R4 - Ridge Racer Type 4 (Japan / Asia / R4 + JogCon)
PlayStation
🇯🇵
Reviewed in 1998
91
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✪ Reviewed on May 22, 2025
82
R4 Ridge Racer Type 4 is an absolute PS1 racing masterpiece. Technical and satisfying drift gameplay, magnificent nocturnal aesthetics, legendary electronic soundtrack and unique RPG progression. The perfect combination of style, technique and soul. One of the greatest racing games ever made.
Your verdict
Category
Racing2 players3+
Description
Namco racing by Polys Entertainment, regarded as the peak of the Ridge Racer PS1 series with story mode and tonal freedom. Created by Namco, released in 1998 in Japan, 1999 in Asia, Korea, the United States with R4 + JogCon bundle under the R4 Ridge Racer Type 4 title. Seasonal Grand Prix mode across four teams and three years, over three hundred unlockable cars, 1960s-70s-inspired aesthetic palette and Kohta Takahashi jazz electronica soundtrack. Multi-regional edition with JogCon bundle under the R4 Ridge Racer Type 4 title.
The Japanese and Asian edition of Ridge Racer Type 4 bundled with the JogCon controller, a dial-equipped accessory designed for precision steering and force feedback. This complete bundle, markedly harder to reunite intact, appeals to collectors attached to original peripherals. Its desirability lies in pairing the game with its dedicated controller rather than the disc alone.
Better with friends
An arcade race of wild elegance where embraced drift and a thoroughbred atmosphere elevate split-screen duels. The competition rewards mastery of slides and consistency, in a rivalry as stylish as it is demanding where every corner counts. Accessible yet deep, it turns each face-off into a motorized ballet where you fight over the tenth and the urge for revenge never fades.
Is R4 - Ridge Racer Type 4 still worth playing in 2026?
Released in 1998 on PS1, Namco's project remains one of the most beautiful games ever produced on Sony's console. The art direction by Kosuke Kabaya, the colour palettes worked per track and Hiroshi Okubo's electro lounge score install a cinematic atmosphere unmatched in the genre. The four constructors with four narrative destinies offer a rare sentimental replay value. The arcade handling stays limpid and the drift feel never fades. Stays a peak of arcade racing, recommended for every enthusiast and for Namco collectors keen on the studio's golden touch on Sony's first home console hardware.
