I'm lousy at racing games. I enjoy destruction racers like Burnout or Flatout, but when it comes to 'real' titles like NFS or Ridge Racer, I simply can't hack it.

On my first Grand Prix race I kept my expectations low. Getting third place, I started zoning out until the replay started. Footage of me failing drifts and slamming into walls filled the screen, but it was almost irrelevant because Move Me was playing. I didn't feel like I was rock bottom or should have moved on to a different game: instead, I really wanted to improve.

The music in this game makes me grin. It's so damn good, all the tracks fit their designated purpose but do it so stylishly all the while. They can be a great motivator for success, and amp up the action no matter what place you are in the race: if you're lagging in 7th or 8th it creates urgency, and in 1st it encourages you to keep your speed up and ride the high. To that end, learning the controls and persisting was incredibly rewarding.

The stories in the Grand Prix are fun little dramas that add a bit of pizzazz to every race. I played Micro Mouse Mappy's first so I'm partial to them, but I feel like all the teams add something nice to the player experience.

Ridge Racer Type 4 is bite-sized greatness: every minute is a delight and it never outstays its welcome.

Reviewed on May 21, 2024


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