability to compete for high scores online adds massively to this version's staying power, and while its long-term appeal does have a fairly low ceiling, it's easily worth the modest asking price just to experience the primal satisfaction you get from pulling off a perfect power slide.

Here's hoping Hamster brings Ridge Racer 2 and Rave Racer to the Arcade Archives 2 range in the future.