Ridge Racer DS vs. PSP

The franchise sees a launch release on both consoles--what did they do right, where did they go wrong?

If you're like the majority of the U.S. populace who didn't burn money to buy a Japanese PSP on eBay, you're probably wondering whether or not you should hold off on a Nintendo DS for Christmas and wait for Sony's handheld (to be released by March 2005). With the inevitable question looming during last-minute shopping deliberations, Ridge Racer on DS and Ridge Racers serves as a platform to compare the strengths, weaknesses, and potential of both systems--they're both launch titles and both have fast-paced 3D graphics that put the hardware to the test.

The first impression you get from powering up Ridge Racers on PSP is that it puts the DS graphics to shame. Not that the DS visuals are bad (it easily surpasses N-Gage, GBA, Wonderswan), but the texture, resolution, and LCD quality on the PSP makes Nintendo's graphics look like a yesteryear's performer. The smooth, yet sharp display of Ridge Racers on PSP starkly contrasts with the dotty graphics of the DS. However, it isn't a matter of Nintendo coping out and making a cheap handheld--instead you get the feeling the PSP shouldn't cost $200--that it's incurring a serious loss by selling such a high tech console for a low price (meaning a great bargain for buyers).

Although in terms of graphical complexity the PSP version is somewhere between Ridge Racer Type 4 (PSone) and Ridge Racer V (PS2), the LCD display is more crisp than typical TVs, making it seem almost on par with PlayStation 2 titles.

There are some noticeable downsides for the PSP version however, especially after playing the game for a couple hours--all the stages look suspiciously familiar. While the game boasts 24 stages total, many of them take place in the same settings, only with different road paths (similar to the Special Stage Routes in Gran Turismo). Each stage has the same type of canyons, bridges, beaches and roads, making them all feel generic. The limitations to texture variety may be a deliberate decision--either to reduce the hardware load on the PSP to conserve batteries, or a compromise to get the game out in time for launch. Car textures are relatively simple, blurry when up close in replay shots.

Stylin' Without Stylus

The PSP Ridge Racers' gameplay seems more polished than Ridger Racer on DS. The stylus steering on DS, though innovative and supposedly giving more precise control, is too sensitive--most will find themselves jerking left and right across the screen (I personally liked it, however). In fact, steering in general is more quirky on the DS--drifts tend to be more extreme, unpredictably lurching the car to the side when letting go of the gas pedal and turning the wheel.

Comments [0]

post a comment

Post a Comment