Ridge Racer was notable for being the first arcade video game with 3D texture-mapped graphics, with its System 22 hardware capable of texture mapping and Gouraud shading.

Development took eight months, and the game is based on a trend among Japanese car enthusiasts, which involves racing on mountain roads while drifting around corners.

Reviewers praised the 3D texture-mapped graphics, audio, drifting mechanics, and arcade racing gameplay, although some were critical of the lack of strong artificial intelligence and a multiplayer mode.

[8] A single course is featured comprising four configurations of increasing difficulty: Novice, Intermediate, Advanced and Time Trial (the latter two are extended).

[5][18] At the Japan Amusement Machinery Manufacturers Association (JAMMA) 1992 Amusement Machine Show (AM Show) in Japan, held during 17–19 August,[19] Namco debuted a racing game called SimRoad[20][19][21] for the Namco System 22 arcade system board.

[24] The development team was under pressure to complete it before their rivals, and designer Fumihiro Tanaka commented that "the other company" (Sega) was in the same position.

[25] Ridge Racer was originally planned to be an F1 racing game, but the concept was replaced with one based on a trend among Japanese car enthusiasts at the time.

Namco Bandai's general manager, Yozo Sakagami, explained that they liked racing on mountain roads and did not want to slow down around corners, so drifted around them instead.

Therefore, the team decided to create a game which allowed players to test their driving skills and experience cars' manipulation at high speeds while mastering drifting.

[27] During the release for arcade system board, Namco described Ridge Racer as "the most realistic driving game ever".

The game was played in front of a 10 feet (3.0 m) wide, front-projected triple screen (which benefited from dimmed ambient lighting), with the wheel, gear stick and pedals functioning as the controls.

The ignition key was used to start, the speed and RPM gauges were functional, and fans blew wind on the player from inside the air vents.

[35] Visual director Yozo Sakagami remarked that the hardest element to port was the experience of driving a car.

Initially, the team did not plan to have music, but ended up producing techno, hardcore and gabber, which Tanaka believed helped players to enjoy a fun feeling while playing.

[70] In North America, Play Meter listed Ridge Racer to be the third most-popular arcade game in February 1994.

Following its AM Show demonstration in August 1993, Edge magazine said that the game's custom-designed real-time texture mapping and rendering system pumps out the most photorealistic image ever seen in the arcades.

[29] Following its European debut at the Amusement Trades Exhibition International (ATEI) in January 1994, Edge considered Ridge Racer the most visually impressive 3D game at the time.

[58] Next Generation applauded the conversion's faithful recreation of the arcade version, smooth graphics, and additional cars.

Although they noted the lack of variety in the different cars' performance and the absence of a multiplayer mode as downsides, they found the game remarkable overall and commented that Ridge Racer was an early game for the PlayStation, and a rushed project at that, making it "an excellent harbinger of what's to come".

[54] Maximum commented that Ridge Racer has only one track and the game lacks the attractive crash sequences of Daytona USA, but they commented positively on the feeling of smoothness and speed, the "distinctly European" dance music, the engine sounds, and the unrealistically exaggerated driving manoeuvres.

[67] In 1996, two years after its release, IGN commented that the game has stood the test of time, but complained of lacking two-player mode and that the cars don't really vary in performances.

The lack of artificial intelligence has received criticism - the movement of the computer-controlled cars is restricted to predetermined waypoints.

[84] Ridge Racer influenced the development of rival Sega's arcade game Daytona USA.

[88] IGN stated that Ridge Racer was "one of PlayStation's first big system pushers" and an excellent port of the arcade version that showed the true potential of Sony's 32-bit wonder.

[89] UGO Networks's Michael Hess and Chris Plante said that it set the stage for Sony Computer Entertainment Japan's Gran Turismo by adding an option to choose between automatic and manual transmission.

[90] Ridge Racer received a number of ports and spin-offs: A version with three screens was released for arcades to give a peripheral vision effect.

[21] Pocket Racer (ポケットレーサー, Poketto Rēsā) is a super deformed version with cars resembling Choro-Q models, aimed at children.

[98] It features improved graphics, runs at 60 frames per second (50 for PAL), as opposed to the original 30, and supports vibration feedback and the Jogcon controller.