Ridge Racer 64

Ridge Racer 64 is a 2000 racing video game developed by Nintendo Software Technology and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It is the first title of Namco's Ridge Racer series to not be on arcades or a PlayStation console, with Namco licensing the series to Nintendo to develop the game.^[1] In 2004, the game was remade for the Nintendo DS as Ridge Racer DS, which uses the system's features such as the touch-screen and wireless multi-player.^[2] Additionally, Gina Cavalli from R: Racing Evolution replaced Reiko Nagase as the mascot in the DS version.^[3] The N64 version received its first official re-release on the Nintendo Classics service on January 31, 2025;^[4] followed by a Japanese release in May 16, 2025.

Ridge Racer 64
Ridge Racer 64 cover art (top) and Ridge Racer DS cover art (bottom)
Developer(s)	Nintendo Software Technology[a]
Publisher(s)	Nintendo NA: Namco Hometek (DS)
Director(s)	Akila Redmer
Producer(s)	Scott Cuthbertson
Programmer(s)	Claude Comaire
Artist(s)	Raymond Yan
Composer(s)	Keith Arem
Series	Ridge Racer
Platform(s)	Nintendo 64, Nintendo DS
Release	Nintendo 64 NA: February 14, 2000 EU: July 4, 2000 Nintendo DS NA: December 7, 2004 AU: May 22, 2005 EU: June 3, 2005
Genre(s)	Racing
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer

Gameplay

The game features a total of 20 race tracks, including some drawn from Ridge Racer and Ridge Racer Revolution.^{[citation needed]}

Reception

Reception

Aggregate score

Aggregator	Score
	DS	N64
Metacritic	63/100[5]	82/100[6]

Review scores

Publication	Score
	DS	N64
CNET Gamecenter	N/A	8/10[7]
Electronic Gaming Monthly	5.17/10[8][b]	8/10[9][c]
EP Daily	N/A	7.5/10[10]
Eurogamer	6/10[11]	N/A
Game Informer	7/10[12]	7.25/10[13]
GameFan	N/A	(T.R.) 97%[14] 91%[15][d]
GameSpot	6.6/10[16]	8.4/10[17]
GameSpy	[18]	N/A
Hyper	N/A	90%[19]
IGN	7.5/10[2]	9/10[20]
N64 Magazine	N/A	91%[21]
Next Generation	N/A	[22]
Nintendo Power	3.6/5[23]	7.9/10[24]
Nintendo World Report	6/10[25]	N/A
Detroit Free Press	[26]	N/A
The Sydney Morning Herald	[27]	N/A

The N64 version received "generally favorable" reviews, while the DS remake received "mixed or average" reviews, according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.^[5][6]

N64 original

Michael Wolf of NextGen gave a positive review for the Nintendo 64 version.^[22] Joe Ottoson of AllGame gave it four-and-a-half stars out of five, saying, "If you're looking for some intense but uncomplicated racing action, Ridge Racer 64 is nearly at the peak of straight up racing action on the Nintendo 64. With a wide variety of tracks and plenty of hidden cars to unlock there's a lot to see and win over the course of the game."^[28] Michael "Major Mike" Weigand of GamePro said of the same Nintendo 64 version in one review, "Arcade racing fans who have had to be content with SF Rush and Cruis'n titles will find Ridge Racer 64 a big improvement. Although the multiplayer races are a disappointment, solo compeitors will want to add this title to their collections."^[29][e] In another GamePro review, however, The Freshman called it "a decent game for people who must have every Ridge Racer known to man, but last year's Ridge Racer Type 4 was much better. In the supersaturated world of N64 racing, RR64 barely manages to keep up."^[30][f]

DS remake

Later, however, Four-Eyed Dragon said of the DS version, "with a frustrating control scheme, Ridge Racer only stays in low gear. It's lucky that this driver is one of the first out of the DS gates, or else it wouldn't have stood a chance."^[31][g]

Notes

1. Additional support by Namco
2. Two critics of Electronic Gaming Monthly gave the DS version each a score of 6.5/10, and the other gave it 2.5/10.
3. Two critics of Electronic Gaming Monthly gave the Nintendo 64 version each a score of 8/10, one gave it 7.5/10, and the other gave it 8.5/10 in an early review.
4. In GameFan's early viewpoint of the Nintendo 64 version, three critics gave it each a score of 94, 91, and 88.
5. GamePro gave the Nintendo 64 version three 4.5/5 scores for graphics, control, and fun factor, and 4/5 for sound in one review.
6. GamePro gave the Nintendo 64 version 4/5 for graphics, 3.5/5 for sound, 2.5/5 for control, and 3/5 for fun factor in another review.
7. GamePro gave the DS version 4/5 for graphics, 3.5/5 for sound, 2/5 for control, and 3/5 for fun factor.