Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Riding Star 2 builds on the realistic riding challenges of its predecessor by offering three core disciplines: military, dressage, and show jumping. Each class presents unique obstacles and scoring systems, pushing players to adapt their riding style and timing. The mouse and keyboard control scheme—where the reins are guided with the mouse and the keyboard regulates speed—takes a moment to master but ultimately provides a deeper connection to the horse’s movement than traditional button-based systems.

Beyond the arena, the stable management features allow you to create a custom rider avatar and maintain a stable of horses. You can equip each horse with saddles, blankets, and decorative items, then care for them individually. Feeding, grooming, and hoof cleaning are all handled in a close-up view, giving you a tactile sense of responsibility that heightens your attachment to your equine partners.

Tournaments span five difficulty levels and various indoor and outdoor courses, including a faithful rendition of Aachen’s world championship stadium. As you compete, your horses gain experience, unlocking new gear and higher-tier events. Hotseat multiplayer lets friends take turns competing on the same machine, while the online mode connects you with riders worldwide. Real-time chat and online scoreboards add a competitive edge, making every victory—and defeat—feel both personal and public.

Graphics

Visually, Riding Star 2 steps up from the dated look of the original Windows 95/98 title. Horse models exhibit smoother animations and more natural gait cycles, from a leisurely walk to a heart-pumping gallop. The close-up stable view highlights individual hairs on your horse’s coat and subtle details in tack and equipment, showcasing the developers’ commitment to authenticity.

Competition arenas are diverse and richly detailed. Indoor arenas feature polished wooden floors and cheering crowds, while outdoor courses present meticulously rendered obstacles and lush landscapes. The Aachen stadium, recreated for the 2006 World Equestrian Games, stands out with its grandstands, flags, and realistic lighting that shifts from bright midday sun to the cool hues of early evening.

Environmental effects—like dust kicking up during a jump or subtle shadows under your horse’s hooves—add depth to every scene. While textures can appear a bit flat on older hardware, the overall aesthetic remains charming and functional, ensuring that riders can judge distances and timing with clarity and style.

Story

As a simulation-driven title, Riding Star 2 doesn’t follow a traditional narrative with cutscenes or plot twists. Instead, the “story” unfolds through your personal journey: building a rider profile, raising horses from novices to champions, and experiencing the thrill of competition. This emergent storytelling lets each player craft their own equestrian saga.

Your progression is marked by unlocked tournaments, improved horse statistics, and new stable equipment. Each success—whether clearing a tricky dressage pattern or conquering a military obstacle course—feels like a chapter in your career. The absence of a rigid storyline frees you to set personal goals, whether that’s mastering dressage or dominating online leaderboards.

Interactions with other riders in hotseat and online modes add another layer to the narrative. Friendly rivalries and exchange of tips create a community-driven backstory, turning each multiplayer session into a social event. You might find yourself trading strategies on hoof care or admiring another player’s custom tack, weaving a shared tale of competition and camaraderie.

Overall Experience

Riding Star 2 delivers a well-rounded equestrian simulation that will appeal to horse lovers and competitive gamers alike. Its blend of realistic controls, detailed horse care, and varied tournament play offers hours of focused engagement. The multiplayer modes—both hotseat and online—extend replay value by introducing a human element to every race and pattern sequence.

While the graphics and physics engine may show their age on modern systems, the game’s core strengths—immersive stable management, authentic riding mechanics, and thoughtful progression—remain solid. The interface is intuitive once you adapt to the mouse-based reins and keyboard speed control, and comprehensive tutorials ease new riders into the saddle.

For those craving a simulation that balances technical riding challenges with warm, hands-on horse care, Riding Star 2 hits the mark. It honors the legacy of the 1999 original while expanding its scope, offering enough depth and community features to satisfy seasoned players and newcomers. Whether pursuing personal bests or topping online leaderboards, you’ll find plenty to keep you in the saddle.

Retro Replay Score

null/10