Ace Driver: Namco’s New Polygon Arcade Racer Debuts Home Release

Namco’s classic 1994 racing title Ace Driver is finally making its debut on home consoles this week.

The launch marks the game’s inaugural port, arriving as part of Hamster Corporation’s Arcade Archives collection—a line of meticulously curated reissues that bring forgotten arcade and console gems to modern audiences.

Originally unveiled in August 1994, just ten months after Namco’s own Ridge Racer, Ace Driver shares the pioneering use of texture‑mapped polygonal graphics and competitive multiplayer modes, yet it was crafted by a distinct development team.

Unlike what many fans might assume, Ace Driver is not a continuation or spin‑off of the iconic Ridge Racer series. Instead, it stands as a distinct racing title that shares the same powerful System 22 arcade platform.

In fact, Ace Driver represents only the second title to launch on Namco’s System 22 hardware, following the groundbreaking Ridge Racer.

Hamster’s Arcade Archives lineup has seen a steady influx of System 22 classics over the past year, with recent reissues of Ridge Racer, Air Combat 22, Aqua Jet, Tokyo Wars, Rave Racer, and Cyber Commando.

Mark your calendars: Ace Driver will debut on Thursday, May 28. The game will be available as an Arcade Archives 2 title on Switch 2, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, while the original Arcade Archives releases will launch on Switch and PS4.