Man, I used to LOVE this game. One of my all time fav's.
When played with a Madcatz steering wheel, this was heaven... And when you really 'nailed' a corner, it felt awesome. This was arcade racing at it's finest. I remember people saying that this didn't really add much to the Ridge Racer formula, but I felt differently. The graphics were improved, the cars were cooler, and the tracks were cooler. I also felt that it handled better.
Sure, it wasn't without it's flaws... Cars used to 'skip' around the track and there was some evident popup in the background. That said, I couldn't have cared less at the time... Maybe I had a more forgiving nature back then. But let's face it, I was comparing it to the likes of Road Rash and Rock'n'Roll Racing, not Wipeout 2097.
It seems funny writing this review so long after this game was released. However, the mark of 5.9 seems harsh, and I had to add my twenty cents worth. Sure, I can't recommend this game in 2009, but certainly a game I remember very fondly.