Ridge Racer 64

Overview

Ridge Racer 64 is a racing game developed by Nintendo Software Technology Corporation, under license from Namco, and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64 in North America on February 14, 2000, with a European release on July 4, 2000.

A spin-off of the Ridge Racer series and the sole Nintendo 64 entry, Ridge Racer 64 features 10 tracks (three "Ridge Racer" tracks from the original Ridge Racer, three "Revolution" tracks from Ridge Racer Revolution, three original "Renegade" tracks, and one bonus "Ridge Racer Extreme" track) and numerous unlockable cars to choose from. It also features four-player split-screen multiplayer, unique to the series at the time.

It was later remade for the Nintendo DS as Ridge Racer DS, and was digitally released for the Nintendo Switch on January 31, 2025 as part of the system's Nintendo Switch Online service.

Gameplay

Ridge Racer 64 contains 3 environments, each having 3 variations, making for a total of nine tracks. Reverse versions of each track are available. 25 fictional cars are included, 4 of which are unlocked from the beginning. Additional cars may be unlocked by playing in the car attack mode, where the player faces off against the car they would like to unlock in a 1 vs 1 duel.

Cars

Grading Scale (The # is approximately how far the performance bar is in game, 100 would mean the ability is maxed out):

• Very low: 0-20%
• Low: 20-40%
• Medium: 40-60%
• High: 60-80%
• Very High: 80-99%
• Max: 100%

F/A Racing

• Speed: Medium
• Acceleration: Medium
• Handling: Medium
• Grip: Medium

A decent car, but there isn't much reason why you should use it compared to the other 3 starter cars.

RT Ryukyu

• Speed: Medium
• Acceleration: Medium
• Handling: High
• Grip: High

Better than F/A Racing, great for turning corners, but just isn't fast enough to catch up to the other cars in the later races.

Pac Racing

• Speed: Medium
• Acceleration: Very High
• Handling: Low
• Grip: Very Low

A good car, but is even slower than the Ryukyu, and handles worse to boot, you shouldn't really use this car.

RT Solvalou

• Speed: High
• Acceleration: Low
• Handling: Medium
• Grip: Very Low

The car you should be using for the early races, the speed allows you to catch up to the pack quickly, and the low acceleration is not as important during these races.

RT Pink Mappy

• Speed: Medium
• Acceleration: Medium
• Handling: Low / Medium
• Grip: Medium

This car shouldn't even be in the game, it's the same as F/A Racing but handles even worse, don't use this car.

RT Blue Mappy

• Speed: Medium
• Acceleration: Medium
• Handling: Medium
• Grip: Medium

Exactly the same as the Pink Mappy, but with slightly better handling. These two cars serve no real purpose in the game.

Galaga RT Prid's

• Speed: Medium/High
• Acceleration: Medium
• Handling: Medium/High
• Grip: Low

Decent car, but you unlock the RT Xevious Red before you get this car, and the Xevious is a far superior car, so don't bother with this car.

Galaga RT Carrot

• Speed: High
• Acceleration: Medium
• Handling: High
• Grip: Low

The RT Prid's but with improved speed and handling.

RT Bosconian

• Speed: Medium
• Acceleration: Medium
• Handling: Medium
• Grip: Medium/Low

Fairly mediocre car, only slightly better than F/A Racing.

RT Nebulasray

• Speed: Medium
• Acceleration: Medium
• Handling: Medium
• Grip: Medium/Low

Just a blue Bosconian, but with worse handling.

RT Xevious Red

• Speed: Medium
• Acceleration: High/Very High
• Handling: Low/Medium
• Grip: Low

Fantastic car, the handling may be a bit low, making it feel a bit heavy around the corners, but whenever you crash, this cars massive acceleration will let you regain your speed in no time, this should be the first car you use after the starter cars.

RT Xevious Green

• Speed: High
• Acceleration: Medium
• Handling: Medium
• Grip: Low/Medium

Trades away the Xevious Red's acceleration for a boost to Speed, handling, and grip.

Unfortunately, the only noticeable increase is in speed. Due to it's low acceleration, it takes quite a long time to regain your speed. By the time you get this car, there are much more balanced cars available.

DIG Racing Team

• Speed: High
• Acceleration: Medium
• Handling: High
• Grip: Low

Another great car, It's amazing handling will insure you can get around corners much more easily than in other cars.

However, it's low grip makes exiting drifts a bit difficult sometimes.If you do crash, this cars acceleration will take you up to a pretty high top speed. An overall great car.

Micro Mouse Mappy

• Speed: High
• Acceleration: Medium
• Handling: Medium
• Grip: Low

Similar to the Xevious Green, a lot of speed, but not enough acceleration or handling to back that up. If you crash, it will take you awhile to get back to your high top speed.

13th Racing Kid

• Speed: High
• Acceleration: Very High
• Handling: Low
• Grip: Low/Medium

This car is VERY fast. It has a great top speed and the extremely high acceleration insuring that you reach it quickly. It is however, not very agile and you may wreck a few times, but you won't be down for long, because your acceleration will eliminate any speed loss quickly, a good car, but unfortunately overshadowed by a far better car.

White Angel

• Speed: High/Very High
• Acceleration: Very High
• Handling: Very High
• Grip: High/Very High

This car is good, very good, one of the best cars in the game, use it, and win.

Digipen Racing

• Speed: High
• Acceleration: Max
• Handling: Medium
• Grip: Medium

After White Angel, don't even bother...it's got great acceleration, but you'll have trouble in the corners due to mediocre handling.

Assoluto Infinito

• Speed: High
• Acceleration: Very High
• Handling: Very High
• Grip: Medium

Should be called the White Angel 2.0. It has a higher speed and handles much better than the White Angel, but at the expense of grip, which isn't a huge deal. It also does away with the White Angel's excessive width.

Age Solo Supernova

• Speed: Very High
• Acceleration: Medium
• Handling: Medium
• Grip: Low

It has a great top speed, but has a bit of a problem getting there. It is also a bit heavy through the corner, but if your a skilled racer, and can control a heavy car well, this car is tough to beat.

Atomic Purple

• Speed: Very High
• Acceleration: High
• Handling: Very High
• Grip: Medium

Like an improved Age Solo Supernova, it has a slightly lower top speed, but makes up for it in significantly increased acceleration and handling capabilities. The grip isn't too lacking either. A great car overall.

Extreme Green

• Speed: High/Very High
• Acceleration: Max
• Handling: High
• Grip: None

Amazing acceleration, but has absolutely no grip. The handling and speed are worse than on Atomic Purple, but it sure does look cool, overall, Atomic Purple is a better choice though.

Terrazi Terrific

• Speed: Very High
• Acceleration: Medium
• Handling: Medium
• Grip: Low

Built for one, and only one reason, to beat Lizard Nightmare. The fastest car you have when you race against Lizard Nightmare, it is a perfect choice for the race, that is, if you can keep yourself from crashing due to it's heavy handling.

Lizard Nightmare

• Speed: Very High
• Acceleration: Max
• Handling: Max
• Grip: High

The White Angel, reborn, and it's even better than before. A nearly perfect car, you will have a hard time crashing with it's fantastic handling. Even if you do, it won't matter, because the massive acceleration will rocket you back to this lizard's insanely high top speed.

Screamin' Eagle

• Speed: Very High
• Acceleration: Very High
• Handling: Max
• Grip: Max

You sure will be screamin' along in the United States themed race car. Almost unbeatable, only one car can top it.

Ultra 64

• Speed: Max
• Acceleration: Max
• Handling: Max
• Grip: Max

Perfect. Everything good about a car is here. It's fast, and almost too fast, On Z class, the car will often crash into the walls during drifts due to it's quick movement, however crashing isn't a concern, as your already lapping the competition.

00-Agent

Galaga '88

Blinky

Red Shirt Rage

Crazy Canuck

Caddy Car

Pooka

Nintendo DS Port

In 2004, an updated port titled Ridge Racer DS was released for the Nintendo DS. Along with Super Mario 64 and Rayman 2, RRDS followed an early trend of publishers porting N64 titles to the DS with varyling levels of results. Improving on the series with 4-player simultaneous gameplay, new tracks, improved graphics, and new cars.

The Nintendo DS port suffered from lower resolution (making it hard to make out what's ahead, especially at the high speeds later in the game), inadequate framerate (also hindering player reaction time) and lack of a control stick, making precise control more problematic, considering the game's demanding difficulty and narrow roads in some of the courses, an issue made worse by invisible walls drawn near the edge of the road. (Meaning you can hit an invisible wall simply from being too close to the edge of the road.)