Ridge Racer (PlayStation)

Ridge Racer for PlayStation brings home the arcade racing hit. Notable for being a launch title for the PlayStation in Japan, North America, and Europe.

Test Menu#

Use the Action Replay / GameShark code 80131024 0001 (US version), 8012D020 0001 (JP version), then press Up+Start at the title screen to access the test menu.

The functions available here are:

Debug Flag Display#

This needs some investigation. Discuss ideas and findings on the talk page. Specifically: Find out what some of these do, and what the letters are for.

The 32-bit value at memory address 00131024 contains several debug settings. If the most significant bit (80000000) is set, then information about these flags is displayed on the title screen:

For any flag that is currently enabled, a description of what that flag does will be displayed; for disabled flags, a series of letters between A and G is shown instead (the "display all secret" flag corresponds to "AAAAAAAA").

Most of these flags don't appear to be used by the game anymore. Some of them correspond to things which can be unlocked by the player in various ways, but setting the corresponding flags here no longer unlocks them. Out of the other flags displayed here, the following still have an effect in game:

• Go to test mode: press Up+Start at the title screen to access the test menu (see above).
• Semi-trans flag: makes the flag on the title screen translucent (the same effect as holding any two shoulder buttons and pressing Start, though doing that toggles a separate variable instead of this bit).
• Go to finel ending (sic): supposed to allow you to view the ending by pressing Down+Start at the title screen, but this just goes to the test menu again.
• All clear!!: contrary to the name (again), this just lets you press Left+Start at the title screen to skip to the attract mode loop.
• Deep DPQ: unknown.

Regional Differences#

This page or section needs more images. There's a whole lotta words here, but not enough pictures. Please fix this. Specifically: Need screenshots.

This needs some investigation. Discuss ideas and findings on the talk page. Specifically: Also, are the units genuinely different, or is it a purely cosmetic difference?

In the Japanese and European releases, the speedometer is in km/h. In the North American version, it's in mph.

Hi-Spec/Turbo version#

A Hi-Spec/Turbo version came with R4: Ridge Racer Type 4. It runs at a much higher framerate than the original game.

• Features the White Angel from Ridge Racer Revolution. The player races against it on T.T. Extra, and the 13" Racing on T.T. after beating the first four tracks (including T.T.).
• There is only one opponent: the rival. If racing against a "boss" car, the "boss" is in addition to the rival, making two opponents, like the original.
• The rival car is the player's car "paired" car, instead of the RT Yellow Solvalou. "Pairings" are as follows:

:*F/A Racing - RT Ryukyu

:*RT Yellow Solvalou - RT Blue Solvalou

:*RT Pink Mappy - RT Blue Mappy

:*Galaga RT Plid's - Galaga RT Carrot

:*RT Bosconian - RT Nebulasray

:*RT Xevious Red - RT Xevious Green

:*13" Racing - White Angel

• The eight extra cars are also unlocked after winning the first four tracks, in addition to winning the Galaxian minigame while the game is loading.
• There is no night, and consequently no day-night cycle; it is day all the time.
• Only two music tracks: Ridge Racer and Grip, the latter of which was first featured in Ridge Racer Revolution.
• The "race replay" music (immediately after a race) is different.
• Wheels turn when the car turns.
• The leader is not shown above the entrance to the tunnel at the beginning of the lap; instead, it's always a game of Galaxian.