Ridge Racer is a racing video game series developed and published for arcade systems and home game consoles by Bandai Namco Entertainment, formerly Namco. The first game, Ridge Racer (1993), was originally released in arcades for the Namco System 22 hardware, later ported to the PlayStation one year later as a launch title. It was met with several sequels and spin-off games for multiple platforms, the latest being the mobile game Ridge Racer Draw & Drift (2016) and the latest mainline game, developed in-house, was Ridge Racer 7 (2006). Gameplay involves the player racing against computer-controlled opponents to be the first to finish in a race. Drifting is a core aspect of the series and is used to keep speed while turning corners; Ridge Racer pioneered the real-life technique in video games. The series is considered influential to the racing game genre.
Need for Speed: Underground is a 2003 racing video game and the seventh installment in the Need for Speed series following Hot Pursuit 2 (2002). It was developed by EA Black Box and published by Electronic Arts. Three different versions of the game were produced: one for consoles and Microsoft Windows, and another for the Game Boy Advance. An arcade version developed by Global VR and co-published by Konami came out two years later.
OutRun 2 (アウトラン2) is a 2003 racing game developed by Sega AM2 for the arcades. It was the first in Sega's OutRun series in a decade, following OutRunners (1993), and marked the fourth arcade installment. OutRun 2 was ported to the Xbox home console in 2004, on which the Sega Chihiro arcade hardware is based on, released by Microsoft Game Studios. Updated versions subtitled SP and SP/DX were later released which also provided a follow-up home game, OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast.
Burnout 3: Takedown is a 2004 racing video game developed by Criterion Games and published by Electronic Arts. It is the third instalment in the Burnout series, which is characterised by fast-paced arcade racing. A staple of the series is the use of boost, earned through risky driving, to rapidly increase a car's speed. The central mechanic introduced in Burnout 3 is Takedowns, which allow players to slam their opponents until they crash. Takedowns work in conjunction with the boost system by filling up and extending the boost meter. Aside from standard circuit races, the game features modes focused on performing Takedowns on rival vehicles and causing monetary damage at a junction occupied with traffic. Each game variant is featured in a single-player campaign mode called World Tour, which serves as the primary method for unlocking new and faster cars. The game supports both online and split-screen multiplayer.
Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition is a 2005 racing video game developed by Rockstar San Diego and published by Rockstar Games. It is the third installment in the Midnight Club series. Like previous installments in the series, the game is an arcade-style racer and focuses on wild, high-speed racing, rather than realistic physics and driving. The name is derived from a partnership between Rockstar and DUB Magazine, which features heavily in the game in the form of DUB-sponsored races and DUB-customized vehicles as prizes.
Top Gear Rally is a 1997 racing video game developed by Boss Game Studios and released for the Nintendo 64. A follow-up to Kemco's original Top Gear game, it features a championship mode where a single player must complete six seasons of two to four races, as well as a multiplayer mode where two players may compete against each other via a split-screen display. The game's tracks combine both road and off-road surfaces and can be played in different weather conditions, including night, fog, rain, and snow. Players may customize their car with different tire grips and adjust its suspension stiffness and steering sensitivity. An option that allows players to custom paint their cars is also included.
Beetle Adventure Racing! is a racing game released for the Nintendo 64 in 1999. It was developed by Paradigm Entertainment and EA Canada, and published by Electronic Arts. Each vehicle in the game is a Volkswagen New Beetle, which was released the previous year. The gameplay involves racing other players on unlocked tracks, finding and destroying crates, and collecting colored ladybugs while battling other players. The single-player championship offers three circuits and a secret bonus circuit with new vehicles and tracks available upon completion.
Juiced is a racing video game by British studio Juice Games for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, Xbox, and mobile phones. The game was delayed for release in 2004 because the original publisher, Acclaim Entertainment, went defunct. Juice Games and Fund 4 Games retained ownership of the property and sold the game to THQ, who funded the project for a further six months of improvements. In early 2006, British software publisher Focus Multimedia re-released the PC version of Juiced at a new budget price as part of its "Essential" games series. The game offers different modes including career and arcade that present the player with challenges of increasing difficulty. The player can customise the car to suit their style and unlock new ones in arcade mode. The game features nitrous boosts, similar to that of other racing games. Juiced went to number one in the United Kingdom MCV sales charts and its first version sold 2.5 million units.
Burnout Revenge is a 2005 racing video game developed by Criterion Games and published by Electronic Arts for PlayStation 2, Xbox and Xbox 360.
Sega Touring Car Championship is an arcade racing game released by Sega's AM Annex for the Model 2 mainboard in 1996. It was later ported to the Sega Saturn and Microsoft Windows.
Sega Rally Revo is an offroad racing video game, the fourth installment of the Sega Rally series. The game was released for PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows in 2007. The game's title is "Revo" as Sega intends it to be a revolution in rally racing games. The game was developed simultaneously with Sega Rally 3.
Need for Speed: Carbon is a 2006 racing video game and the tenth installment in the Need for Speed series. Developed by EA Black Box, Rovio Mobile and published by Electronic Arts, it was released on October 31, 2006, for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox, Xbox 360, GameCube, Windows, and Mac OS X, and on November 19, 2006 as a launch title for the Wii and in 2008 for arcade cabinets. A portable version, Need for Speed: Carbon – Own the City, was released for the PlayStation Portable, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS. and Zeebo, While it featured similar gameplay to the console version, the portable versions included new or modified gameplay elements, a different setting and storyline, and a different selection of teammates.
Road Trip: The Arcade Edition, known as Gadget Racers in Europe and Choro Q! in Japan, is a racing video game released in 2002 by Takara. It is based mainly upon Road Trip Adventure, a predecessor, however was only sold for the GameCube. Allowing this, weapons were added to a more racing perspective to make it an arcade version. It involves toy cars known in as Choro-Q or Penny Racers.
Nicktoons Racing is a Nickelodeon crossover racing video game. The game was first developed by Pipe Dream and released for the Game Boy Color, while versions for different platforms were released in subsequent years. Most versions were developed by Software Creations with the exception of the Game Boy Advance version, which was developed by Crawfish Interactive, and the arcade version, which was developed by Chicago Gaming.
NASCAR Rumble is a racing video game created by Electronic Arts for the PlayStation. Players race through 18 different courses set in six different areas collecting powerups to aid them. The game is a departure from many NASCAR games, as it is an arcade racer featuring various tracks and Mario Kart-esque powerups. A non-NASCAR licensed sequel was made for the PlayStation 2, called Rumble Racing. There are drivers from the then Winston Cup Series and Craftsman Truck Series, as well as legend racers and bonus vehicles.
Burning Road is a 1996 racing video game for PlayStation that was developed by French company Toka. An arcade-style racer, it is heavily inspired by Sega's arcade hit Daytona USA. It received a sequel the following year, 1997, titled Explosive Racing. In December 2023, both games was ported to Xbox Series X/S and Microsoft Windows by LLS Games as Burning Road X and Explosive Racing X respectively.
Powerslide is a post-apocalyptic Microsoft Windows racing game by Australian developer Ratbag Games. It was released in Australia, United States and Europe in 1998. Powerslide was praised for its graphics and AI in particular. A sequel, Powerslide: Slipstream, was in development as of 2004, but Ratbag couldn't find a suitable publisher, and shortly after the company was shut down. Powerslide was re-released on GOG.com in 2012.
NASCAR Unleashed is a racing video game developed by Firebrand Games and published by Activision. It was released on November 1, 2011 for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, and Nintendo 3DS.
Need for Speed: Most Wanted is a 2005 racing video game, and the ninth installment in the Need for Speed series following Underground 2. Developed and published by Electronic Arts (EA), it was released in November 2005 for GameCube, PlayStation 2, Windows, Xbox, and Xbox 360 alongside two distinct versions for Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance. Another version for PlayStation Portable titled Need for Speed: Most Wanted 5-1-0, was released at the same time and featured alternative gameplay.
WRC: FIA World Rally Championship Arcade is a 2002 off-road arcade rally game released for the PlayStation, based upon the 2002 World Rally Championship season. The game was developed by Unique Development Studios and published by Sony Computer Entertainment.
