Part of the “Launch Titles Revisited” reviews
When the Nintendo 3DS hit the stores, it came with a variety of games. While most of them weren’t “killer apps” or “must haves”, they did show what the system was capable of. One of the genres that hit the shelves was the Racing genre. Two of the most recognized racing titles hit the Nintendo 3DS at launch. One of them is Asphalt 3D, and, the one that I will be reviewing today is Ridge Racer 3D. Fasten your seat belt, because we are about to turn the nitros on!
It’s Ridgeeeeeeee Raceerrrrrrrr, and it’s my first review for 3DSConnect!!
Let’s start with the graphics. Definitely, one of the strongest points of the game. The environments are all very well made and detailed. You will race through forests, beaches and cities among other locations. As in other games, graphics look even more stunning when the 3D effect is on. One of the things I was very surprised with is the lighting; the effect is quite good. Another interesting detail you will find while racing is that sometimes, leaves, confetti and even dirt will stick to your windshield. Definitely a nice detail. Sadly the cars do not share the same amount of detail as the aforementioned features, but still the game has a wide variety of very nice models based entirely on real cars, which you can customize.
A racing title has to have plenty of game modes, otherwise, boredom will arise very quickly. Luckily for us, that is not the case with Ridge Racer 3D, because it has plenty of game modes for us to enjoy. The lengthiest one is the “Grand Prix”, in which you will compete in a series of races in order to unlock new cars and nitrous kits. You will also have some other classic game modes like “Quick Tour” and “Play Time”; but you will also see a brand new mode that uses the new Street Pass feature of Nintendo 3DS. In this mode, you are able to run against ghosts that have been sent to you from other players through Street Pass.
The gameplay is, as well as the graphics, really good. The Circle Pad on your 3DS adjusts perfectly to your thumb, giving you full control of your car all the time. Taking all the turns perfectly while drifting, avoiding crashing so your speed will not reduce, accelerating and braking in the right moments; all of that is done perfectly with the Pad. Nitros are activated using the R or L buttons.
Now, everything described above is for one player only. But, what about multiplayer? Well, let me tell you that Ridge Racer 3D supports, unfortunately for us local multiplayer, for up to 4 people (which is not that great). You can choose a Mii from your 3DS or take a photo of youself to use as an avatar in multiplayer races, so you can see exactly who you are competing with. All of this sounds very interesting, but the lack of online multiplayer certainly subtracts some points from the game. My guess is that the developers did not want to risk too much with this game, since it was a launch title.
In conclusion, Ridge Racer 3D is a great game, perfect as a launch title; and it is certainly a great experience, especially with the 3D effects on. It has nice graphics, plenty of game modes for you to enjoy, plenty of cars to race with, and plenty of unlockables, which increase its replay value considerably. However, the lack of online multiplayer is something that really hurts in this title, especially nowadays that some form of online connectivity is a must have for every video game in the market. Ridge Racer 3D is great for you gamers who are in need for a racing fix on your 3DS and do not want to wait for Mario Kart 7, especially when you can find Ridge Racer 3D very cheap.
Loved:
-Plenty of game modes and cars
-3D experience is great
-Simple but enjoyable gameplay
- Supports StreetPass
Hated:
-Lack of online multiplayer
-Only 4 players for local multiplayer
8/10
More games to be reviewed for the Launch Titles Revisited feature include:
- Steel Diver
- Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 3D
- Nintendogs + Cats
