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Ridge Racer fans rejoice: Ridge Racer 64 is now playable on Nintendo Switch for Online + Expansion Pack subscribers.
First released on Nintendo 64 in 2000, Ridge Racer 64 marked the arcade racing series’ first appearance on a Nintendo console. It was later ported to Nintendo DS in the 2004 remake, Ridge Racer DS.
While every Ridge Racer game was developed by Namco at this point, the Nintendo 64 entry was helmed by Nintendo Software Technology, a first-party studio established to focus on games for the North American market.
In another first, it also featured split-screen multiplayer for up to four players, which carries over to the Switch version – hopefully with an improved frame rate.
Ridge Racer 64 retains the fast-paced arcade racing of the original PlayStation and arcade games, with the option to switch between different drift styles and collision physics from past entries.
Alongside traditional Quick Play, Time Attack and Grand Prix game modes, Ridge Racer 64 introduces a Car Attack mode, where you compete with progressively faster cars and unlock them if you beat them. The game features over 30 cars and eight tracks, including every circuit from the original Ridge Racer and Ridge Racer Revolution plus three exclusive to the N64 game.
To play Ridge Racer 64 on Nintendo Switch, you’ll need a Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription – you can’t buy it separately.
An annual subscription costs £34.99 / €39,99 / $49.99, giving access to a digital library of classic Nintendo 64, Game Boy Advance and SEGA Mega Drive games. Classic NES, Super Nintendo and Gameboy games are also included in the standard Switch Online subscription.
Ridge Racer 64 joins a raft of retro Nintendo racing games on the Switch’s online service such as Mario Kart 64, F-Zero X and Excitebike 64, among others.
Once a staple of PlayStation launch lineups, Ridge Racer has been dormant since 2016’s Ridge Racer Draw & Drift mobile spin-off. However, the last mainline entry was the polarising Ridge Racer Unbounded.
Developed by BugBear Entertainment (the Finnish studio best known for the Wreckfest and FlatOut games) and released in 2012, Unbounded attempted to reinvent the franchise with a focus on car combat, environmental destruction and Burnout-style takedowns, but was widely panned by Ridge Racer fans and sold poorly.
With the PSP’s Ridge Racer 2 also ported to PS5 and PS4 in 2022, we’re still hoping for a series revival.
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