Ridge Racer 6

2005 racing video game

Ridge Racer 6 is a racing game by Namco released in 2005. It was the sixth console game in the Ridge Racer series but unlike the previous mainline entries, which were released for PlayStation consoles, this entry was released exclusively as a launch title for the Xbox 360. In a similar fashion to the first Ridge Racer on PS1, Ridge Racer V on PlayStation 2, Ridge Racer(s) on PlayStation Portable and eventually Ridge Racer 7 on PlayStation 3. All are exclusive launch titles for their respective consoles. It is the last Ridge Racer game made by Namco as an independent company, as they would later merge with Bandai's video game division to form Namco Bandai Games in 2006.

Like previous Ridge Racer titles, the focus of gameplay is on placing first out of 14 in numerous 3 lap races across several tracks and numerous cars. In most races, the player can earn up to three nitrous boosts by successfully drifting around corners without crashing, which can then be used to give the player a short burst of speed. Some races are labeled as "no nitrous", which prevent the player from earning any nitrous during the race, though the player can optionally enable nitrous. If the player wins using this option, the race is considered complete, but noted for breaking the no nitrous rule. Some races are also Duels between the player and a boss opponent, who is usually equipped with a much better car than the player can select from. Ridge Racer 6 introduces a career mode "World Xplorer", a branching tree arrangement of races in which the player can only attempt races next to a race that has already been successfully completed. The layout of the races in the Xplorer is such that the position of a race will indicate what class of car can be used (horizontal position) and the difficulty of the course (vertical position). Rewards can be obtained by completing certain races or completing all races that enclose an area on the Xplorer, and usually offers new cars but also include additional variations of the tracks (mirroring and reverse) or new branches added to the tree. A player can also engage in quick races and time challenges for any track and car that has been unlocked. There are thirty new circuits available including "Surfside Resort" and "Harborline 765". Also, there are around 130 cars (including 10 special). Online multiplayer is possible with up to 14 players racing against each other and downloadable content was available via Microsoft's Xbox Live service. Players can download another player's "ghost" replay from Xbox Live and attempt to beat it. Like other Ridge Racer games, this iteration goes beyond cars to feature other outlandish vehicles as well, called "special machines" in the game. These include a hovercraft (Assoluto Pronzione), a tripod supercar (Himmel 490B) and an oversized SUV that can be very loud (Danver Bass Cruiser). The game, as with all games in the Ridge Racer series, contains copious numbers of references to other Namco games, such as Pac Man, Soulcalibur, and Ace Combat. The game also features a FMV opening, starring series mascot Reiko Nagase. In Japan, Namco announced that it expected to sell 500,000 copies of Ridge Racer 6 for the Xbox 360, although far fewer copies were actually sold. Ridge Racer 7 for the PlayStation 3 is largely an expanded and enhanced version of Ridge Racer 6; differences include improved resolution and a more vibrant color scheme, new circuits such as Bayside Freeway and Shadow Caves, and new vehicles that were not seen in Ridge Racer 6 such as the Sinseong Jujak from Sinseong Motors, a fictional South Korean brand. There are 15 circuits available, each of which can also be raced in reverse, making a total of 30 circuits. The circuits are split into 5 groups of 3, where the 3 tracks in the same group will overlap. The game was added on the Xbox backward compatible list in November 2021 as part of the Xbox 20th anniversary. The game is playable on Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S consoles.