Among the many first Nintendo Swap 2 video games I attempted once I went hands-on with the console in New York was Drag X Drive. Certain, there have been larger video games to take a look at, however this one used the Pleasure-Con 2’s mouse controls in a manner few folks anticipated. As a substitute of simply navigating menus or clicking and dragging objects, the mouse controls mimic the motions of pushing a wheelchair. I performed the demo, thought “, that was type of enjoyable,” after which didn’t take into consideration the sport once more till it bought its launch date a couple of weeks in the past.
Now, after having extra time with the sport and taking part in it on-line with precise folks, what? It’s form of enjoyable, but additionally, I’m unsure how a lot I’ll give it some thought once more.
See, there’s an issue with Drag X Drive, and it’s not the controls; they’re nice and so they work. There’s a excessive ability ceiling I really feel with them. That’s why you possibly can simply get by and play the sport, however to be truly proficient at it and tackle one of the best, those who will dedicate themselves to the sport, it’s going to take some time to get the dangle of it. The vitality required for the repeated motion of wheeling round, too, will likely be completely different for everybody. For my drained wrists, it truly meant having to take a break between matches and relaxation the outdated carpal tunnel. You’ll be able to play the sport on both a tabletop or use your legs or drag the mouse forwards and backwards, no matter is snug, and to be sincere, you would possibly by no means get there.
The sport of basketball within the recreation too, that’s not the issue. Certain, it’s basketball, however it’s additionally augmented by the methods you possibly can pull off within the chairs. So, whereas customary 2 and 3-point pictures stand, you possibly can add some aptitude to it with a trick; you possibly can add a decimal level to that rating to make your opponents attempt that little bit more durable to get again at you. Going coast to coast simply to shoot threes gained’t work in case your opponents are good at pulling off methods. There are three completely different driver sorts: Guard, Ahead, and Centre, every with barely completely different stats, however you’re in all probability simply going to stay with the one which strikes the quickest.
No, the actual drawback with Drag X Drive, is that there’s simply not very a lot to do in it. There are a couple of mini-games littered round you possibly can check out your self, and the excessive scores are shared on the large screens within the park with different gamers. Nonetheless, except for the primary basketball recreation, a circuit dash the place you race different folks, and a mode the place you must chase a unfastened ball across the park—that’s about it. As you play, you’ll unlock a small variety of helmets, and you’ll change your quantity in your again and the colors of your unnamed wheelchair occupier, however it doesn’t go any deeper than that. There are seven objectives to get that unlock the helmets, however yeah, not a lot happening.
Granted, the sport is reasonable (properly, not less than Nintendo low-cost) however that additionally poses an issue. Movement controls, mouse controls now, aren’t going to be everybody’s factor. Plus, then you have to have on-line as a result of if you happen to don’t, there’s completely no level in shopping for this recreation. You’ll be able to play it towards CPU bots, and the more durable bots are brutal, however with nearly nothing to unlock, it simply appears pointless.
The opposite factor is that the sport is totally drab and boring-looking. There’s one park to play in; it’s set in some grungy dim warehouse that doesn’t change. All of the characters within the recreation are personality-less, and there’s barely any music, aptitude, and even an announcer to liven the ambiance. Nintendo’s probably accomplished this as a result of they suppose you’ll be utilizing GameChat and that may simply get in the way in which, however that’s only a guess. A superb group, one that really passes the ball, is absolutely required to get essentially the most out of all of it.
You’ve additionally bought to ask, did Nintendo intentionally make Drag X Drive devoid of any characters and character to keep away from truly having to have an precise individual, Mii, or Mario-world character in a wheelchair to keep away from that controversy?
Look, there’s nothing inherently unsuitable with Drag X Drive — the management scheme is partaking and enjoyable — however there’s no getting previous the truth that, except for these controls, that is only a very bare-bones and drab-looking basketball wheelchair recreation. If the controls aren’t sufficient to maintain you hooked, there’s actually nothing else right here to carry your consideration. The sport feels prefer it was break up off from an even bigger idea or a package deal of video games, and whereas Nintendo has expressed a need to make cheaper, smaller titles, might they not less than make them much less empty in each ambiance and options than this one?
Ranking: 3.5/5
Paul Roberts contributed to this assessment.
