Drift Street International
Score: 80% ESRB: Everyone Publisher: Tantalus Developer: Tantalus Media: Download/1 Players: 1; 2 - 4 (Ad Hoc) Genre: Racing
Graphics & Sound: Drift Street International's three race types take place over nine courses. Though the menus leading to each are a bit on the bland side, the courses look phenomenal. I know, you're probably looking at the screens right now and chuckling at my definition of "phenomenal," but when you consider Drift Street is A) a DS game and B) a downloadable game, it's pretty dang impressive. I'd even venture to say it is one of the service's best-looking games (that is, if you ignore the artistic merits of the "art games" that also call DSiWare home). Car models are "flat," but look better than what other games have offered on the DS. You start off with a small selection of cars and eventually fill out your garage to the tune of six cars, each with alternate custom paint jobs. Races take place at night, allowing developer Tantalus to pump just a few more details into tracks. Some of the cityscapes don't pop as much as others, and everything eventually begins to look the same, though when you're zooming around at top speed avoiding other cars and trying to not spin out, who cares what the track looks like?
Gameplay: Drift Street International's nine courses take you from the US to Japan and even the UK. Courses never really offer a feel of their host country, but as I said earlier - who cares? Courses place more emphasis on drifting (it is in the title) than simply trying to outmaneuver opponents. Though courses feature a few straightaways, you'll come across a number of wide curves you need to drift through. All three race types are built around mastering the drift-and-boost mechanic. Race pits you against other cars, while Checkpoint and Speed Trial remove opponents, replacing them with checkpoints and timers. Drift Street International is based around unlocks. The garage is rather boring and based solely on giving you cars with better stats. Where this a cart-based game, I'd complain but considering Drift Street is an $8 download, it isn't too bad. The only bad part is unlockables seem completely random sometimes. It's hard to work towards a certain unlock. You're forced to keep playing until you randomly unlock some reward. In addition to single-player races, Drift Street International also supports multiplayer. This is a great addition and boosts the game's merits even further. At the same time, you need to find other players with the game. I was able to snag a few after showing the game off, but some sort of single-card play mode would have been a nice touch.
Difficulty: Drift Street International takes the "toss them into the deep end" approach. There's no tutorial over even an introduction; you're given a car and left to figure things out for yourself. I've never been a fan of the sink-or-swim method, but can make an exception for racing games. For the most part, if you've played one you've played them all. Besides, if you're even looking at Drift Street International as a purchase, you're probably a fan of the genre already. Even if you typically bully your way through drift events in other racing games, Drift Street International forces you to learn how to drift. Clean moves around corners reward you with a nitro boost, giving you a slight edge when you hit straight road. It's not a massive boost, but enough to keep you in the game if you fall behind. Most times races are determined purely by how well you can drift.
Game Mechanics: Even if you're able to figure out the game's drift and boost mechanics, you'll still come across a few technical problems. Controls are standard and easy to figure out. I have to commend Tantalus for going the usual route and not forcing a stylus/ touch-based steering mechanic. Other developers would have at least attempted the option, but here the mechanics are allowed to speak for themselves without any sort of gimmick. Clean drifts are a matter of timing. When you hit a turn, you have to know the exact moment to hit the brakes and, for lack of a better explanation, let your car slide out of control for a few seconds. The trick is knowing how long to let the car slide and when to reign it back in. Even experienced drivers can expect to slam into walls the first few times. Drift controls feel a bit loose. Even if it feels like you're doing it right, there's always the chance your timing will be off. Most of the problem can be attributed to the "digital" switch between drifting and normal racing. There's no way to ease into either; cars switch between both instantly. You'll eventually build up a rhythm, though it may take a few loses before you do. As racing games go, Drift Street International isn't overly impressive. But, when you consider the price and what you're getting, it's a good deal for racing fans.
-Starscream, GameVortex Communications AKA Ricky Tucker
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