Drag x Drive Review – Far from Frictionless

New Nintendo consoles tend to launch with a mix of heavy-hitters, like Mario and Zelda, and smaller, quirkier projects designed to show off the system’s unique features. So far, the Nintendo Switch 2 has offered plenty of the former with big games like Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza, but, surprisingly, not really any of those oddball experimental titles. That's about to change with the release of Drag x Drive, a sci-fi-flavored arcade sports game that closely resembles wheelchair basketball and makes use of the mouse functionality and motion controls of the new Joy-Con 2 controllers in ways only Nintendo could dream up.

Is Drag x Drive a superstar display of the Switch 2's unique features? Or is it just... a drag? Roll on for the answer…

Nintendo may largely avoid the comparison in their marketing, but it’s clear Drag x Drive is inspired by the real-life sport of wheelchair basketball, with teams of three taking to the court in wheeled frames for some ballin’ fun. While there are halfpipe-like ramps at either end of the court for you to do tricks on, the playing field is otherwise a more-or-less standard basketball court. Of course, you can sink standard 2- and 3-pointers, but bonus fractions can also be scored for pulling off tricks (a dunk is usually worth 2.2 points, for instance). This is also a full-on contact sport, with players being able to knock the ball out of opponents' hands by crashing into them. Perhaps none of this sounds particularly out there, but I can assure you, Drag x Drive does set itself apart with a truly unique control scheme.

Players use both the left and right Joy-Con 2 controllers in mouse mode, with each basically replicating your avatar's left and right arms. Push both Joy-Cons forward on a flat surface to roll forward, push just the left forward to turn right and just the right to go left. Shooting is a simple matter of lifting up one of the Joy-Cons and making a flicking motion when your avatar is facing the basket. Passing is handled automatically with a push of the L and R buttons. There are also a handful of other moves and tricks, like bunny-hops and halfpipe back flips, that can be pulled off with more advanced manipulation of the Joy-Cons. As mentioned before, manage to score a basket during or shortly after one of these tricks and you may get a few bonus points.

So, the big question -- does Drag x Drive's weird control scheme actually work? Well, sort of. The mouse controls are responsive enough, and with practice, you can get quite good at gliding across the floor to your opponent's basket. You may even be able to pull off the occasional dunk or trick.

Where the controls break down is when players all pile into a pack near the hoop, knocking into each other and scrambling for the loose ball. Drag x Drive's controls just don't work very well for precise turns and movement and a lot of each 3-minute game consists of players smashing into each other and chasing the ball, which means you’re going to be spending a lot of time frantically sliding your Joy-Cons on your table (or thighs, lap desk, or whatever surface you're using to play) trying to properly situate yourself. In these moments, the controls often feel inadequate, frustrating, and frankly, tiring.

The latter is not something to take lightly. After only 20 minutes or so of playing Drag x Drive, I'd start feeling a bit of burn in my arms, and after 45 minutes, I'd start to feel some real pain in my shoulders. As in, "stop or you might do yourself some damage" pain. And this is coming from someone who's relatively physically able and very aware of the importance of playing games ergonomically due to all the time I spend on reviews. I wasn't hunching, I wasn't unnecessarily stressing my body, but I couldn't find a way to play Drag x Drive that didn't hurt after a while.

There's definitely some irony in the fact that a game based on wheelchair basketball, a sport created by and for people with disabilities, is so unyielding in its controls, to the point it will be inaccessible for some. Unfortunately, the game's options menu doesn't provide any relief -- the one quirky control scheme Nintendo has devised is all you get, take it or leave it.

All that said, make no mistake, there are moments of fun to be had playing Drag x Drive. Basketball is fun! Basketball with tackling and tricks is even more fun! I could see a more developed version of Nintendo's take on wheelchair basketball, with more control options, being something worth building around. Unfortunately, that version of Drag x Drive doesn't exist.

In addition to its control scheme, Drag x Drive also stands out for its unusually heavy focus on online play for a Nintendo game. Everything in Drag x Drive revolves around Parks, which act as social hubs for friends or matchmade randos to hang out in while you wait for enough players to accumulate for a proper game. There are a couple of minigames you can engage in while hanging around -- a basic race and a ball-chase scramble -- which are mildly diverting, but definitely don't outshine the core basketball action. 

There are some offline activities you can engage in while hanging around the Park, including games against nine levels of AI opponents and a series of timed challenges. The latter can actually be fairly tricky and compelling in short bursts, and completing them will unlock extra cosmetic choices for your avatar. That said, while not totally non-existent, Drag x Drive’s single-player content is nothing to get overly excited about.

Also nothing to get excited about is Drag x Drive's presentation, which is oddly lifeless, lacking any of the color, character, or general pizzazz you usually expect from first-party Nintendo games. At least the game runs well I suppose, although it would be fairly shocking if it didn't given the simplicity of its presentation.

Of course, Drag x Drive will only set you back 20 bucks, but given the game's lack of content and general blandness, even that may be too rich for some folks' blood. Beyond the simple question of content, I'm skeptical the heavily-centered online component of this game will be viable for long. Even during the free Drag x Drive demo, a time when there were more people trying the game out than there may ever be in the future, there was often a shortage of players to fill out games, resulting in me getting stuck in 2-on-2 contests. Perhaps the game will find a dedicated audience, but I’m not sure I see it surviving into overtime.

This review was based on a copy of Drag x Drive provided by publisher Nintendo.

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