When Nintendo first premiered Drag x Drive at its April Direct, which also served as the big Nintendo Switch 2 showcase, there was no shortage of confusion, mostly due to its scope and scale. It seemed interesting enough, especially with the control scheme, but was that really all it offers? Thankfully, it wasn’t, and the company followed up with many more details, and a Global Jam demo for Switch 2 players to go hands-on with.
Drag x Drive launches on August 14th for the console and costs a mere $19.99 (excluding the cost of Nintendo Switch Online for online play). Here’s everything you should know before diving in.
Premise
Wheelchair basketball. As unconventional as it seems for the sports game genre, dominated as it’s been by NBA 2K year in and year out, the presentation felt somewhat familiar. It’s also akin to streetball with smaller teams and looser rules. Points for style are also important in more ways than one, but overall, it’s something new and different.
Mouse and Motion Controls
One such area where it stands out from the crowd is its controls. Movement is predominantly mouse-driven. Using the Joy-Con 2s, players drag them up to accelerate forward and down to reverse pace. You can also turn by moving either the Left or Right Joy-Con 2 up or down while the other remains still. Of course, motion controls also factor in – a simple flick of the wrist with a Joy-Con 2 translates into a shot.
3v3 Over Three Minutes
Matches are three-on-three. After meeting up with other players online and organizing into teams, you must score more points than your opponents within the time limit to win. The catch is that matches are only three minutes long, lending to a faster and more frantic pace. Of course, you would think there’s some kind of risk vs. reward mechanic that would fit perfectly within this format, and you would be right. But we’ll get to that.
Ball Possession
There are other time limits to consider, especially when it comes to ball possession. Your team can only hold the ball for 14 seconds, so in that interval, you need to shoot or else lose possession. Pretty straightforward, but you also need to keep in mind that opponents can slam into you and take the ball away.
Shot Success
While lining up for a shot, a little bar will be visible at the bottom, indicating the chances of success. If it’s blue, then it’s very likely; red means you’re probably not aiming at the hoop, and I’m reporting you. Then again, considering the time limits for ball possession among your team and getting that perfect angle, which means carefully moving a single Joy-Con 2 into just the right position, it could be much harder than it looks.
Playing Defense
Slamming into opponents that have the ball is one way to prevent them from scoring, but thanks to motion controls, you can also…lift your hands. Interestingly, even slamming has some nuance. While a head-on collision shakes the ball loose, it’s tougher to pull off since you need to predict an opponent’s movement path. Hitting them from the side won’t make them drop the ball, but it can still disrupt shots.
Tricks
If all that wasn’t enough, you can also pull off tricks, like hitting the halfpipe and dunking. Depending on how impressive this is, additional points, usually in decimal increments, are awarded, which could be all the edge needed to emerge victorious. There’s also tilting, which is done by lifting a Joy-Con 2 while braking, causing your character to balance on their side. It’s great for reaching higher to block shots and increases the success of your shots if someone is attempting to block.
And for those who prefer to hang back for those three-pointers, there’s the Bunny Hop. Executing a Tilt and then suddenly lifting the other Joy-Con 2 causes your character to jump, which adds more points for long shots, and that +0.1 can make all the difference. You can also Bunny Hop for even more blocking height or hit it on a half pipe for a dunk to score even more points.
Styles
Drag x Drive features three different player styles, which are essentially equivalent to classes: Guard, Center, and Forward. The Guard accelerates the fastest and boasts impressive agility, but their rebounding and strength are pitifully low. The Center is taller, which is great for blocking and shooting, and they also won’t be as easily disrupted by collisions, but obviously lacks Quickness. The Forward, as you’ve probably guessed, is a middle ground – three out of five in Quickness, Rebounding and Strength.
Customization
Naturally, you can customize the look of your character from their helmet and “armor” to the wheelchair frame and tires. Multiple colors and textures are available, and you can also adjust their jersey number. It isn’t the most in-depth cosmetic customization, but there are enough options to distinguish yourself from opponents and teammates.
Parks
All matches unfold in Parks, with options for Public and Friend Parks. Both hold up to 12 players for online matches, and when the teams are set, two matches can occur simultaneously. As such, you can choose to spectate instead of play and cheer on others from the sidelines. The Park also features various half pipes, ramps, and other attractions for messing around and practising tricks. You can also set preferences for mini-games and how you’ll join matches (like only being added if you’re needed or joining any open slots).
Circuit Sprint
There are also mini-games, like Circuit Sprint, a more traditional racing mode. Executing tricks grants a speed boost, and the first one to reach the goal wins. Getting a feel for the park and finding the best ways to navigate it beforehand proves even more important.
Rebound Scramble
Alternatively, you can play Rebound Scramble, where a single ball drops into the park and everyone races to grab it, with the first one to gain possession winning out. This feels like something even snappier than Circuit Sprint, though you never know what battle royale-style shenanigans and collisions may occur as players fight for the ball.
Free Throw, Jump Rope and Other Challenges
What would a basketball game be without a free-throw challenge? The objective is to score as many successful shots as possible within the time limit. You can also participate in a jump rope challenge where Bunny Hopping is essential (and a handy meter keeps track of successful hops) and what appears to be an impromptu sumo match. Other challenges seemingly await on the outer edges of the court, so seek them out for fun or to sharpen your skills.
Offline Matches With CPU
Alternatively, you can play offline matches against the CPU. Drag x Drive doesn’t offer a Career Mode or any other single-player mode aside from this, but the CPU does have nine difficulty levels. Levels 1 to 3 fall under Easy; levels 4 to 6 are Standard; and levels 7 to 9 make up Hard difficulty (with the ninth level needing to be unlocked).
Installation Size
The other big selling point for Drag x Drive, beyond its price? The installation size. The Nintendo eShop listing estimates it to be only 1.4 GB in size, making it one of the smallest titles for the Switch 2, and much easier to justify keeping around for some quick games.
