"Like racing with a beater"

Namco's submission to the fledgling DS library is not one for those with little patience. Ridge Racer DS takes arcade racing to the DS...though the ride might be a little...rough.

Graphics
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While it may not be the most beautiful in appearance, it is the first few steps in showcasing the system's graphical ability. Imagine Ridge Racer 64 and put it on a small screen. You've got Ridge Racer DS. Though there are some points where the car may sink into the road during a slightly rising path, or into a wall if you get too close. Actually, this brings me up to the issue of collision detection, which I'll get to when I get around to gameplay. For the most part, not bad for a launch game. But when the future games come out, Ridge Racer DS may not cut it.

Control
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RRDS offers three control options, D-Pad steering, stylus steering, and wrist strap steering. Sadly, no matter which one you decide to use, the steering will still be a pain in the ass. D-pad movement is jerky and fickle to work with. Stylus steering and wrist strap steering is really no better. It would also be much more forgiving to allow for custom button selection, but hell, that would make things too easy, right? While the idea of using a touch screen control may seem nifty, it really isn't.

Gameplay
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Don't think about using the brake, that's for pansies. Instead, you're going to need to learn the way of drifting. RRDS' tracks were designed in a way that just normal turning is impossible, that you'll find yourself drifting nearly all the time. This really wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for the fact that the competition seems to muster up bursts of speed. Not to mention the collision detection in this game is just down right horrible. In fact, it's a huge reason why this game is so poor. It is understandable when you bump into an opponent and they gain a little speed because of it, while you slow a bit. It is not understandable when you nearly come to a stop and the opponent just flies away at crazy speeds. On the flip side, if an opponent bumps into you, they will go THROUGH you, with no repercussion. What the hell. How this was deemed acceptable is beyond me, but it hurts this game badly.

Aside from the horrific detection, there aren't very many modes to this game to keep one really satisfied. You have: grand prix, which is you're standard race to the championship mode; time attack, guess what that does; car attack, where you head off one on one against the computer to try and acquire a new, better car; and instant race, where you instantly race in the same car and on the same track all the time.

I would have dismissed the game by now (if you haven't already) but RRDS does have a redeeming quality, its multiplayer capability. You can race with six people on one game card, making use the DS' downloading capabilities. While the laws (or rather disregard for) of "detection" are still absent, it is something to do (of course you could inflict pain upon each other physically, but this requires lesser effort).

Overall
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If it weren't for the fact that this game was a launch game, it would have failed miserably. However, since few games are available for launch, it's an alright starter for those who want something to play on mulitplayer (other than Metroid Prime: First Hunt demo). But, it may be best to skip this title altogether.

Score:
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Graphics: 7/10
Sound: 9/10
Controls: 5/10
Gameplay: 5/10
Overall: 5/10

Reviewer's Score: 5/10, Originally Posted: 01/10/05