Ridge Racer: Ridge City FM2

[00:00:03] Alright, welcome back and thanks for tuning into another episode of Bar Silence.

[00:00:54] My name is Jameson, and I'm your host.

[00:00:57] Bar Silence is a show that's dedicated to exploring the very best video game music

[00:01:00] each and every month.

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[00:01:24] variety of video game music and entertainment podcasts from some of the best creators on

[00:01:28] the internet.

[00:01:29] In this episode, we're going to be listening to the incredible pulse-pounding, full-throttle

[00:01:34] soundtracks to both of the third games in the Ridge Racer series, which of course

[00:01:38] is a little confusing, but we'll make some sense of that shortly.

[00:01:42] If you're familiar with this show, you know that I absolutely love racing games,

[00:01:46] and the Ridge Racer series is easily on the top of my personal favorites.

[00:01:50] There is something that's seriously captivating about racing through the familiar, yet ever-changing

[00:01:54] world of Ridge City.

[00:01:56] Whether you're flooring through urban highways, speeding past beachside coastlines,

[00:02:00] or drifting through winding mountain vistas, I just can't get enough of these games

[00:02:03] and I'm excited to get into this sequel episode.

[00:02:07] Way back in episode 12, called Ridge Racer, Ridge City FM1, we listened to

[00:02:11] the soundtracks of Ridge Racer, Ridge Racer 2, as well as Ridge Racer Revolution,

[00:02:15] featuring the music of composers like Shinji Hosoi, Nobuyoshi Sano, and Ayako Sasso.

[00:02:21] These legends came together to create an absolutely thrilling set of 90s club music-inspired

[00:02:25] tunes that were specifically designed to push you to the limit each and every lap.

[00:02:29] So in this show, we're going to be drifting through two more sequels in the series.

[00:02:33] One marks the end of the energetic and iconic sound of the early games in the

[00:02:36] series, and the other blazes the path forward towards the more recent direction

[00:02:40] of the soundtracks.

[00:02:41] First up, we're going to talk about Rave Racer that was released on Namco's System

[00:02:45] 22 hardware.

[00:02:46] This game landed in arcades in 1995 alongside of some other monster titles like Air Combat

[00:02:51] 22, Ace Driver Victory Lab, Cyber Cycles, Dirt Dash, and Time Crisis in what would

[00:02:57] probably be the best year of arcade greatness from this 32-bit arcade board.

[00:03:02] This time around the course, Namco brought quite a few major upgrades to this game

[00:03:06] graphically with higher polygon counts and more detail to the world around the

[00:03:10] track.

[00:03:11] Namco featured the first game's long and short versions of the racetracks in higher

[00:03:14] fidelity and introduced two new tracks called City and Mountain.

[00:03:18] Rave Racer is also notable for being the third Ridge Racer arcade game in just three

[00:03:22] years and for it becoming the definitive way to play this generation of the series

[00:03:26] thanks to new features like force feedback steering wheels, as well as having even

[00:03:30] more accurate and responsive controls.

[00:03:33] This game also interestingly marks the introduction to the series' mascot slash

[00:03:36] racing queen, Rieko Nagase, who appears in this game's attract mode video sequence

[00:03:40] wearing an exceptionally cool leather jacket with Rave Racer across the back.

[00:03:44] Technically she's unnamed at this point, but she would go on to be formally named in

[00:03:48] the PlayStation 1 release of Raze Racer and become the famous lead to the

[00:03:51] introduction movies of Ridge Racer games thereafter.

[00:03:54] But let's switch gears and get into the music from this venerable quartet of

[00:03:57] composers in their last Ridge Racer soundtrack together.

[00:04:00] The ultra-ravy and fun track that opened the show is called Links On by

[00:04:04] Shinji Hosoi, and to get us started on this next block we're going to listen

[00:04:07] to X Notes by Nobuyoshi Sana.

[00:04:10] This track is probably one of the most colorful and creative songs on this

[00:04:13] soundtrack with its twinkly lead and its awesome tempo changing breakdown.

[00:04:17] I've recently got to have a chat with friend of the show, Phantacoon, about

[00:04:20] our love of this soundtrack and this song in particular stands out as a

[00:04:23] favorite of both of ours.

[00:04:24] Phantacoon definitely knows their stuff, so I'm sure you'll like this

[00:04:27] tune too.

[00:04:29] They run the at Ridge Racer Toons Twitter account as well as the

[00:04:31] excellent YouTube channel called Phantason.

[00:04:34] Check the show notes for a link to find their channel and watch their

[00:04:36] excellently themed video game music playlist.

[00:04:39] Following X Notes we're going to listen to Rare Hero 3, Pacific Mix, that's

[00:04:43] also by Sano.

[00:04:44] This song is the third version of this classic tune and is probably my

[00:04:47] favorite version with its chilled beats and short tribute to the game

[00:04:50] over theme from 1983's Pull Position 2.

[00:04:53] Then we'll hear a track from Ayaka Sasso called Euphoria.

[00:04:56] This song has a sweet lead, layered video gamey type sounds and an

[00:05:00] ultra fun rave piano breakdown.

[00:05:02] We'll follow that one with another speedy and hyperactive rave tune

[00:05:06] called Heat Floor by Megaten that hits all of the classic elements of Shinji's

[00:05:10] Ridge Racer music that's perfect for flying through corners too.

[00:05:13] After that we'll hear the wildly unexpected curiosity of a track by

[00:05:16] Sano called Jazz Mission.

[00:05:18] It has a shocking intro of unified chaos before the unbeatably cool

[00:05:22] jazzy piano and stand up bass line take over.

[00:05:25] Then last, we'll listen to the tropical and dancey sounds of Blue

[00:05:28] Topaz by J99.

[00:05:30] This song's conga beat and beachy vibes are a smooth and grooving

[00:05:33] tune that's a great way to play out this block.

[00:05:36] Alright, let's get ready to flurry off the starting line and listen to these

[00:05:39] excellent rave racing tunes and I'll be back after that to talk about

[00:05:42] Rage Racer on the original PlayStation.

[00:09:32] In 1996, a year after Namco released Rave Racer in the arcade as the third game in the

[00:38:21] series, Ridge Racer Revolution was released on the PlayStation 1 and

[00:38:24] became the second game in the series for home consoles.

[00:38:27] Just one year later, in 1997, Namco released the third game in the series for the PlayStation

[00:38:32] 1 and just like Rave Racer, changed the title slightly calling it Rage Racer.

[00:38:37] Its competition in the racing game world that year included Need for Speed 2 and

[00:38:41] Gran Turismo.

[00:38:42] So, Rage Racer needed to do something different and set the groundwork for the future of

[00:38:46] the series by separating itself from the candy colored brightness and

[00:38:49] soundtracks of the arcade games.

[00:38:51] This game, in effect, transitions the series into becoming a true console experience

[00:38:55] by delivering a bolder and sleeker game that features a darker and more realistic looking

[00:38:59] graphical style.

[00:39:01] It also gave gamers the ability to customize their own team logo, pick colors of their

[00:39:05] cars, as well as having a simulation style customization process to fine tune aspects

[00:39:09] of your car's performance.

[00:39:11] All of this comes together under the umbrella of a conceptual story that explains the

[00:39:14] goal of not only just winning races but also trying to gain the title of being

[00:39:18] the one true Rage Racer.

[00:39:20] Another interesting aspect that was established in this game was the introduction of the

[00:39:24] fictional car brands that were meant to replicate real life car manufacturers that would also

[00:39:28] go on to be seen in future games in the series.

[00:39:31] This included Gina Day from Germany which was meant to be similar to Audi, then there's

[00:39:35] Adag from France that was meant to be similar to Renault, then there's also

[00:39:39] Lizard which was meant to resemble the American style muscle car, and finally Azzaluto,

[00:39:44] the Italian manufacturer that's meant to be similar to Lamborghini.

[00:39:47] The courses in Rage Racer were also upgraded from the original games as well, and, similar

[00:39:52] to the Need for Speed series, included tracks that were intended to resemble real life locations

[00:39:56] like the Mediterranean inspired Mythical Coast, the San Francisco-like hilly environments

[00:40:00] of Overpass City, the twisting and scenic turns of Lakeside Gate, and the incredibly

[00:40:05] challenging course with long straights called the Extreme Oval.

[00:40:09] Of course, it's also worth mentioning that our grid girl and racing mascot for

[00:40:12] the series is back.

[00:40:13] This time, Reiko appears in a series first full motion CGI intro sequence which of

[00:40:18] course is another treat that Rage Racer introduced that has gone on to become

[00:40:21] a regular feature in following games.

[00:40:23] Now, unlike the soundtrack to Rave Racer, this game marks a departure from the game's

[00:40:28] earlier rave and club sound and instead transitions into a combination of electronica,

[00:40:32] brick beats, and drum and bass inspiration.

[00:40:34] Namco's new sound team for this entry features two newcomers that were tasked

[00:40:37] with developing the fresh sounds to drive this series forward.

[00:40:41] First is Tetsukasu Nakanishi in his first major soundtrack who has gone on to create

[00:40:45] music for the Ace Combat series as well as appearances in Tekken games.

[00:40:49] He also later returned to the Ridge Racer series with two tracks on the beloved Ridge

[00:40:52] Racer Type-4 soundtrack and one song on both Ridge Racer 6 and Ridge Racer 7.

[00:40:57] The other composer is Hiroshi Okubo.

[00:41:00] He got his start with Namco Soccer Prime Goal on the PlayStation and Arcade as

[00:41:04] well as getting his start in the Ridge Racer series with Ridge Racer Revolution.

[00:41:08] He later went on to compose for Ridge Racer Type-4, R Racing Evolution, We Love

[00:41:12] Katamari, Mario Kart Arcade GP DX, and most recently in Tekken 8.

[00:41:18] Alright, let's get into the Rage Racer mood and listen to some of the music for our next

[00:41:21] block.

[00:41:22] We're going to start things off with a track called Introduction from the Japanese

[00:41:25] version of the game.

[00:41:27] This very sultry and enthusiastically expressed voiceover tells the general plot behind

[00:41:31] this game and definitely sets the tone.

[00:41:34] After that, we're going to drop right into the song called Rage Racer with its

[00:41:37] guitars and super-speed drums that sets the record straight with this one.

[00:41:41] This isn't your dad's Rage Racer.

[00:41:43] Following that track, we're going to listen to another speed demon of a tune

[00:41:46] called Mathma B.

[00:41:48] This song is pure energy, and for those of you who are listening closely and love

[00:41:52] the soundtrack to Einhander, you'll hear a voice sample that was used in this track

[00:41:55] that was also used in the song called Badlands from that soundtrack.

[00:41:59] After that, we're going to listen to Lightning Luge, which is quite possibly

[00:42:02] one of the coolest breakbeat and drum and bass combo songs from this soundtrack.

[00:42:06] This one is definitely full of vigor and has a killer collection of drum breaks

[00:42:10] and soft synthy goodness.

[00:42:13] Going quickly on the tail of that track is Volcano Vehicle, which is another awesome

[00:42:17] breakbeat electronic tune that has a bit of a darker sound to it than the others,

[00:42:21] but really packs a spark of power with the voice samples and crazy percussion that

[00:42:25] also is kind of a throwback to the original game's vibe.

[00:42:28] We'll follow that one with the 20th Anniversary Sounds album version of the

[00:42:31] result song.

[00:42:32] This funky and grooving track was remastered for the album by Tetsukazu Nakanishi

[00:42:36] alongside of Shinji Hosoi and it's an instant classic.

[00:42:40] And last in this block, we're going to vibe out to the beautifully remastered

[00:42:43] version of the song called Silver Stream from that same album.

[00:42:46] Ayako Sasso and Hiroshi Okubo collaborate on this majestic and ethereal sounding

[00:42:51] track with its unbeatable pianos that are mixed with a loving dose of drum

[00:42:55] and bass beats, making this easily one of the top songs from this game.

[00:42:59] Alright, let's hit it and finish the final lap to become the one and only Rage

[00:43:03] Racer.

[00:43:04] Enjoy these tunes and I'll be back after that.

[00:43:17] The roaring exhaust notes tilt.

[00:43:21] The base instincts of those who become known as Rage Racers.

[00:43:27] No one knows how the race started or how the contestants became known as Rage Racers.

[00:43:34] Contestants dangerously living on the edge.

[00:43:38] Those who live for the moment and love the heavy perfume of nitro, smoke,

[00:43:43] rubber and hot asphalt.

[00:43:46] Meeting together for one purpose, to be the best in the news.

[00:43:50] The ultimate, the number one Rage Racer.

[01:14:07] Alright, so that's the show.

[01:14:26] Hopefully you guys have enjoyed this episode about the raving and breakbeat madness of

[01:14:29] the soundtracks to the arcade release of Rave Racer and the PlayStation 1 version

[01:14:33] of Rage Racer.

[01:14:35] If you want to interact with the show and tell me what you think about my selections

[01:14:38] in this episode, you can follow me on a variety of social media platforms.

[01:14:42] That includes Instagram, Twitter, Threads and Blue Sky.

[01:14:46] Following the show in those locations are exactly where you can find great screenshots,

[01:14:50] artwork, music clips and various information about the games that are featured in each

[01:14:54] episode.

[01:14:55] Check the show notes to follow along on your favorite platform of choice.

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[01:15:06] Spotify, YouTube or wherever you're listening to this show because I'd really love to hear

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[01:15:21] For already subscribing, I want to thank the members of the Legion of EGM for supporting

[01:15:24] the show.

[01:15:25] Zoe, Alusa and Cameron, I truly appreciate you Rage Racing Champions and I really hope

[01:15:31] you've enjoyed this episode.

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[01:15:40] access to a bonus episode of awesome music each month.

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[01:15:46] I would also like to thank friends of the show and Legion members, Aaron of

[01:15:50] the excellent video game variety podcast Super Pod Saga, as well as Professor Tom

[01:15:54] of the Shujin Academy VGM Club.

[01:15:57] You can and should check out both of these shows wherever you find podcasts

[01:16:00] as well as on Terra Player.

[01:16:03] Alright, to wrap this show up, I've got one more track to play us out.

[01:16:06] We're going to listen to the end credits theme from Rage Racer called Deep Drive.

[01:16:10] If you're a fan of the jazz fusion of T-Square or Cassiope, then you're going

[01:16:14] to love this energetic and lush track.

[01:16:17] Anyway, enjoy this final song and as always, thanks again for listening and I'll see

[01:16:22] you guys next time.