The classic arcade racing game Ridge Racer, originally released by Namco in 1993, is famous for its drifting mechanics and soundtrack. A particularly rare variant of the cabinet, known as Ridge Racer Full Scale, featured three 28-inch CRT monitors to create an immersive, wraparound view for the driver.
This triple-screen cabinet is exceptionally rare, with estimates suggesting only a handful were ever produced. For years, accurately emulating this specific hardware configuration in the Multi-Arcade Machine Emulator (MAME) was not possible due to the complexity of its multi-CRT video system.
According to recent developments tracked by the MAME project and gaming preservation communities, significant progress has been made. As of early 2026, the unique video output of the three-screen Ridge Racer cabinet is now functionally emulated within MAME, allowing the game's expansive field of view to be recreated on modern systems.
This achievement is a notable step in digital preservation, capturing the experience of an obscure piece of arcade history that very few players ever encountered in its original form. The work ensures that the technical specifics of this rare hardware variant are documented and can be experienced by future generations.
