Review: Ridge Racer
the same Ridge Racer as you know and love, complete with wonky controls.
Of the several driving games already available for the DS, Ridge Racer certainly takes the lead... but that doesn't mean it takes the checkered flag.
The Ridge Racer series has always been known to showcase unique driving controls. But where as previous games drifting around corners is an all time high, taking turns on this DS version is an all time low. There are two ways to steer the car. Flashing back to the old PlayStation days (on which Ridge Racer first appeared), you can opt for digital pad memories, which results to twitchy thumb movements. Or you can use the bottom touch screen where you rub the stylus or thumb protector against a virtual steering wheel. The outcome: a lesson in how not to use the touch screen in games. You'll immediately feel like you're in a round of bumper cars as you automatically swerve from side to side. You literally have no control in this manner.
Past the whacked out controls, Ridge Racer does offer some cool visuals. The game moves at a blistering fast frame-rate, and the cars and tracks are colorfully detailed. There are also plenty of game modes that let you unlock tons of new cars and extra tracks. Still, with a frustrating control scheme, Ridge Racer only stays in low gear. It's lucky that this driver is one of the first out of the DS gates, or else it wouldn't have stood a chance.
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