Ridge Racer Arcade collection brings three Namco classics to PC with online multiplayer

Ridge Racer is back on PC, but not in the form of a new game. Instead, Ridge Racer Arcade Collection brings together three of Namco’s System 22 arcade racers in one package: Ridge Racer, Ridge Racer 2 and Rave Racer. The collection is built around the original arcade versions rather than their later console releases. It also adds several features that make the games much easier to use on modern hardware, including widescreen support, higher rendering resolutions, racing wheel compatibility and online multiplayer. It’s a fairly straightforward idea. Run the original arcade games, keep their basic look and behaviour intact, then add the features you’d expect when playing on a current PC.

Three System 22 Ridge Racer games in one package

Ridge Racer Arcade Collection includes Ridge Racer, Ridge Racer 2 and Rave Racer, all originally released on Namco’s System 22 arcade hardware. The software uses its own System 22 emulation setup and provides a single interface for launching and configuring the three games. You don’t need to set up a different emulator profile for every title.

There is one important requirement, though. The collection doesn’t include the original game ROMs. Players need to supply compatible ROM files themselves and place them in the correct folder before any of the games can run.

The current version supports World ROM sets. Japanese versions aren’t supported yet, although support is planned for a later release. Once everything is set up, the collection gives you access to the arcade versions without changing their underlying game content.

Widescreen and 4K support clean up the presentation

The original Ridge Racer arcade games obviously weren’t designed with modern widescreen displays in mind. Ridge Racer Arcade Collection addresses that with native 16:9 support. Rather than simply stretching the old image across the screen, the games can render in a proper widescreen format.

Resolution can also go much higher. On PC, the collection supports rendering at up to 4K. That makes polygon edges look cleaner and reduces the visible jaggedness you’d normally get when running games from this era at their original resolution.

Don’t expect a remaster, though. The models, textures, tracks and scenery remain based on the original arcade assets. Higher rendering resolutions mainly improve how the geometry appears on a modern monitor. You’re still looking at the same System 22 games underneath. For anyone using a large 1440p or 4K display, that’s a practical upgrade.

Racing wheels and pedals are supported

Controller support goes beyond the usual gamepad setup. Ridge Racer Arcade Collection works with racing wheels, pedals and gear shifters, so players with a PC racing setup can configure the games around their existing hardware. Force feedback is supported too, although it isn’t identical across all three titles.

Rave Racer originally included force-feedback functionality, so support there is more closely tied to the original arcade implementation. Ridge Racer and Ridge Racer 2 use synthetic force-feedback support, which is still being developed.

Wheel settings can be configured through the collection before starting a race. There are also some limitations in online play. Manual transmission currently uses sequential shifting during network races, which means H-pattern shifters can’t be used online for now. Automatic transmission works normally.

Online multiplayer supports up to eight players

The biggest addition is probably multiplayer. Ridge Racer 2 and Rave Racer can support up to eight players through the collection, going well beyond the basic linked-machine setups most players would associate with the original arcade hardware.

System-link play is available for local setups, while online multiplayer lets players race across separate machines. Cross-platform multiplayer is supported as well, allowing compatible PC and Xbox versions to connect with each other.

That’s where the collection starts to feel like more than a simple emulator frontend. The core games are still the original arcade releases, but the surrounding software adds networking and control features that weren’t practical on the original hardware. You can run the games at modern resolutions, connect a wheel and race other players online without changing the actual tracks or handling model.

Ridge Racer Arcade Collection is available now

Ridge Racer Arcade Collection is available for PC and supported Xbox systems. The current release includes Ridge Racer, Ridge Racer 2 and Rave Racer, with 16:9 widescreen support, rendering up to 4K, racing wheel and pedal compatibility, force feedback, system-link play, online multiplayer and cross-platform support.

You’ll still need to provide your own compatible ROM files, and some features remain under development. Japanese ROM support isn’t available yet, while force feedback for Ridge Racer and Ridge Racer 2 continues to be worked on.

As it stands, the package offers a simple way to run all three System 22 Ridge Racer arcade games through one modern interface, with the display, control and multiplayer options PC players are likely to expect.

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