Game Details
| Size | 701 MB |
| Region | Europe |
| Genre | Racing |
| Format | 7z / ISO |
| Year | October 13, 2006 |
| Console | PSP |
Ridge Racer 2 (2006) is often called the “1.5” or “Ultimate” version of the original PSP title. Released just a year later, it uses the exact same engine and interface but serves as a massive content expansion. It is a completionist’s dream, effectively acting as a museum for the entire Ridge Racer franchise up to that point.
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Key Difference: While the first game was a “Greatest Hits,” Ridge Racer 2 includes every single track from the PlayStation 1 era (including R4 and Rage Racer), totaling 42 tracks (including reverse variations).
New Modes: More Than Just Tours
In addition to the returning World Tour, Time Attack, and Wireless Battle, this sequel added:
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Arcade Mode: A classic “against the clock” race with checkpoints, replacing the “Single Race” from the first game.
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Duel Mode: A high-stakes 1-on-1 race against a single AI rival.
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Survival Mode: A four-car race where the car in last place is eliminated at the end of each lap.
The Special Machines (Tier 1 & 2)
In Ridge Racer 2, the “Special Class” cars were split into two tiers, making the end-game much more diverse:
Special Class 1 (The Supercars)
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Kamata Angelus: The “Angel” car (from Ridge Racer V).
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Soldat Crinale: The “Devil” car (from Ridge Racer V).
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Danver Hijack: A massive, super-charged pickup truck (replacing the Rally-X car from the first game).
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Terrazi Wild Gang: A sleek, futuristic racer with incredible handling.
Special Class 2 (The Novelty/Gimmick Cars)
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Pac-Man: A miniature plane piloted by Pac-Man himself.
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Yamasa Raggio: A real-life concept car based on a modified Honda NSX.
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Angelus Kid & Crinale Kid: Chibi, “super-deformed” versions of the Angel and Devil cars.
Secrets & Unlockables: The “Extra” Mile
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Infinite Nitrous (Non-World Tour): On the request confirmation screen before a race, hold Select and press X (OK).
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Mirror Mode: Hold Select while choosing a course to play it in a flipped “Mirror” orientation.
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The “New Rally-X” Car: Even though it was “replaced” by the Hijack, you can still unlock it by earning 50,000 points in the New Rally-X loading screen minigame and completing Tour 18.
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Classic FMVs: You can unlock every intro movie from the series history (from RR1 on PS1 to RR7 on PS3) by clearing specific EX Tours.
Short Review: Is It Better Than the First?
The Good
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The Complete Package: It has more music, more cars, and more tracks. If you don’t own the first game, this is the one to get.
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Visuals & Performance: It maintains the glorious 60fps and vibrant lighting that made the original a masterpiece.
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Soundtrack Expansion: Adds “Remix Disc 2” and “Classic Disc 3,” featuring some of the best drum-and-bass and techno tracks from Rave Racer.
The Bad
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Zero Innovation: If you already spent 50 hours on Ridge Racer 1, the sequel can feel like a “re-skin.” You will have to replay all the same beginner tours just to get to the new content.
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No Trophy Support: Even in the modern PS4/PS5 port, fans were disappointed that Sony didn’t add trophy support to this specific classic.
Screenshots
