It’s a travesty that Ridge Racer has been dormant for nearly a decade.
Once a staple of Sony’s PlayStation launch line-ups, Ridge Racer is one of the most iconic arcade racers of all time. Namco’s classic helped usher in a new era of 3D polygonal racers alongside Sega’s Daytona USA.
Ridge Racer 8 was rumoured to be in development exclusively for Nintendo Switch a few years ago, but a new Ridge Racer game doesn't appear to be a priority for Namco.
But thanks to PlayStation Plus, you can revisit one of the best entries in the series on PlayStation 5: Ridge Racer Type 4.
Ridge Racer Type 4 drifts onto PlayStation Plus Premium
If you’re a PlayStation Plus Premium subscriber, Ridge Racer Type 4 is available to download and play on PS4 and PS5 at no extra charge. It follows the PSP’s Ridge Racer 2, which was added to the Classic Games catalogue last year.
The PlayStation Plus Premium version comes with a host of quality-of-life improvements including rewind and quick save. The visuals are also up-rendered or you can apply custom video filters for a more retro aesthetic. There’s no PlayStation trophy support though, sadly.
Let’s just hope the emulation is better than Ridge Racer Type 4 on the PlayStation Classic mini console.
Originally released in 1999 on the original PlayStation, many fans regard Ridge Racer 4 as the pinnacle of the series.
At the time, its cutting-edge graphics gave Gran Turismo 2 a run for its money, while the intro and soundtrack are iconic. An expanded career mode sees you choose a team and compete in the Real Racing Roots ‘99 Grand Prix, where you can unlock over 320 cars. There’s even a bonus PacMan car.
How to play Ridge Racer Type 4 on PS5
To play Ridge Racer Type 4 on PS5, you need a PlayStation Plus Premium subscription. Costing £13.49 a month or £99.99 a year, PlayStation Plus Premium gives you access to a library of classic PS1 and PS2 games, as well as the ability to stream PS3 titles.
This is on top of other benefits in other tiers, including access to hundreds of PS5 and PS5 titles.
Frustratingly, Ridge Racer Type 4 isn’t available to buy on the PlayStation Store separately. Strangely, this isn’t the case for all PS1 classics – you can buy games like Spyhon Filter without a PlayStation Plus Premium subscription.