This game is such a feast, play this game a hella lot getting unlock all cars as well did Max Tour in my RUclips Gameplay, although this game just advance of previous game, this for me is THE BEST RIDGE RACER GAME with fanservice of PS1 tracks with some banging tunes, also December 12th this year marks the 20th anniversary of Ridge Racer PSP, still epic racing game on portable
First Ridge Racer I played was the Full-Scale sitdown inside a red Mazda MX5 - Eunos Roadster - what a time time be alive in the 90s! Namco should re-release the psp games on to modern consoles with graphical updates like the Tomb Raider Remastered Trilogies. Just imagine if they could layer up graphics (with the flick of a button) into the 3 versions Arcade-PS1-PSP. That would be a wild time!
@@VideoGameEsoterica yes was good, but weird to be in a real car and rear projection panelled sides. It felt like one of those flight simulators and controls felt slightly slippery. It had full use of the clutch and gears, as I didn’t drive at the time, I couldn’t work it 😂. £2 a go so was a luxury experience! 🤣 Did you have a Namco Station/Arcade or SegaWorld in Chicago by any chance?
I got the first game with my PSP back in 2008 and absolutely fell in love! I still regularly play Ridge Racer 2 on my Vita and on PS5, amazing courses, tons of challenges and amazing music. Really hope someday Bandai Namco brings it back like they did with Ace Combat 🙏
RR arcade was my first one. I actually had the pleasure and honor to play Ridge Racer Full Scale (an arcade "cabinet" made of real Mazda MX5 car body and a huge projection screen in front of it, the coolest and silliest thing I've ever seen in my life) around 1994 I think.
@@VideoGameEsoterica That was the highlight of my trip to London with my parents. I was bored to death by all the museums and cultural places we were seeing and then there was that huge multiple story arcade place somewhere around Piccadilly, if I remember correctly. I don't even remember how I learned about that place in the first place and how I managed to convince them that we definitely need to see it and I definitely need to play some arcades, hehe. I also played Virtua Fighter 2 there for the first time and tons of other then new games I can't remember rn. It was cool as hell.
This game is the pinnacle of Ridge Racer in my opinion, many fond memories were had with both the PSP titles. I can't believe that it's been 18 years since the last numbered entry. To put things into perspective, it was only 13 years between Namco's Rally-X and the original Ridge Racer. We are well overdue a new entry.
This one is a classic, I have the imported UMD but it’s all about playing this in emulation. Of course the Chicago guy is into the electronic dance tunes 😉
I've owned this game from Day 1... It probably got the most play on my PSP besides the Gid of War games... My kids grew up on Loco Roco games... Those dang songs are ear worms... I'll never rid of my modded PSP 2000, PSP Go (with micro SD mod), and Vita... Gamers were eating good with the PSP and DS...
Great vid and yes, this *IS* the best Ridge Racer game(objectively speaking). While I have a huge level of fondness towards Rage Racer due to nostalgia, RR2 rightfully earns the coveted top spot.
It always bothered me that this one never came out in the U.S., and after playing it recently, I kinda see why. It felt identical to the first one on PSP, I wasn’t sure what was even added. Overall, still amazing!
One of my favourite PSP games alongside Wipeout Pulse. I bet the previous game many times, and when this one came out, I also played it and beat it many many times. For me the only downside, was the lack of oponent AI. In the last races, it was a little bit frustrating having those cheater oponents. I expected Ridge Racer 7 to be an extended, more graphically intensive version of this game, but it wasn't. Ridge Racer Revolution, Ridge Racer 4 and this Ridge Racer 2 are the Ridge Racer games I play more. Specilally, this one.
@@sketchy0078 Both game is like fanservice from their predecessor for Ridge Racer & Outrun from previous titles, also both other sadly stopped series or when downhill later on
Playing it on Playstation Portal recently as well👌Started on the very first one (and second) in arcade. Still a pity that we cannot get the same feeling with a wheel with any PS RR though.
I have this and thoroughly enjoyed it. The car designs are bizarre though. I wish it had more realistic looking vehicles instead of the polygonal teardrop shaped strange ones
The PSP is such an awesome system. With the 16:9 aspect ratio and the games being mostly 3D it upscales super well and is a blast to play on a modern display via emulation. For Ridge Racer 2, did that ever get a US release? The only ones I see on ebay appear to be the European versions (which isn't a problem for the PSP but I'd rather get a US version if it exists)?
I enjoyed Ridge Racer games on PSP more than the PS360 versions to be honest! I just want Reiko to come back to home console again unfortunately arcade racing games aren't as trendy!
I think my first RR was Type 4 on the PS1. I tried hooking up my PSP to my TV to play some games and I can honestly say, I was underwhelmed. Definitely want to go with emulation if you plan on not playing hand held on original hardware.
@VideoGameEsoterica what a shame, I spent hundreds of hours on that, all those steep climbs and descents, the pounding drum n bass. Absolutely epic for me. Shame about the ps1 dithering but the graphic style was fantastic.
Absolutely not. This and the RR7 just killed the classic RR drift race dynamics. The 'boost' feature should be no where near RR too. The PS3 rr7 looks great mind you. But RR4 down from there are the best.
It's by far the best home version of Ridge Racer ever made. All the best bits of everything up to Ridge Racer 5, and without all the shit story mode from type 4. The only downside is the soundtrack is full of disjointed remixes of the old music rather than the originals themselves which were epic. An example is the Rare Hero remix you actually played in your video. Sounds awful, whereas the original was probably my favourite tune in the entire franchise. Im playing it on PPSSPP so it might be possible to mod it somehow, but would be great if there was a remake of it with the ability to add your own MP3's, just so I could put all the decent versions of the music back into it. Would be awesome with proper steering wheel and pedal support too rather than just trying to get PPSSPP to do it.
This game is such a feast, play this game a hella lot getting unlock all cars as well did Max Tour in my RUclips Gameplay, although this game just advance of previous game, this for me is THE BEST RIDGE RACER GAME with fanservice of PS1 tracks with some banging tunes, also December 12th this year marks the 20th anniversary of Ridge Racer PSP, still epic racing game on portable
It’s got so many hours of gameplay. Probably the most in the series
Ridge Racer 7 is basically all I played in RPCS3
This is basically all I play in PPSSPP
It cleans up so well
It def benefits a ton from the enhancements
First Ridge Racer I played was the Full-Scale sitdown inside a red Mazda MX5 - Eunos Roadster - what a time time be alive in the 90s!
Namco should re-release the psp games on to modern consoles with graphical updates like the Tomb Raider Remastered Trilogies. Just imagine if they could layer up graphics (with the flick of a button) into the 3 versions Arcade-PS1-PSP. That would be a wild time!
Oh wow you got to play one? Jealous
HAD that setup at my local arcade, along with a full sized Daytona USA right next to it... That was an awesome time for arcades...
@@VideoGameEsoterica yes was good, but weird to be in a real car and rear projection panelled sides. It felt like one of those flight simulators and controls felt slightly slippery. It had full use of the clutch and gears, as I didn’t drive at the time, I couldn’t work it 😂. £2 a go so was a luxury experience! 🤣 Did you have a Namco Station/Arcade or SegaWorld in Chicago by any chance?
I’d have loved to have given one a try
Great timing, I just discovered this gem while working through a load of PSP titles 👍
For anyone curious, it plays like a dream at 4x on an Odin 2 ❤
Glad you found it :)
Bring back the early 00s! 👍
Stop bringing the nostalgia, you're making me want to play on my PSP once again!! 😍
Haha that’s all I ever try to do. Make you want to play games
I had a PlayStation and ridge racer on day one, been a huge fan ever since, I agree this is the best of the series.
For me personally R4 is my fav but this is a close second
Perfect game. If Namco simply remastered this with a few extras I'd pay full price for it all over again. 🧡
I’d love a remake
I got the first game with my PSP back in 2008 and absolutely fell in love! I still regularly play Ridge Racer 2 on my Vita and on PS5, amazing courses, tons of challenges and amazing music. Really hope someday Bandai Namco brings it back like they did with Ace Combat 🙏
I play them all regularly on a rotating basis. Depending on my mood
@VideoGameEsoterica Me too! Ridge Racer 6 and 7 are my favorite to play on consoles, sometimes I play some RRV or R Racing aswell but less so.
PSP and 360 I played the hell out of back in the day. Great versions of the game and fun as hell.
There really isn’t a bad Ridge Racer which is nice
RR arcade was my first one. I actually had the pleasure and honor to play Ridge Racer Full Scale (an arcade "cabinet" made of real Mazda MX5 car body and a huge projection screen in front of it, the coolest and silliest thing I've ever seen in my life) around 1994 I think.
Second person to say they’ve played that one today. Jealous
@@VideoGameEsoterica That was the highlight of my trip to London with my parents. I was bored to death by all the museums and cultural places we were seeing and then there was that huge multiple story arcade place somewhere around Piccadilly, if I remember correctly. I don't even remember how I learned about that place in the first place and how I managed to convince them that we definitely need to see it and I definitely need to play some arcades, hehe. I also played Virtua Fighter 2 there for the first time and tons of other then new games I can't remember rn. It was cool as hell.
@kosmosyche haha good thing you convinced them. Got to play an exceedingly rare cab
I LOVE this video and i LOVE this game... Circuits of arcade machine and console ps1,ps2 and music..
Glad you loved it!
This game is the pinnacle of Ridge Racer in my opinion, many fond memories were had with both the PSP titles. I can't believe that it's been 18 years since the last numbered entry. To put things into perspective, it was only 13 years between Namco's Rally-X and the original Ridge Racer. We are well overdue a new entry.
It took everything the franchise did right up to that point and bundled it all together
@@cheapergamer also you can get New Rally-X as Bonus cars in Ridge Racer 1 PSP by getting 50k score, and that car has unique performance
Looks cool. The first ridge racer I played was the first game on ps1 the port of the arcade, boy was that a long time ago
Seriously where did the time go?
Never actually played this one! I have the first PSP game, but never got around to playing this one. There's so much ridge to race!
I heard it releases in Wisconsin next week
I can finally play it!!
This one is a classic, I have the imported UMD but it’s all about playing this in emulation. Of course the Chicago guy is into the electronic dance tunes 😉
Haha EDM only hits in racing games
I've owned this game from Day 1... It probably got the most play on my PSP besides the Gid of War games... My kids grew up on Loco Roco games... Those dang songs are ear worms... I'll never rid of my modded PSP 2000, PSP Go (with micro SD mod), and Vita... Gamers were eating good with the PSP and DS...
Loco Roco was a ton of fun and yes the music is catchy AF
I have this one on my PS4 and i totaly agree, this one and R4 are the best games of the franshise
Def my two favorite
@VideoGameEsoterica right? :)
Great vid and yes, this *IS* the best Ridge Racer game(objectively speaking). While I have a huge level of fondness towards Rage Racer due to nostalgia, RR2 rightfully earns the coveted top spot.
It’s def the most fully featured
FYI play this in VR it’s crazy
That does sound fun
The monster hunter generations ultimate of the ridge racer series!
Haha one way to look at it
It always bothered me that this one never came out in the U.S., and after playing it recently, I kinda see why. It felt identical to the first one on PSP, I wasn’t sure what was even added. Overall, still amazing!
It’s basically an expansion pack to the first game
One of my favourite PSP games alongside Wipeout Pulse. I bet the previous game many times, and when this one came out, I also played it and beat it many many times. For me the only downside, was the lack of oponent AI. In the last races, it was a little bit frustrating having those cheater oponents.
I expected Ridge Racer 7 to be an extended, more graphically intensive version of this game, but it wasn't.
Ridge Racer Revolution, Ridge Racer 4 and this Ridge Racer 2 are the Ridge Racer games I play more. Specilally, this one.
Wipeout was always a good one too
Almost the perfect arcade style racer ever...almost.
For that it would need to be named OutRun 2
@VideoGameEsoterica 🤣😂
Easily the best ridge racer and along with outrun 2006 one of the best arcade racers ever.
I’d put it top 10 for sure
@@sketchy0078 Both game is like fanservice from their predecessor for Ridge Racer & Outrun from previous titles, also both other sadly stopped series or when downhill later on
Playing it on Playstation Portal recently as well👌Started on the very first one (and second) in arcade. Still a pity that we cannot get the same feeling with a wheel with any PS RR though.
I’ve wanted to try one of those for fun. Worth it?
I wonder why neither part was released outside Europe.
Probably because it really feels like PSP 1.5 vs a proper sequel
I have this and thoroughly enjoyed it. The car designs are bizarre though. I wish it had more realistic looking vehicles instead of the polygonal teardrop shaped strange ones
That’s how they avoid licensing and infringement issues. Make the cars wildly different
@@balaam_7087 It's kinda like those GTA car design but much more fantasy looks, and the brand they use is basically from those Namco other games
Best game in the series.
It’s up there for me too
The PSP is such an awesome system. With the 16:9 aspect ratio and the games being mostly 3D it upscales super well and is a blast to play on a modern display via emulation.
For Ridge Racer 2, did that ever get a US release? The only ones I see on ebay appear to be the European versions (which isn't a problem for the PSP but I'd rather get a US version if it exists)?
No it’s was Japanese and euro only
If it is. then I agree VGE. Amazing game that all should play on the PSP. Wow!! 8^)
A straight up classic
It is really the best RidgeRacer ever.
It’s def the most feature and track packed
I enjoyed Ridge Racer games on PSP more than the PS360 versions to be honest! I just want Reiko to come back to home console again unfortunately arcade racing games aren't as trendy!
It’s the perfect genre for handhelds imo
They don’t make em like this anymore!
I wish they did
I think my first RR was Type 4 on the PS1. I tried hooking up my PSP to my TV to play some games and I can honestly say, I was underwhelmed. Definitely want to go with emulation if you plan on not playing hand held on original hardware.
Great place to start your Ridge Racer off!
my favorite way to play ridge racer is still the original psx release, and rage racer, but this is objectivly a better way to do it
They def still hold up relatively well
@@VideoGameEsoterica i hope you appreciate i didn't bring up Over Drive this time
lol I was surprised
4:45 Badger Badger Badger Badger Badger mushroom mushroom 🍄 🦡
lol my wife says that weekly
@@VideoGameEsotericaHaha 😂 yeh. It's a classic
What does rage racer ps1 look like upscale? My favourite racer from back then
Good but not spectacular
@VideoGameEsoterica what a shame, I spent hundreds of hours on that, all those steep climbs and descents, the pounding drum n bass. Absolutely epic for me. Shame about the ps1 dithering but the graphic style was fantastic.
There's only one. RR type 4. Is the 🐐
Agreed
Tease
Want to buy it on ps4, but the hud is way too big. Wish there was an option to make it smaller.
Yeah just part of how it was made back in the day
🎉🎉🎉
Next to last episode too
Absolutely not. This and the RR7 just killed the classic RR drift race dynamics. The 'boost' feature should be no where near RR too. The PS3 rr7 looks great mind you. But RR4 down from there are the best.
People either love the boost or hate it
It's by far the best home version of Ridge Racer ever made. All the best bits of everything up to Ridge Racer 5, and without all the shit story mode from type 4. The only downside is the soundtrack is full of disjointed remixes of the old music rather than the originals themselves which were epic. An example is the Rare Hero remix you actually played in your video. Sounds awful, whereas the original was probably my favourite tune in the entire franchise. Im playing it on PPSSPP so it might be possible to mod it somehow, but would be great if there was a remake of it with the ability to add your own MP3's, just so I could put all the decent versions of the music back into it. Would be awesome with proper steering wheel and pedal support too rather than just trying to get PPSSPP to do it.
Whoa there I can’t agree with the R4 comment haha. Game is GOAT
@VideoGameEsoterica gaudiest of all time?