"Now I'm going to play basketball with robots pushing themselves in wheelchairs!" A sentence I definitely did not expect to say this year. Or, well… ever. But here we are: Drag x Drive, one of the most anticipated games of the year, has landed on the Switch 2 as some weird sports fantasy starring robots, wheelchairs, and my forearms, which still hurt as I write this review. .
The full power of the new Joy Con
This game is literally designed to get the most out of the new Joy Con, and in a very physical way. At its core, Drag x Drive is 3v3 wheelchair basketball, but with a twist: each Joy Con represents one wheel of the wheelchair, we push it back and forth to move, and one to turn. There is no classic analog control, but you start with your own hands. That feeling of tactile connection with the character is special, at least at the beginning. Over time, he gets a little tired.
Hurry back until they score our basket! Ah, it's too late. Again.
The first 15 minutes or so of each game is definitely exciting. Sliding the Joy Con across the table while my robot in the cart moves is fun. Games last 3 minutes and time flies. I slide the Joy Con on the table, sometimes less successfully than I'd like, but I'm getting started! I swerve, shoot, make a three-pointer while my opponents attack me and feel that brief moment of pride. I may be a basketball anti-talent in real life but watch me score here! But when that initial "wow" effect wears off... things fall apart a bit.
A game with bots is also possible
Motion controls: interesting, until it hurts
The controls are smart, but not practical. This is not a game for binge-watching. If you're not a bodybuilder or professional shot putter, after 20-30 minutes you'll start to feel your arms and shoulders, and not in that fun, "I've been working out-a-little" way. Movement is simply not ergonomic. I was trying to push the Joy Con on the table and I bent over in some weird position. If I push them away on my thighs, I crease my pants and I don't have a good flu. There is no ideal pose, no matter how I position myself, it doesn't suit me for a long time and I don't manage to do what I set out to do, so I crash into the fence or the full basket.
Beginnings are difficult, let's learn the basics.
Three robots, three styles, zero cooperation
During the game you can choose between three types of robots, with different roles on the field. There are fast and agile robots that can push carts faster and make their way through crowds more easily, heavyweights that serve to block and clear the ball, and a balanced, golden mean. That choice doesn't radically change the gameplay, but it brings enough variety to try out multiple playstyles. The only problem is that most online teammates play center on steroids, so there isn't much team dynamics.
You can still make some minimal changes to the robots
Between matches, the game also throws in mini-games that further test your cart driving skills. Some are ok, like challenges where you have to go through a series of checkpoints in a limited time, but some are more frustrating than useful. If you're already tired of the standard match, these mini-games will come as more of a bummer than a welcome. It is possible to turn them off, which is good.
Stabbing into teammates regularly happens in the beginning
The online experience is weird. I mostly ended up in games with stingy players from Japan. The one who has the ball will continue to have it until it is taken away or until he shoots the basket, even if it is from the dead corner. Few are generous, and opportunities for communication are scarce. I waited a long time for matchmaking, and rarely saw nicknames in Latin, as if the game had not really taken off in our region.
Style without identity
Visually, the game is dominated by shades of metallic gray. Robots, carts, terrain - everything is uniform. The ball is the only thing that pops. The design of the robots seems unfinished, you can choose colors and do a little personalization here and there, but still they all look like brothers from the factory series that lack personality. The soundtrack doesn't stand out either, a synth vibe that's easily forgotten.
However, one thing should be said: Drag x Drive is not just a fun idea. This is one of the few games that emphasizes people with disabilities. The national team is not only mentioned here, it is the core of the game. Mechanics, design, control... everything is built around the idea of mobility in a different way, which really deserves praise.
Blue team, ready for anything!
More of a prototype than a complete game
Drag x Drive is definitely more interesting than fun game. Creative and unusual? Yes, but also limited. After a few matches everything becomes the same. There aren't enough modes, variety, or content to keep you going for more than a half-hour game. It feels like you're playing a prototype that was released to showcase the new Joy Con, and that's the biggest shame. When your game settles down, and the team plays as a team, when I make a cool trick and an even better basket, you can feel the potential. But that potential isn't enough to hold me back.
I'm glad Nintendo is experimenting and using technology in new ways, but I hope Drag x Drive is just the beginning, not the end. With a little more content, more depth and polish, we could be talking about one of the most special sports games ever. For now? Just an interesting experiment.
A copy of the game was provided by the distributor CD Media for review purposes
