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Review information

Platform reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2
Available on: Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X|S
Release date: June 5, 2025

Namco’s Ridge Racer is my favorite racing game series of all time. A stellar blend of arcade drifting, superb visuals, and vibes-driven soundtracks have made it a legendary racing franchise, particularly with entries like Ridge Racer Type 4 for the original PlayStation, and Ridge Racer 6 on Xbox 360 - both of which remain my favorites in the series to this day.

It’s a franchise that has been long-dormant to my chagrin, with the last mainline entry - Ridge Racer Unbounded - coming from FlatOut and Wreckfest developer Bugbear Entertainment in 2012. And honestly, the less said about that game, the better.

Now, developer Hamster has injected some life into the series once again, with a fantastic port of the original Ridge Racer for Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. Arcade Archives 2 Ridge Racer is a package featuring the 1993 arcade version of the game, with a handful of modes and plenty of settings for customizing your experience.

It is very light in the content department, though. You’re not getting anything like Type 4’s 300+ cars or Ridge Racer 7’s tremendous campaign. As you might expect for an arcade racer of its time, you’re getting one track, a single car, and a half-dozen music tracks. If that relative lack of content is an issue, you might want to give Arcade Archives 2 Ridge Racer a miss.

That’s not to say that there aren't at least a few things to do. The track varies and extends based on your selected difficulty, as well as the car’s top speed. The ‘Original’ mode packs in plenty of customizable options to tailor your experience, and chasing online leaderboard times is a moreish endeavor. For $16.99 / £14.99, there’s a good amount on offer for the low cost of entry.

Slide through the curves

(Image credit: Hamster Co.)

Ridge Racer is perhaps the arcade racing game in its purest form. Similar to peers like Daytona USA, you’re tasked with completing a number of laps, while doing your best to pass other cars and hit checkpoints within the time limit, thus granting you a time extension - valuable seconds needed to continue the race.

Ridge Racer comes in four flavors of difficulty, each changing things up quite significantly. Novice offers a simplified course layout over two laps. Intermediate is the same course extended to three laps with a higher top speed. Advanced includes the full course layout, while Time Trial (shortened to T.T. in-game) pits you against a single driver on the full course with an even higher top speed.

Even though there’s just one track, it’s a visual treat even today, and it’s impressive just how much variety is packed into a single circuit. The full course takes you through a city, beachside resort, construction site, countryside, and more over just a couple of minutes. Lovely environmental touches like planes flying overhead and the time of day gradually shifting make for an atmospheric racing experience, too. Blasting through it all at around 220km/h is a real treat, especially once you’ve nailed down the drifting and handling.

Drifting, in particular, is definitely the pioneering gameplay feature of the Ridge Racer series, and that started as early as this first entry. The trick is to let go of the throttle and feather the brakes while turning, thus whipping your car around tight corners without losing much speed.

Nailing it here feels incredibly satisfying, especially when the game punishes you with quite severe speed loss if you hit a wall or another driver. Drifting would be refined in future entries, but it's impressive how good of a job Namco did in this first outing.

Drift into the lead

(Image credit: Hamster Co.)

So what other modes are on offer in Arcade Archives 2 Ridge Racer? If you want to challenge the online leaderboards, there are a few ways to do so. Hi Score Mode is a true-to-arcade experience where you must achieve the best race time you can on a single credit.

Caravan Mode has you racing for five minutes straight, with your score recorded in distance traveled. In both Hi Score and Caravan, you’re also able to choose your difficulty, each of which has its own leaderboard. Finally, Time Attack Mode is a gauntlet that has you setting times in each of the game’s four difficulties consecutively.

Best bit

(Image credit: Hamster Co.)

Chasing down faster times in the game’s various online leaderboards is a shockingly addictive experience. This is where most of the replay value lies, too, especially as there’s just a single track to race on that evolves depending on the difficulty you select.

There’s a good amount to do, then, if you’re a high score chaser, and plenty of varied ways to go about it. What you might notice, though, is that outside of Original Mode, track position doesn’t really matter. It’s all about going as fast as you can, setting the fastest times, or going as much distance as you possibly can.

Original Mode is the most malleable of the bunch. It’s the most casual of the modes, offering save states, and is the only mode that actually pauses when you hit the pause button. You’ll also have the option of playing Japanese or English ‘SD’ or ‘DX’ ROMs, with the only major difference being DX’s addition of a clutch button, mimicking the arcade cabinet releases.

There are plenty of settings, too. Full button layout customization is offered, as well as various display settings, including wallpapers for the 4:3 resolution, screen layout with the option for widescreen, and various CRT filters (though I much preferred to play without these for cleaner image quality).

You can also choose from six distinct music tracks before loading into a race. Ridge Racer is known for routinely having some of the best soundtracks to grace the genre, though I can’t say that’s the case in this first entry.

The rave-inspired music ranges from tolerable to borderline insufferable, and had me pining for the pristine blend of funk, house, and UK garage found in Ridge Racer Type 4. Though special mention does have to be given to Speedster - Track 5 - which houses an iconic sample that's also used in the Jet Set Radio soundtrack. That's plus points in my book.

Ridge Racer also has the dishonor of featuring what is perhaps the series’ most irritating announcer. Delivering lines with the overly charismatic cadence of an American game show host, you’ll hear “hey, somebody’s right on your tail!” countless times during a single race.

Should you play Arcade Archives 2 Ridge Racer?Play it if...

You want an authentic arcade racer experience
Ridge Racer was arguably the breakout arcade racer of its day, and while it lacks the wealth of content enjoyed by its many sequels, there’s a purity here that’s hard to find in contemporary racing games.

You love the thrill of online leaderboards
Chasing the best times possible in Ridge Racer is where most of its fun lies. The game is perfect for quick pick-up-and-play sessions, especially on the Switch 2’s handheld mode.

Don't play it if...

You were expecting more content
As mentioned, a single track and car is a far cry from what future Ridge Racer games would offer. I’m seriously hoping for a full-fledged series compilation release in the future, because this original game is definitely the series in its most basic form.

Accessibility

There aren’t really any contemporary accessibility options in Arcade Archives 2 Ridge Racer. Being able to adjust screen and button layouts depending on your preferences is nice, but there’s not a whole lot beyond that.

How I reviewed Arcade Archives 2 Ridge Racer

I’ve clocked in four hours of playtime in Arcade Archives 2 Ridge Racer so far. That’s more than enough to experience each of its modes many times over, and most of that time was spent climbing the online leaderboards for each mode.

I played the game on Nintendo Switch 2, using the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller to play in docked mode. Though the vast majority of my playtime was spent in handheld mode, usually on lunch breaks or just before settling in for the night.

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(Image credit: Paul Sancya)

• A new app turns Apple's trackpad into a weighing scale
• The results with the TrackWeight app are surprisingly accurate
• There are certainly limitations here, though, including the need to keep a fingertip on the trackpad while weighing an object

If you ever need a set of weighing scales in a pinch, it's possible to use your MacBook, believe it or not.

Tom's Hardware noticed a new app for macOS that turns the humble MacBook trackpad into a compact weighing scale, one that is surprisingly accurate, as illustrated in a demo video clip posted on X (see below).

You can turn your Mac trackpad into a weighing scale pic.twitter.com/KxbHrVfag3July 21, 2025

Krish Shah developed the app called TrackWeight, which uses Apple's Force Touch sensors to give you an approximate weight for any object placed on the trackpad.

Now, there's a caveat in that as you can see in the video, it's necessary to rest your finger on the trackpad while weighing - because as Shah explains, trackpad pressure recordings are only generated when capacitance is detected by the MacBook (meaning your finger, or any other conductive object).

The obvious drawback here is that the weight of your fingertip is going to register in the reading provided, too - so rest it on the trackpad as lightly as possible. By all accounts, the weight given is still pretty accurate - though I wouldn't recommend taking it as an exact reading, given the above catch.

The app uses the Open Multi-Touch Support library to tap into trackpad events in macOS, which includes the crucial pressure readings from the pad. Interestingly, Shah explains (on GitHub) that "the data we get from Multi-Touch Support is already in grams" which is handy.

Analysis: other caveats and compatibility

(Image credit: TechRadar)

This is a neat little trick for MacBooks, but there are some limitations, including, as observed, the accuracy, which is not going to be spot-on, but looks close enough to be a good estimation.

Also, weighing metal objects is problematic (due to their conductivity, they'll likely be detected as a finger press), so they will require a small piece of cloth (or paper) to break contact with the trackpad (again, potentially interfering with the reading slightly).

Clearly, you can't weigh large items on a trackpad, either, though the developer of the app claims to have successfully weighed a 3.5kg object without damaging the MacBook. Which is good going - I wouldn’t try that myself, mind, or indeed weighing luggage as the dev warns us against in tongue-and-cheek fashion.

If you're wondering about compatibility, you'll need a Force Touch trackpad on your Apple laptop, which means a MacBook from 2016 or newer (or a MacBook Pro from 2015). You'll also need to be running at least macOS 13 (to have the necessary Multi-Touch Support library) and have App Sandbox disabled (to grant low-level access to the trackpad data). As ever, install any third-party software at your own risk, should you regard this project as anything more than a curiosity.

Interestingly, old iPhones with 3D Touch could also be used to weigh objects (capacitive ones) - and seemingly very accurately in that case.

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• A 120-meter ship could soon host thousands of AI GPUs with direct seawater cooling
• The project depends on reused ships to cut both building costs and environmental damage
• MOL and Kinetics promise flexibility, mobility, and power abundance through powerships and offshore renewables

The idea of putting an AI-powered facility on a ship used to sound like science fiction - and not long ago, there was even a failed attempt by Del Complex to build a floating "AI nation" that would run itself using artificial intelligence.

Now, shipping heavyweight Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) and Kinetics, the energy transition unit of Karpowership, are aiming to realize something far more grounded.

The companies are working together to build a mobile floating data center that could house thousands of AI GPUs while addressing digital infrastructure bottlenecks.

MOL and Kinetics outline plans for a floating AI data center

The two firms recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop what they describe as “the world’s first integrated floating data center platform.”

The structure will be hosted aboard a retrofitted vessel, supported by a power supply that includes power ships, floating power plants developed by Karpowership, as well as other sources like solar farms, offshore wind, and onshore grids.

“This project represents a major step toward our vision at Kinetics, delivering innovative, efficient, and sustainable infrastructure solutions that meet the energy needs of today and tomorrow,” said Mehmet Katmer, CEO of Kinetics.

“By pairing mobile power generation with floating data infrastructure, we are addressing critical market bottlenecks while enabling faster, cleaner, and more flexible digital capacity expansion.”

The data center is projected to offer between 20 and 73MW of capacity, cooled by direct water systems drawing from seas or rivers.

It would be mounted on a 120-meter-long ship, with network plans that include submarine cables and land-based internet exchanges.

“This MOU represents an important step forward in using the MOL Group's assets and extensive expertise in ship operations to rapidly build digital infrastructure while minimizing environmental impact,” said Tomoaki Ichida, Managing Executive Officer of MOL.

"Moving forward, we will continue to expand a diverse range of social infrastructure businesses centered on the shipping industry.”

A mobile, sea-cooled, power-rich platform that bypasses land constraints and permitting headaches offers an attractive alternative to overburdened terrestrial data centers.

The flexibility is notable, but the scale of the ambition raises questions, and this warrants skepticism.

Although the idea sounds perfect on paper, its real-world execution could face the same issues that has plagued similar utopian infrastructure concepts.

The MOU promises operations by 2027, contingent on “successful feasibility studies and ongoing technical developments.”

Those feasibility studies will need to prove that issues like network latency, physical relocation risks, regulatory uncertainty, and long-term maintenance can be reliably addressed.

Cost and sustainability arguments hinge heavily on the reuse of existing ships.

“In addition to reducing construction costs,” the project claims, “the use of existing onboard systems... is expected to reduce initial investment costs.”

By avoiding new builds, the developers believe they can also cut the environmental toll of raw material extraction.

The practical advantages, such as speed of deployment, mobility, and independence from strained land-based grids, are not in doubt.

“Even in areas experiencing power shortages, offshore data centers can begin operations immediately,” the developers note.

But whether this system will prove reliable, scalable, and economically sound in the long term remains to be seen.

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• Powerful Ryzen AI Max+ 395 APU could debut in new Minisforum mini-PC
• Up to 128GB RAM expected in Strix Halo-based Minisforum X1 series device
• Unannounced mini-PC surfaces in Geekbench with familiar naming conventions

Minisforum appears to be working on a new high-end mini PC powered by AMD's latest Strix Halo chip.

The device, which has yet to be officially named, is expected to launch as part of the company’s AI X1 series.

It reportedly features the Ryzen AI Max+ 395, a powerful APU which builds on the Zen 5 architecture. The chip combines strong CPU performance with a potent iGPU and may be paired with up to 128GB of RAM.

Geekbench scores

As spotted by ITHome, several entries referring to “Micro Computer (HK) Tech Limited AI Series” have surfaced on Geekbench, suggesting a Minisforum link.

Benchmark results from Geekbench show multi-core scores above 21,000 and single-core results around 2,900. These place the device ahead of Minisforum’s existing AI 9 HX 370-based models, which typically score closer to 19,000 and 2,300 respectively.

There are already a number of mini-PCs powered by the Ryzen AI Max+ 395, including the Colorful Smart 900, Beelink AI Mini, and AOOSTAR NEX395. So far, most of the mini PCs have come from lesser known or regional brands, rather than big names like Dell, Asus, and MSI.

Minisforum’s current AI X1 and N5 Pro lines already offer strong CPU performance. But the iGPU in the 395 delivers a more noticeable jump in graphics tasks.

That gap is especially clear when compared with models like the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 powered GMKtec EVO-X2, which is already on sale.

Although Minisforum has not confirmed anything officially, the leaked device names closely match those used across the AI X1 Pro series.

We’re excited to see what Minisforum comes up with, as its devices are consistently among the best mini PCs you can buy. We've previously seen hints of a 2U rackmount server powered by AMD’s Ryzen AI Max+ 395 processor from Minisforum, but the MS-S1 Max is an entirely different beast.

Via Notebookcheck

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• Microsoft reveals new Surface Laptop 5G
• Business customers targeted with reliable connectivity on the move
• Three editions are available, with orders open now

Microsoft has unveiled a new edition of its Surface Laptop designed specifically with business users in mind as it looks for a stronger foothold in the enterprise hardware market.

The new Surface Laptop 5G features AI-powered processing with a 40+ TOPS Neural Processing Unit (NPU) and Intel Core Ultra (Series 2) processors, day-long battery life, and an integrated 5G modem to stay connected to collaboration tools such as Microsoft 365.

There will be three distinct business laptop models available, with a flagship 5G-enabled edition sporting a 13.8in display available from August 26, joined by 13in and 12in editions, which are available now.

Surface Laptop 5G

Microsoft says the releases come as adding 5G to the Surface Laptop has become "one of the most requested features from our business customers".

The addition should mean greater support and more reliable connections for video conferencing calls when out and about, or for workers out in the field needing to contact the rest of their team.

To ensure consistent connectivity, Microsoft says the new Surface Laptop 5G features a "dynamic antenna system" which continuously adjusts to its environment, using six antennas to automatically adjust signal paths and power based on how the device is being held or used.

The company says these antennas are placed higher than usually situated in other laptop devices, reducing interference and allowing for a stronger connection through an entirely newly-designed, multi-layered laminate for the device.

(Image credit: Microsoft)

It can also switch between Wi-Fi and 5G networks depending on location, making sure the user stays connected, and can act as a mobile hotspot wherever Wi-Fi is unavailable, with NanoSIM and eSIM options also available.

Microsoft says it tested the devices with over 100 mobile operators across 50 countries, along with real-world enterprise environments, meaning IT admins can deploy and deliver updates and enforce company policies - wherever their users are.

This is also aided by the Surface Management Portal within the Intune Admin Center, which can provide visibility into device health, compliance, and usage - and thanks to Security Copilot, admins can use AI-powered tools to act fast to detect issues, assess risk, and respond accurately.

"Surface Laptop 5G represents Microsoft’s end-to-end innovation in action," Microsoft's Nancie Gaskill wrote in a blog post announcing the release.

"Hardware, software, and cloud services come together to deliver intelligent, secure, and connected experiences for today’s mobile workforce. The Surface for Business portfolio offers a complete solution for every user scenario, from tablet-first flexibility to high-performance laptops, all supported by Microsoft’s modern management and industry-leading security.

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• Predator: Badlands now has a full length trailer
• It reveals that Elle Fanning's protagonist character is a Weyland-Yutani synth
• This is exciting news for those wanting more Alien vs Predator in their life

Predator: Badlands just dropped a new trailer that has delighted fans, including myself, as it incorporates elements of both the Alien and Predator franchises.

Since the original Alien vs Predator movie was released in 2004, we've seen a lot of spinoffs that solely focus on one of the two creatures but now it seems the two universes are properly merging once again.

Xenomorphs are set to reappear in Hulu's upcoming Alien: Earth. Meanwhile, Predator was last seen in Predator: Killer of Killers (check our ranking of every chapter in the animated anthology movie) and before that Prey, which senior entertainment reporter Tom Power called "the best Predator movie since the 1987 original" in his Prey review.

Prey's director Dan Trachtenberg is also directing Predator: Badlands, so many are expecting it to be another very strong entry into the series. Take a look at the trailer for one of this year's new movies below.

What is Predator: Badlands about?

The official plot reads: "In the future on a remote planet, a young Predator, outcast from his clan, finds an unlikely ally in Thia and embarks on a treacherous journey in search of the ultimate adversary."

So, this confirms that a Predator and a Weyland-Yutani synth are indeed teaming up in Predator: Badlands, and it's very exciting to see these two worlds colliding again.

Predator: Badlands does have some serious sci-fi vibes in its first trailer, which I'm a huge fan of, and I'm sure there'll be plenty of action and thrills to enjoy whether or not you're team Alien or Predator.

Confirmed cast so far include Elle Fanning as Thia and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi as Dek (the Predator), and they are definitely shaping up to be one very cool duo.

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