Product Description

Choose from 40 different machines, over 22 courses (with reversed courses, the total grows to 44), and a new customization mode with 375,000 exterior customizations and 7,150 tuning customizations, allowing the player to make each machine their own. Through Sony`s new online network service, players will have the opportunity to take their customizable rides and race against others from around the world, taking Ridge Racer 7 to a whole new global level of racing action!

• Drift racing at its best: Ridge Racer 7 includes a total of 40 machines and 22 exhilarating courses filled with nitrous filled straight-aways and hairpin turns. With reversed courses, the total grows to 44, the most in the series ever!
• Customize your ultimate machine: The brand new customization mode gives the player the power to make the perfect machine with 375,000 exterior customizations and 7,150 tuning customizations. From visual touches to performance related specifications, any racing style can be brought to life for the most hardcore or casual gamer.
• Race your way to the top: In the new career mode, "RIDGE STATE GRAND-PRIX", build yourself up to become the best Ridge Racer. The player will be tested to the limit, building a career from the ground up in over 160 races.
• Online play: In addition to the single-player modes, Ridge Racer 7 will be compatible with Sony`s new online service for heated races with up to 14 players in all new co-op play modes including Team Battle,
• Relay Race and Pair Time Attack. Players will be able to bring their customized machine online to challenge other players to prove who is the ultimate Ridge Racer.
• The World Hub: Ridge Racer 7`s "World Hub Concept" gives player`s the feeling of always being connected to other Ridge Racer fans from around the world, as the user interface shows the player`s ranking compared to other player

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2222 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: Sony
• Released on: 2007-03-23
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Platform: PLAYSTATION 3

Manufacturer's Description
Continuing its illustrious history, Ridge Racer 7 returns as a title on the PlayStation 3 platform. Drift around corners at speeds over 160 mph taking the lead as Ridge Racer 7 brings gamers a driving experience unlike any other. With a new platform comes new territory as Ridge Racer 7 promises to reinvent itself, allowing players to choose from 40 different machines and over 20 courses. With reversed courses, the total grows to over 40, most in the series ever! Players can further enjoy the drift racing experience by taking part in the new customization mode, opening up the experience with up to 375,000 visual customization and 7,150 tunable combinations. With full support of Sony's new network service, Ridge Racer fans have an entirely new world to explore and drift through!

Create the ultimate ride
The classic drift racing game returns to the PlayStation brand in style and with loads of new customization features. In exterior creation mode, players can select, view, and apply body kits for almost any area of their car. Kits include lowers, lifts, airflow and even major body modification. Once the kits are applied, players can head to the paint and body shop to have their specific paint tone applied as the backdrop for their killer custom decals. If you're ride still isn't hot enough, consider adding some wheels from the wheel shop for that extra bit of style.

If exteriors aren't your thing, then consider fine tuning the handing. Customizable Handling mode allows you to tweak cornering performance by adjusting tire pressure and suspension to your chosen settings. Feel the turns with sport suspension or soften the landings with something more touring oriented. Either way, you can pick just the right feel for your favourite track, rival racer, or experience level.

Nitrous boosts have always been a central part to any racers' strategy, but before Ridge Racer 7 there wasn't any control over the type or amount of gas. Now, you have total control over such minutiae as the number of tanks, charge rate, even total boost limit. If you prefer to have more control over nitrous while racing, consider the new "flex nitrous," which can be turned off or on at the driver's discretion.

Improved cars, improved performance
A wide range of sports cars are available in Ridge Racer, with over 40 to choose from. Including the customization options listed above, each car has over 200,000 variations in terms of control and appearance. Debuting in this title are two impressive sportsters: the Centellee and the Magnifico. The Centellee from Terrazi Motors blasts off the line with a 4000cc V8 engine and has an unbelievable top speed of just over 210 mph. Not to skimp on looks, the body of the Centellee is hand-crafted and recreated perfectly on-screen.

Another other welcome addition to the Ridge Racer family is the Magnifico, known the world round for its unmatched luxurious interior. One of the new generation of light bodied sports cars, the Magnifico can ramp up to 178 mph via a 2000cc 4-cyvlinder inline engine.

On the track, the cars still accelerate and drift in that quintessential Ridge Racer arcade style. Large, sliding turns and short bursts of air are the name of the game as you speed past your opponents in a blur of colour. The track count for this instalment has been pushed to an astonishing 44- more tracks than any previous Ridge Racer title. The variety of locales is truly astounding, as you'll be racing by rushing waterfalls one minute and near the top of a snow-capped peak the next. The track layouts have something for every racing fan and style. Ridge Racer 7 grabs the PlayStation 3's processing power and doesn't let go. Running in 1080p high definition video at 60 frames per second, the courses look lusher, the tracks feel faster, and the cars look gorgeous.

Customer Reviews

Speed...
For those not familiar with the Ridge Racer series, don't expect Gran Turismo. All of the cars in the RR are fictitious, as are the tracks - but this is no bad thing!

Ridge Racer is all about the racing and mastering the drift style necessary for this game can be a little frustrating to start but when it all comes together and you light the triple nitrous coming out of a hairpin, I dare you not to laugh out loud.

Ridge Racer is a traditional launch title for the PlayStation series and RR7 keeps up its standard by offering an effective demonstration of what PS3 can do over its predecessor.

The graphics (and make sure you have a 1080 screen for this) are just brilliant, from the fine details like the sunlight glinting on the car windows, water splashing when you race under a waterfall or leaves blowing up around you as you tear through a forest, to the background vistas of mountains, lakes, industrial cities.

You won't have time however to gawp. The first few races you'll do are simple "manufacturer" challenges which unlock access to the cars in questions for the racing series. Once you're in the series itself you have the choice of grand prix, with the familiar format of a number of races in a row and points awarded per race, or individual challenges, such as racing from the back of the pack to the front in 3 laps.

As you progress the competition get tougher and faster and of course your skill will improve, but spending your winnings (credit and reputation) on new parts is all important. Normal upgrades include engine boosts, faster nito systems and better handling but there are also special parts which allow you to come up with new racing methods - I won't spoil it here. Access to these parts though only comes by building up a relationship with the manufacturers, which means winning races with their cars or their parts.

And if you do beat the in-game challenges, unlock all the parts and build the ultimate ridge racer, you still have to face the on-line battles through the PS network and that's when you'll really discover if you're any good...

All of this you can get from the packaging, but you really don't appreciate just want a great indicator of PS3's ability this is, although this is just a start remember, until you try it.

Overall, Ridge Racer 7 is a great game, slightly let down by the limited number of tracks but those who want a "real" car simulator should wait for Gran Turismo as the RR7 style will frustrate rather than excite.

That said, definitely a recommended launch title (alongside Resistance, Fall of Man).

Drifting away
Having just had a PS3 bought for me, thanks hun, I thought I would write a review of Ridge Racer 7 which I got with the console.

I would have to say on the whole that it is an excellent game. Yes it may not be realistic but come on is Burnout realistic, who would drive into oncoming traffic in real life unless you are some kind of nut!!!!

The graphics are great and even though I do not have an HD TV yet still pretty impressive. I found it quite easy to get a hang of the controls where the brake is non exsistent. Drive up to a corner take your finger off the gas and drift round the corner. Yes I would have to agree that some of the drifting is luck as some of the longer corners left me slipping and sliding about after the corners but I put that down to me!!!

The cars are not realistic but who cares. If you want that play Gran Turismo!! I agree with a previous reviewer that it is a nice change to play a game where you do not have to think so much of the physics of driving.

I haven;t played all of the tracks yet but have to say the ones I have played are good. Some of the cars you race against as usual try and run you out but hey thats what should happen.

Haven't played it fully through yet but what I have seen make me glad I got it.

Hoping for more of the same and better in the future. Don't be put off by some of the reviews it is personal preference, go on give it a try.

It's like Marmite
Loads of strong reviews here.
I guess you either love Ridge Racer or you hate it.
Basically, if you like really realistic racing games, then yes, you'll find this game un-manageable.
On the contrary if, like me, you like more arcade-ish type games like wipeout then you will love Ridge Racer.
The main issue in Ridge Racer are the drifts (or skids). They can put you off at first but when you understand how they work the game becomes incredibly fun.
That's why if you like Wipeout and are used to slide on corners then you'll be un expert at RR in no time.
Graphics are very good, cars are shiny and customisable to a high level of details. ( free downloadable add-ons available)
There is also loads to do: Arcade races, Championships, Manufacturers challenges, Missions and Online Racing! So you can show off to the rest of the globe.
So, Hate it or Love it, You decide!