Ace Driver

1994 arcade game

Ace Driver (エースドライバー, Ēsu Doraibā) is a 1994 racing arcade game developed and published by Namco. The player controls a Formula One racer, with the objective being to complete three laps of a race course and to avoid a collision with opponents and other obstacles. Three difficulty levels are available, as is a mode to enable a gear shift. Similar to Namco's own Final Lap series, the arcade cabinet can be linked together with another unit to enable eight person multiplayer. It ran on the Namco System 22 arcade hardware. Ace Driver was designed by Tatsuro Okamoto, his known for his work on the classic arcade game Metro Cross (1985). He was assisted by Pole Position designer Shinichiro Okamoto. The game was a widespread success, winning the "Best Coin Operated Game" award at the 76th Annual IAAPA tradeshow in November 1994. Critics praised the game's realistic graphics, multiplayer and responsive controls, with some reviewers finding it to be superior than Sega's Daytona USA and Namco's own Ridge Racer. It was followed by two sequels, Ace Driver: Victory Lap (1995) and Ace Driver 3: Final Turn (2008). A PlayStation home conversion announced in 1995 went unreleased.

Ace Driver is a 3D racing video game. Gameplay involves the player controlling a Formula One racer, the objective being to complete three laps of a race while in first place. The player can also choose from three difficulty levels — Beginner, Expert, and Expert Pro Race Class. and then a nationwide release in November 1994. It was followed by a North American release later that year, and it then released in Europe in March 1995.

Ace Driver was a widespread success, with reviewers praising its impressive technological capabilities and realistic graphics. At the 76th Annual International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) tradeshow in November 1994, it was awarded the "Best Coin Operated Game" award, for its texture mapped 3D graphics, force feedback and motion based cabinet. It also received a product innovation award from the IAAPA. The game was also a commercial success, with Namco reporting an "overwhelming" number of orders placed for the eight player version. It went on to be the third highest grossing dedicated arcade game of 1995 in Japan. Edge magazine was impressed with the game's eight person multiplayer and technological capabilities, saying that it easily outperformed Sega's Daytona USA, which they attributed to the Namco System 22 arcade operating hardware it ran on. Edge also praised the game's usage of Gouraud shading techniques for giving it a realistic look at feel, concluding that Ace Driver helps justify Namco's reputation for producing impressive technology. They concluded their review by saying: "It may not be the best all around racing title out today, but for competitive multi player action, Ace Driver holds the title". In a 2012 retrospect, Kotaku was more negative towards the game for its "atrocious" menu system and poor collision detection, while also disliking its rubber banding mechanic for making the game unfair to more experienced players.

A sequel, Ace Driver: Victory Lap, was released in 1995 for arcades, featuring additional tracks and vehicles, alongside a new "Championship" gameplay mode. Victory Lap was first released in Japan on 29 September, and in North America in December. A second sequel, Ace Driver 3: Final Turn, was first presented at the Spring Amusement Operator's Union (AOU) tradeshow in 2008, before being released later that year. A home conversion of Ace Driver for the PlayStation was announced to be in development in August 1995, although it was never released.