Final Lap
"Ridge Racer" is a spiritual successor to "Sim Drive" (1992), a racing simulation game met with a limited release in Japanese arcades. Originally meant as an F1 racing game, similar to Namco's own "Pole Position" and "Final Lap" series, it was instead replaced with racing on mountain roads, a popular trend for Japanese car enthusiasts at the time. The PlayStation version was a launch title for the console and an astounding success for Namco, prompting the creation of several sequels for arcades and home platforms. After Namco merged with Bandai in 2005, the series would become exclusive to consoles and later mobile phones. Several games in the franchise were released as launch titles for consoles.