R4: Ridge Racer Type 4
1998
- racing
- action
- single player
- multiplayer
- split screen
The story
R4: Ridge Racer Type 4 is the fourth game in the Ridge Racer series. It includes eight tracks (with reverse variants, for a total of 16 layouts) and 321 vehicles, all of which are fictional. This iteration was one of the first PlayStation titles to feature Gouraud shading on polygons, giving the game a visual depth that was previously missing. It was also the first Ridge Racer game on the system to feature two-player split-screen mode and offered two different driving models.
What it’s like
Bright, glossy late-90s arcade sheen: sunlit desert canyons, neon-lit city night courses and sleek futuristic car bodies rendered in smooth Gouraud-shaded polygons that catch the light in soft gradients. The camera hugs the car low and fast, with wide-angle distortion at speed, and the screen rushes with flat-colored walls, guardrails and skyline blurring past. The soundtrack is a bouncy, synth-and-guitar techno pulse that loops under the engine whine and tire squeal, while the drift-and-slide physics give every corner a satisfying lurch. The vibe is bright, breezy adrenaline with a touch of retro nostalgia: sun-bleached and slightly cheesy in the best way. It suits a relaxed evening session, a quick time-attack run before bed, or a split-screen bout with a friend on a rainy afternoon. Tension is low and there is no violence, gore or fear, only the steady thrill of clean lines and near misses. The pace is fast but forgiving, and each track rewards repetition as you learn the apex of every turn. It is for players who want unpressured arcade speed, nostalgic PlayStation-era visuals and the simple joy of mastering a drift.
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