Ridge Racer Slipstream is the lastest game in the series which celebrates the 20th birthday of the franchise. The title was announced by Namco Bandai on Tuesday 3rd December. It was released worldwide on Thursday 19th December 2013 and is currently only availble on the iTunes App Store. It costs £1.99 in the UK and $2.99 in the US. All iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad devices require iOS 7 or later. At one point, it became free for a limited time.
Originally Android users were going to get the app on the same day. Unfortunately, the Android edition, available on the Google Play Store, has been pushed back to early 2014. It has finally been released on Feburary 20th 2014. Currently, it is free to download on the Play Store.
The game features 12 tracks in forwards and backwards directions, There are also 16 cars, consisting of 12 standard cars and four CM cars (one of which is an exclusive.) Players receive the ability to access more than 300 possible customisation combinations. Two steering options are available, tilt steering and tap steering, both with manual or automatic gas.
The game features In App Purchases or IAP's, even though the game can be beaten without them.
Modes and Gameplay
The title features a Career Mode with 216 races comprised into 12 Grand Prix and each Grand Prix has a total of 18 races. Besides the Career Mode, an Arcade Mode is also availble with three race types, which are Quick Race, Regular Race and Knockout. A Multiplayer Mode with similar options is also available. Time Attack is another mode usually seen in Career Mode.
The gameplay premise is similar to previous titles in the franchise. Drifting, nitrous and slipstreaming all play an important role. In Quick Race Mode you're given a random car and track, while racing up to 7 other opponents. Regular Race is similar but you get to choose the car and track of your choice. In Time Attack, you are given three laps to post the fastest lap time and the fastest total time. Knockout Mode is the same in terms of options and settings, but you compete in a four-car, three-lap survival race, you must finish first in these races by surviving the first two laps and then getting top spot on the last. If you finish last in any lap, you're out!
In addition, there are 4 new challenges known as Extreme Battles, 1 in each class. Basically, it has the same rules as any other gamemode, but the AI is set to be more aggressive (or in the case of Time Attack Mode, the lap times are considerably harder to beat), ramming the player when trying to overtake, use nitro right after the first charge, and their cars seem to be much faster. Perks such as Collision Decreaser, SS Booster, SS Canceller, or Nitrous Tank are all good choices to use, since these races are difficult, if not impossible, to complete without perks even on a maxed out machine.
Cars and Car Customisation
The title features 16 cars which are divided into 4 classes containing 4 cars each. Three out of the four machines per class are standard and purchasable with credits. After beating the Grand Prix of a class, the next class is unlocked, along with the first car of that class, usually having the lowest stats. The next two machines are unlocked after completing either a Tournament or an Extreme Battle. The last machine in each class are unique and they are labeled as 'CM' or 'Complete Machine', and are unlocked right from the start. Each machine can be customized with paint jobs, custom wheels, body kits, vinyls and more, in fact over 300 customisation possibilities can be applied, as explained by the trailer. However, CM machines do not have body kit customization. Machines can be upgraded in terms of engine, suspension/tires and nitrous tanks. As you upgrade a part of the machine, you can tune the drift intensity, overall grip, nitrous outflow etc. to your driving style.
Class 04:
- Terrazi Wild Gang
- Kamata Fiarre
- Danver Bayonet
- Age Solo Abeille (CM edition only)
Class 03:
- Age Solo Prophetie (both Standard and CM edition)
- Gnade Magnifco
- Danver HJ6000
Class 02:
- Assoluto Fatalita (both Standard and CM edition)
- Siensong Motors Jujak
- Gnade Erstlanze
Class 01:
- Kamata Synci
- Kamata RC410
- Lucky Wild Evolver
- Soldat Rauna CM
More to come with title updates. Each car can be brought with credits earned during gameplay or through In App Purchases. CM editions can only be bought with RR currency, which is only acquired by leveling up, through Daily Rewards (3 RR per 5 days), or by IAPs.
Tracks
The featured tracks are as follows:
One track from Ridge Racer (PSP):
- Downtown Rave City
Seven tracks from Ridge Racer 6:
- Seacrest District
- Surfside Resort
- Harbor Line 765
- Crossbay Tunnel
- Rave City Riverfront
- Midtown Parkway
- Island Circle
Four tracks from Ridge Racer 7:
- Lost Ruins
- Industrial Drive
- Old Central
- Mist Falls