Back in 1994, Namco helped Sony launch its PlayStation console with a stunningly close port of its wildly successful Ridge Racer arcade machine, giving the 32-bit machine its first killer app.
Since then, Namco's arcade racing franchise has helped launch a whole host of platforms, including the PS2, PSP, Nintendo 3DS and PS3.
However, in recent years, the franchise has sadly fallen silent. The last entry was the forgettable 2016 smartphone game Ridge Racer Draw & Drift, while the last console-based instalment was the divisive Ridge Racer Unbounded.
Sure, we've had a faithful port of the 1993 coin-op original as part of Hamster's Arcade Archives series, but what I'm really hankering for is a full-fat, HD-era entry in the series, complete with bright skies, screaming tyres and – of course – an infectious soundtrack.
I know I'm not alone in this; recently, games journalist and author Andy Kelly blessed us with the superb One More Win, a fanzine devoted entirely to the sublime R4: Ridge Racer Type 4.
However, a community of fans has been championing this series for quite some time now, and one of them produced a wonderful album back in 2018 that also pays tribute to the 1998 PS1 sequel.
Real Racing Roots 2019 is the work of Andrew Elmore, a visual designer and composer who has previously held roles at Epic and Bungie.
"R4 is one of my all-time very favourite games, and its music and visual design are near and dear to my heart," says Elmore on the album's Bandcamp page.
"This is a little love letter to that game, 20 years after its release. 14 tracks and 3 bonus tracks of rainy day acid jazz and late '90s drum and bass grooves to help you drift sideways into the sunset."
Elmore also contributed to the acclaimed Ridge Racer Infinity album from a couple of years ago. You can check out more of his musical work in the reel below. Who knows, if we all start blasting this from our stereos, we might just make a new Ridge Racer happen.