Featuring 24 classic tracks from across the entire series, Ridge Racer for the PSP is sure to bring back memories for a lot of gamers…

Like Wipeout, Ridge Racer has been with us since the early days of the PlayStation, and has continued to enthral gamers with its arcade racing ever since. Now the PSP is going to relive the series in Spring, so how will it perform? SCEE sent the developers some questions, and we’ve got their answers.

Q: We’ve seen Ridge Racer V on PS2, can you tell us what is different about this game?

A. The PSP version features a selection of popular courses from previous installments throughout the Ridge Racer series. All graphical effects, sound and features have been improved and refined to offer a brand new experience. There is also a wide range of soundtracks available from throughout the series, and cars can be upgraded.

Q: So it’s not just a port?

A: No, this is the essence of the whole Ridge Racer series, distilled into one game for portable play, with all new features added.

Q: What new elements have you introduced to the game? A: The main single addition is the Nitrous system: Nitrous is stored up when the player drifts around corners and can be triggered at the correct time. WiFi play between players is the next important feature brand-new to the series. This means the drift, previously a great feature, now takes on a whole new relevance, and becomes an integral part of your racing strategy.

Q: Is this created by the same team that worked on the previous games?

A: Yes.

Q: Tell us more about the WiFi elements in the game.

A: Up to 8 players can play using the Wi-fi feature. Using a selectable handicap system, players can compete seriously (no auto-catch up!), or just play for laughs.

Q: Are you going to include any downloadables that can be used to enhance the title at a later date?

A: There will not be any downloadable features in this title.

Q: As a developer what is the most exciting element of working on software for PSP?

A: We were very impressed with the graphical and sound capabilities of the hardware, and tried our best to use these to the fullest extent possible. We think players will be very surprised as to the extent of the smoothness and polish of what we have been able to achieve. For example effects such as lighting on the road surface, animated scenery, environment mapping, light trails and motion blur have all been included.

Q: What features does the game have that take into consideration the fact that the PSP is portable?

A: In World Tour mode, the player is able to create a custom tour with preset time limits (5 min. to 60 min.) and the different car classes. Races are relatively short, just 3 laps, and the handling of the game is suited to instant pick-up and play.

We’ll have more on Ridge Racer soon…