Rage Racer - PlayStation PS1 NTSC-J Japan NAMCO Ridge Racer Game

Ridge Racer is a series of arcade racing games developed and published by Namco for both the arcade and various consoles.

Rage Racer is the third Namco title in the Racer series, and in some respects it is similar. The third Ridge Racer game again features three tracks, with each of the courses beginning with the same starting line to emerge into a completely distinctive course. Each of the courses take you through a multitude of ancient landmarks, cities, natural wonders such as light houses, tunnels, waterfalls, ruins, European styled villages etc

Visually the game takes a different approach compared to the previous PlayStation titles. The game looks more realistic and has a darker colour scheme, it takes a lot of this from the arcade game in the Ridge Racer series, Rave Racer. For the first time before Gran Turismo, Rage Racer introduces a brand new advanced singleplayer career system which uses credits that player can get credits after winning race then it can be used to buy cars, upgrading cars and so on.

TRACKS:

Rage Racer has four tracks, which all can be driven backwards as well as forwards. Compared to the tracks in the previous games, Rage Racer's tracks are very long and detailed, except for "The Extreme Oval", at 3,074m. The remaining 3 tracks are "Mythical Coast" (4,641m), "Over Pass City" (6,640m) and "Lakeside Gate" (6,237m). Rage Racer was also one of the only games in the series that did not feature an onscreen map during the race. "Mythical Coast" has a varied range of corners and hills, and suits an all-round vehicle such as the Gnade Esperanza. "Over Pass City" features many steep inclines, and suits the high acceleration Lizard vehicles. "Lakeside Gate" is a technical, twisting course, to which the quick handling Age cars are best suited. "The Extreme Oval" is a flat out oval with wide banked turns. The high speed Assoluto cars are most at home on this track.

VEHICLES:

There are four car manufacturers in Rage Racer. Each of the four manufacturers favours a different attribute. Age cars are lightweight, and feature excellent handling. Lizard cars favour large displacement engines with high torque outputs which give their cars great acceleration. Assoluto cars are designed with maximum power and top speed in mind. The sole Gnade car, the Esperanza, is an all rounder with average stats in each area. With the exception of Gnade, each manufacturer has three 'standard' cars, and one 'secret' car. Age's three 'standard' cars are the Erriso (Alouette in Japanese version) at Grade 2, the Abeille at Grade 3 and the Pegase at Grade 4. Gnade's only car is the Esperanza. This is the first car you are given at the beginning of the game, and starts at Grade 1. Lizard produces the Acceron at Grade 2, the Bayonet at Grade 3 and the Hijack at Grade 4. Assoluto's cars are the Grade 3 Fatalita, the Istante at Grade 4, and the Ghepardo at Grade 5.

All of the 'standard' cars can be upgraded, with the cost increasing greatly from one grade to the next. The highest level to which the cars can be upgraded is Grade 5. This means the Assoluto Ghepardo cannot be upgraded, as it is a Grade 5 car as standard.

This is the first game in the Ridge Racer series that permits the player to race with a truck, but it only comes with manual transmission. The only truck in this game is the Lizard Hijack, and is available from Class 4 in the game. In the extra Grand prix, there is an extra Grade 6 class where you can buy 'secret' cars. These cars are called the Age Vainqure [2,000,000 eg], Lizard Bulldog [3,700,000 eg] and the Assoluto Squaldon [6,666,666 e.g., an allusion to the Squaldon's 'Devil car' status]. The Age can go around most of the game's corners flat out at the car's top speed, the Lizard can accelerate up steep inclines as if they weren't there, and the Assoluto has a top speed in excess of 360 km/h. The 'secret' cars are known by different names in the Japanese version of the game. The Vainqure is called the 'Victoire', the Bulldog the 'Tempest', and the Squaldon the 'Dragone'.

The Makes are particular for different courses. Age is for "Lakeside Gate", Lizard is for "Over Pass City", Gnade is for "Mythical Coast" and Assoluto is for "The Extreme Oval".

NEW FEATURES:

- High resolution menu screens

- Ability to paint your car and design the main logo on the bonnet

- Grand Prix mode which replaces the arcade mode from RR & RRR

- Car performance upgrades

- Excellent FMV intro. and various FMV clips as you progress

- Rage Racer is an arcade-style racing game developed exclusively for the PlayStation by Namco, creators of the Ridge Racer and Pole Position series.

- The game features four distinct courses, each winding through a multitude of ancient landmarks, natural wonders, lighthouses, tunnels, and villages.

GAMES MODES:

1 - Grand Prix: Offers players the chance to make their way through five different racing classes, earning medals and credits along the way. Credits can be used to purchase new tires, paint jobs, and logos, or players can use the credits to purchase newer, more powerful cars.

Classes 1 & 2 (both normal and reverse) consist of three tracks, then classes 3,4,5 & 6 add an additional track to these.

To play the game you must race through all the tracks in the class and finish in the top three in each. You can play the tracks in any order to achieve this. You will get a gold silver or bronze medallion for each track depending on your position. Once you have a medallion for each track you canproceed to the next class where prize money for races is greater and more cars become available to buy.

To begin with there is only one car in your collection. After you have won some money in races you can either upgrade this car or enter the car shop.

As gamers progress through Rage Racer they will gradually unlock the ability to race each course backward, effectively doubling the number of tracks.

2 - Timeattack

Here you can race on all the tracks you have obtained, with all the cars you have bought. Your cars will be at the highest grade you have made them during your grand prix mode. There does not seem to be a way of altering the paint colours of the cars or their grades once in this mode. Records are kept of the top five total times and lap times for each track, stating the car used for each.

  Manufacturer's description:

"QUITE POSSIBLY THE GREATEST RACING GAME ON THE PLANET."

– Game Fan, February 1997

Rage Racer™ shatters the standards of PlayStation™ racing, and has industry insiders scurrying to their Thesaurus' for new speed descriptors. This is a whole new engine, chassis and shocks, shocks coming, of course, at the expense of your central nervous system. But enough hype. You've got to play this bad-boy to believe it. Then you'll see why Game Fan insists. "you must obtain Rage Racer as soon as humanly possible."

* The definitive street-racer. New from the radials up, 13 brand new cars, 4 big new tracks, plus an 11 circuit challenge.

* Win races and save prize money to modify your car or purchase a new racer.

* Customize your ride. Design team logos, after car paint schemes and improve tire traction.

* Save best times, customized cars and game data to memory cards.

* Must-see cinematics and track scenery, nothing has ever looked this good at 150 mph.

* Breathtaking hills and narrow hairpin turns put a premium on shifting, drafting and sliding skills.

* Compatible with the neGcon™ analog controller.