Mark Plays… Ridge Racer 2 (PSP) – Lacto’s Post Work Waffle & Unwinding (31-1-2024)

#PSP #RidgeRacer2 #ppsspp 🏁🏎️🚗🚙🚕🚓🚔

Ridge Racer 2 is a racing game that was originally released on the PSP (PlayStation Portable) system in 2006. It is a sequel to Ridge Racer, which was a launch title for the PSP in 2004.

Ridge Racer 2 is essentially a “greatest hits” of the Ridge Racer series, featuring tracks and music from previous games such as Ridge Racer Type 4, Ridge Racer V, and R: Racing Evolution (PS2, Gamecube). Ridge Racer 2 introduced a boost mechanic, which allows the player to fill up a meter by drifting and then activate a speed boost by pressing the L button.

Ridge Racer 2 has a total of 62 cars, divided into three types (standard, special, and classic) and six classes (from novice to max) based on their
performance and handling. It also features a World Tour mode, which consists of 14 tours with different themes and challenges. Each tour has two or three races, and the player can unlock new cars and courses by completing them.

Ridge Racer 2 is one of the few Ridge Racer games that can be played on modern consoles, thanks to the PS Plus Premium service. The game has been enhanced with up-scaling (like I show at the start of this video), rewind, quick save, and custom video filters for the PS4 and PS5. It actually seems to run on a version of PPSSPP as it has the exactly the same glitches in the special effects sun / lens flare as the emulator on the PC shows. Whereas the original game or the game running on the PlayStation Vita/TV don’t.

After work I often have very little consecutive free time and whenever I feel like playing a game I seem to resort to retro-games or arcade games (be it retro or more modern). The Ridge Racer series is series of games that I tend to pick up and play again and again.
When it comes to Arcade racing Ridge Racer-series, Metropolis Street Racing / Project Gotham Racing, Sega Rally series, Outrun 2 series are my go to arcade racers.

Chapters:
00:00:00 – Title text
00:00:06 – Introduction Ridge Racer 2 on PSP (running on PPSSPP Emulator)
00:00:09 – Gameplay at 4x PSP resolution (=1080p HD) Upscaled Fancy Pants bit
00:04:43 – Entering the settings menu on PPSSPP graphics set to native PSP resolution
00:05:00 – Gameplay at 1x PSP rendering close to what it looks like on real hardware / PSVita / PSTV
01:21:27 – The End

Sources:
(1) Wikipedia.
(2) GameFAQs on gamespot
(3) Personal memories

Sound track at the start of the clip is licensed music from Epidemic Sound. Part of the track: Infinite Night Road by ELFL can be heard.

Thanks for watching – LactobacillusPrime

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