Common Sense Media Review
By Mark Raby
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Racer focuses on driving rather than crashes or weapons.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 7+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
Videos and Photos
Ridge Racer 3D
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's It About?
RIDGE RACER 3D is a fine first racing title for Nintendo's 3DS system. The genre is perfectly suited for a 3D experience because being able to gauge depth is one of the cornerstones of racing. With Ridge Racer 3D, players can literally see how far ahead the next turn is and how close they are to their competitors. The game incorporates 3D effects very well, and reduces distraction by eliminating violent power-up attacks. There are a multitude of race tracks to choose from, ranging from the typical closed circuit courses to off-road environments. Players can also race against other 3DS owners if they are in the same room together, or they can download data from other racers via StreetPass and try to better their performance on their own time.
Is It Any Good?
Ridge Racer 3D is a great, solid title for any racing fan. The series has a long history dating back several years, but this is the first time it has been presented in 3D, making it a good addition to any gamer's library. The visuals are fantastic but do not push the envelope of the 3DS's capabilities, likely because it's a launch title and developers are still growing acquainted with the hardware and its capabilities. Nevertheless, it's proof that racing and 3D go well together.
Online interaction: This game uses the 3DS StreetPass feature to allow players to swap "ghost" data for specific races. No personal information is exchanged.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how this game presents a nice, clean version of car racing. How can you tell which racing games are appropriate for children?
Families can also discuss competition. In what ways can competition be good for children? Can it ever have a negative impact? How should you react when you don't win or get stuck in a game?
Game Details
- Platform : Nintendo 3DS
- Pricing structure :
- Available online? : Not available online
- Publisher : Namco Bandai
- Release date : March 27, 2011
- Genre : Racing
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : June 20, 2019
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate