In this corner, we have the ruler of rolling starts, Daytona USA, the arcade smash hit that was destined to be the Saturn's first killer app. In the other corner, we have Ridge Racer, the PlayStation launch game from Namco that came ready to compete. These two racing games represented the first major battle in the 32-bit console war that pit the Sega Saturn against the Sony PlayStation. But what did the critics say 29 years ago? Was it hotly contested or was there a clear winner in this fifth-generation showdown? To answer that question, I decided to flip through the pages of Electronic Gaming Monthly, Computer & Video Games, Die Hard Game Fan and more classic magazines that reviewed both of these racers back when they first came out. Today we're going to see where the critics landed and maybe, just maybe, settle this debate once and for all. Watch yourself, the next corner is tough, because this is going to be a speedy episode of Magazine Match-Up!


While racing games have always been a staple of console gaming, they took on a new importance at the dawn of the 32-bit era. Thanks to consoles like the PlayStation and Saturn finally having the horsepower to display polygonal graphics, we started to see 3D racing games that far exceeded the Mode 7 effects we saw on the Super Nintendo. This set up the first major battle between these two 32-bit systems – Ridge Racer vs. Daytona USA. Oh sure, there were other games that launched on both systems, but this was the only match-up that the magazines cared about. It was two titans of the arcade putting their best foot forward in order to show off the power of the next-generation. Let's see who came out on top.

When it comes to Electronic Gaming Monthly, they let The Iceman and Video Cowboy of the sports team review these two racers. Daytona USA was the first out of the gate, dropping day-and-date with the surprise launch of the Saturn back on May 11th, 1995. The Iceman was ... underwhelmed. “It's finally here, a surprise for everyone stateside. The quality of the game, mainly in the graphics, is quite noticeable from the arcade version. The scaling and scrolling of the tracks need more animations. It was disappointing to watch at first, but when you get started, you won't want to get off the wheel. The overall performance of this translation is well done. It needs some tweaking.” EGM gave Daytona USA an average score of 7.8 out of 10.

Fast-forward two issues and it was time for Ridge Racer to compete, and it turned out to be a real blow-out. Electronic Gaming Monthly went almost a full point higher, giving this PlayStation launch game an average score of 8.75 out of 10. The Iceman explained that “ever since this came out for the PlayStation, I haven't had to go back to the arcades. You'll get the same feeling – and you won't have to worry about quarters. All of the tracks and then some are here, as well as killer music that sets the tone of the game. From every S-turn to the final straightaway, the intense racing never ends. This could be the best racer of the year.”

Sadly, EGM didn't have a Best Racing Game category in their year-end awards show, so we're just going to have to go by the score. And when using that metric, the result is clear: The PlayStation takes the first point.

Over at Computer & Video Games, they ended up reviewing the two racers in the opposite order. Let's see if that makes any difference to the outcome. In their 159th issue, CVG gave Ridge Racer a 96%, one of the highest scores they gave any game in 1995. “Who needs arcades anymore? Well, we still do. As impressed as I am at Ridge Racer on the home machine, it is a game I've seen before and played in the arcade. But, and I felt the same way about Virtua Fighter, it seem to play a whole lot better when you're not coughing up £1 a go. Technically, it's magnificent, and with the mirror mode and plenty of hidden features, any doubts about its long-term appeal are quickly dispelled. Let's just hope that we start seeing original software of this quality. But this'll definitely do for now.”

Now, I say that 96% is “one” of the highest scores of 1995 because that's also the same score CVG gave Daytona USA. “Daytona drives like a dream, which is why it's a winner. Playability alone won't sell a next-generation machine – just look at Tempest on the Jag. So games on your Saturns and PlayStations have got to look state-of-the-art. Although the clipping somewhat lets it down, the rest of Daytona's graphics are sublime. The competitive racing element is pitched just right, and once you pick up that joypad, you'll be after personal bests from the word GO.”

Now wait a second, Tempest 2000 looked great. I would argue that it holds up far better than most first-generation 32-bit games, but maybe that's not the point. Here we have a tie, which means that the Saturn is finally on the board, even if they are still behind 2 to 1.

I hate to spoil the winner right out of the gate, but Next Generation gives us our second (and last) tie of the day, with both Daytona USA and Ridge Racer earning a score of 4 out of 5. Now that we have that out of the way, let's start with the PlayStation game, where they said this: “While the jury may still be out in the Ridge Racer vs. Daytona USA battle for arcade supremacy, there's no disputing that as a home title, Namco has just scored a home run for the PlayStation. The graphics really do have to be seen to be believed, and when you consider that this is effectively a last minute rush job, it's a fantastic testament to the PlayStation's potential power. On the downside, it lacks a two-player mode. Also, the cars really don't vary that much in feel or performance. But overall, a fine game. And an excellent

harbinger of what's to come.” When it comes to Daytona USA, you better believe they framed it as a console war showdown between these two racers. “If it weren't for Ridge Racer, there's little doubt that Daytona USA would have been regarded as the ultimate next generation racing game. But, unfortunately for Sega, Namco nipped it in the bud, and Daytona now has a formidable adversary with which to contend. In an effort to keep up with its arch-rival, Sega has concentrated on maintaining Daytona's graphic detail, but the low resolution, relative lack of colors, and less-than-silky update hampers any chance of an overwhelming first impression. While Daytona USA suffers from an accumulation of weaknesses, if it's a fast, thrilling racing game you're after, the Saturn conversion has a great deal to recommend.”

The good news is that we're done with ties. With a score of 3 – 2, it's time we cross the Atlantic to see what Next Generation's sister magazine said ...

Maybe it's because they had a more robust rating scale to work with or perhaps the Brits are just more decisive, but Edge definitely settled the tie. Let's once again start with Ridge Racer. When Edge reviewed this PlayStation launch game in their 17th issue, they complained about the lack of a long-lasting challenge, but ultimately gave it a 9 out of 10. “After its half-year journey onto the PlayStation, Ridge Racer has managed to fulfill almost all expectations. This achievement is all the more remarkable when you consider the price of the game in Japan – a mere £37. From the brief but perfect game of Galaxian that you can play while the game boots up to the dazzling graphics and arcade-perfect music and speech, Ridge Racer is the killer app that Namco – and Sony – can be proud of. And this is just the beginning.”

Could it be that Edge actually went higher than a 9 when scoring Daytona USA? Nope. As you might have already guessed, they went lower, going with an 8 out of 10. “Although AM2 managed to replicate the coin-op tolerably well, Saturn Daytona fails to capture the arcade experience that PlayStation Ridge Racer so convincingly delivers. Although there's no single factor that cripples it, the game suffers from an accumulation of niggles which ensures that it never quite manages to fulfil its enormous potential. If you're expecting an arcade-perfect conversion, you'll be slightly disappointed, but if it's fast, thrilling racing you're after, Daytona USA has a great deal to recommend it.”

Wait ... that's word-for-word exactly the same thing Next Generation said about the game. And now that I mention it, didn't the same thing happen in the last episode? What's going on here. It could be that both the Edge and Next Generation reviews were written by the same person, but since neither magazine publishes the critic's name, I guess we'll never know. That's frustrating, to say the least. Either way, Ridge Racer is starting to pull ahead with a score of 4 to 2.

One of the magazines we talk about a lot in this Match-Up series is the German publication simply titled Video Games. Today we're going to check in with a different VideoGames magazine, one with a far more boastful name: The Ultimate Gaming Magazine. Sure, whatever. Let's see what they said about Daytona USA, which they gave an 8 out of 10 and anticlimactically chose a winner: “The big question that everyone is going to ask is, ‘How does Daytona on the Sega Saturn compare to Ridge Racer on the Sony PlayStation?' Well, I must be honest, Ridge Racer is superior. If only for the control and the smooth 30 frames per second animation. Daytona USA is still a very good racing game with some minor flaws.”

When it comes to Ridge Racer, Video Games: The Ultimate Gaming Magazine didn't just fall in love with the game, they gave it their highest score – a 10 out of 10. “In wipEout and other such upcoming PlayStation titles, Ridge Racer's influence on the gaming world is already being felt. Atari's Pole Position defined the driving simulation standard for over ten years. Now, with Ridge Racer, the torch has been passed to a new generation of games.”

Yeah, this match-up wasn't even close, and neither is the score so far. Ridge Racer has 5, while Daytona USA lags behind with 2. It's time for Sega to rally with these last few magazines.

Die Hard Game Fan always has something interesting (or crazy) to say, so let's see where they landed on Daytona USA. While the reviews were strong, with an average score of 88%, you can tell that the editors were a little disappointed. Nick Rox sums it up perfectly: “I have to be honest: I was expecting more from Daytona. Not to say it isn't an excellent title, which it undeniably is, but the Saturn is capable of much more. While the gameplay remains 100% exact to the arcade version and the hyper-catchy B-univ arcade tunes have been arranged to perfection, the disturbing object pop-up and slow frame rate are extremely noticeable and detract from the overall experience. Daytona arcade fans will likely spasm with joy on receiving their game at home, but if you're just looking for a thrilling 3D ride, you should probably stick with Panzer.”

Now, let's compare that to Ridge Racer, which the magazine gave an average score of 92%. For his part, Nick Rox actually went higher than the average, giving it a 98%. He used three words to sum up his thoughts:” Joy, power and force. That's Ridge Racer. Perfect graphics, perfect music and perfect gameplay easily balance out only ‘one' track ... for me, at least. It may seem like madness, but I simply never get bored of Ridge Racer ... I could play it forever.”

Look, I love Ridge Racer, but that's a claim I'm not sure Nick will be able to back up. But the veracity doesn't matter, because the PlayStation yet again gets a point. The score sits at 6 to 2.

With only three more magazines to look at, we're at that point where Daytona USA simply cannot catch-up. So instead of make this episode even longer, let's jump into the speed round and finish this off with a bang. Starting with Australia's own Hyper, which gave Ridge Racer a 92%, the same score we saw from Game Fan. Daytona, on the other hand, stalled out at 86%. If you expected a different result from the land down under, then you would be wrong. The PlayStation gets another point.

Things aren't that much different at GamePro, who were notorious for handing out high scores, whether the games deserved them or not. In this case, Daytona USA earned a 4.5 out of 5. That's a phenomenal score, but it is no match for Ridge Racer, which finished with a 5 out of 5. The PlayStation racer ended up being GamePro's favorite racing game of the year.

We're going to close out this episode with the closest match-up of them all, which comes to us from the recently shuttered Game Informer magazine. They gave Ridge Racer a score of 9 out of 10, while Daytona isn't all that far behind with an average score of 8.75 out of 10. That's a quarter of a point difference. I mean, the PlayStation still takes the point, but you have to admit that it was a close race.

When we look at the final score, this was a real blow-out. Ridge Racer took the early lead and never gave it up. With a score of 9 to 2, Sega's arcade racer didn't stand a chance. No magazine preferred it over what Namco came up with, and even when there was a tie score, the sentiment expressed inside the reviews preferred Ridge Racer to Daytona. Perhaps you disagree, but this is 100% where the mindset was in 1995, at least amongst the critics. Here's hoping that the next Magazine Match-Up is a little more competitive.