The game in a nutshell is pretty straight forward. You fly your plane through a course littered with obstacles and power-ups. You can hold up to two power ups at a time and freely switch between them, but once you use them up they’re removed from your inventory. If you pick up a worthless power-up, or one that you want to get rid of for whatever reason, you can elect to use up that power-up to help fill your boost gauge. In addition, each power up has a second level if you pick up two of the same power-up increasing the potency of said power-up. All in all the power ups were very satisfying to use and I was rarely disappointed to pick up one or another as they are all valuable and have a specific function that can help you win races.

When it comes to selecting your plane, there are eight separate planes all with varying stats which give each plane a unique feel to its handling. Although you will only have access to two from the start, you can unlock more by playing through the campaign mode. In addition to the eight planes, each plane has four different skins that you can choose from. Some of these skins will need to be unlocked by fulfilling certain requirements either offline or online giving a little extra replay-ability to this arcade title.

The visuals are amazing!

Unfortunately, one downside is the anemic selection of tracks. I counted six different tracks, with reverse versions of each giving a grand total of 12 possible track lay outs. This is perhaps one of the single most important aspects of a racing game next to controls, and is perhaps this game’s greatest weakness. While three different game modes try to make up for the deficit in tracks, that still only gives you a grand total of 36 ways to play.

In regards to the three different game modes, all three play pretty similarly, but have enough variety to them to make them feel different enough. Power races are the basis of this game and from what I could tell the preferred mode for online play. In power races, you fly through the level picking up power ups that you use to help yourself or blow up the competition. Pretty standard and expected based on the game’s description and hallmark game play. Speed races are another type in which the goal is not to shoot down your opponents and come in first, but rather to fly through the various rings throughout the stage getting progressively faster. This is a race type suited more for experienced Skydrift players as I can personally vouch for the existence of several ‘traps’ within courses that I’ll crash into even at normal speeds. Finally, there’s survival, a game mode where the object is to not be in last. One minute into racing a 30 second countdown will appear. When that countdown reaches zero, whoever is in last place gets eliminated from the race and the counter resets. The careful use of power-ups is especially important in this mode as you want to make sure you have the capability to pull ahead of someone at the perfect moment, or protect your position so you don’t get blown off the course with seconds to spare before elimination.

Multi-player is entirely done online, so you may be disappointed to find out that there is no local multi-player; something that could have really saved this game. The online experience isn’t bad and there are usually a handful of other racers online at any given time leading to a fair wait time from seeking a match to hitting the track. In addition to being able to fully customize your individual races, when doing a series with a group you are given the ability to vote on tracks between races so the majority will be happy and you can have a say in staying away from any problem courses you might have.

Power-ups mean the difference between victory and defeat.

There are a few other neat features with this game such as the ability to do stunts such as flying at low altitudes to charge your boost meter. This will reward skilled players and help keep those that are truly good at the game in top positions rather than the seemingly lucky random come from behind victories that are rampant throughout other games of this genre. The controls are a little awkward and will take a race or two before you’re used to them. As they seek to emulate proper flight controls, you must remember that down is up and vice-versa. Also, this game is absolutely gorgeous! I was thoroughly impressed with the textures and effects in a title that costs only $15; A shame because if this game had some more content, I could see it selling fairly well in retail stores for $40 easily.

This game was reviewed on the Xbox 360.

Check out the first Gladiator Multiplayer trailer for Skydrift.

Improve your dog fighting skills with you and up to seven other players in six cut-throat arenas- including Warfactory, U.F.O. and Scrapyard. Jump into a blazing dogfight or create a new arena in order to pick the specific course settings, like weather conditions or Time Limits.

For more on SkyDrift please click here

Skydrift is an action-driven arcade air racing video game. The tagline of the game is: “If you can’t overtake them, shoot them down!”. The game is developed by Digital Reality, published on Xbox LIVE by Namco Bandai Partners S.A.S. and Digital Reality.

Improve your dog fighting skills with you and up to seven other players in six cut-throat arenas- including Warfactory, U.F.O. and Scrapyard. Jump into a blazing dogfight or create a new arena in order to pick the specific course settings, like weather conditions or Time Limits.

For more on SkyDrift please click here

Digital Reality have released a new video for their Ace Combat-like flying simulator/action game, SkyDrift, showing details for a new pack that adds three new planes to the game. The gameplay footage shown in the video looks insane, with some gorgeous environments and gameplay that looks really enjoyable.

You can download SkyDrift here, at the game’s website. By the looks of it, it might just be worth your time.

SkyDrift an an Arcade Jet Flying Racer that look pretty cool, from the launch trailer above.  It is now live for the Xbox Live Arcade and the Playstation Network on PS3.  It will run you 1200 Microsoft Points or $14.99 USD and includes 3 game modes, Power Race Mode, Speed Race Mode and Survival Mode.  8 different planes (32 Skins) and 8 person multiplayer.  SkyDrift will also be available for the PC as well.For more info on this stackable power up collecting, fighting sky racer, check out the full press release below.

Budapest, Hungary – September 7, 2011 –Pilots, start your engines! Digital Reality’s aerial combat racer SkyDrift takes to the skies today on PlayStation®Network and Xbox LIVE®Arcade. SkyDrift is a fast paced, arcade-heavy game that gives players the ultimate racing experience with a smooth, light, and quick flight style.

Download the action-packed SkyDrift launch trailer HERE!

Dominate against the deadliest opponents in the most spectacular exotic locations from all around the world. Choosing from 33 racing events on several reversible, living tracks, players will compete against opponents in single player or multiplayer challenges with up to eight players. The goal is simple: if you can’t overtake them, shoot them down!

SkyDrift GamePlay Features:

• Eight Modern Planes to Fly: Choose from eight modern, state-of-the art airplanes turned into killing machines, each with four different skins for a total of 32 unique racing skins.
• Six Power-ups!  Capture up to two different powers in your plane’s arsenal, then collect upgrades to increase the strength of those existing powers. Strategy becomes key as you must choose which powers to keep, which ones to upgrade and which ones to convert into Boost energy.
• Stunning Visuals: Race through scenic venues like the Grand Canyon, Alaskan Terrain and Hawaiian Islands, created with beautiful, vibrant colors.
• 8-person Multiplayer:  Jump online to take your friends down in this fast and furious battle.
• Three Unique Game Modes:  Power Race Mode is high-speed racing paired with power-ups; Speed Race Mode where players navigate the course through ring targets that accelerates plane speed and Survival Mode where pilots race against the countdown clock and each other.

​​In SkyDrift, become the master of the sky with challenging achievements, collectable rewards and badges, and numerous tactical power-ups.

Rated “E 10+” for Mild Violence by the Entertainment Software Review Board, SkyDrift is now available on PlayStation Network for $14.99 or on Xbox LIVE Arcade for 1200 Microsoft Points. For more information about SkyDrift, please visit the official website at http://skydriftgame.com and YouTube page and then follow us on Facebook and Twitter

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About Digital Reality

Digital Reality is a game service company that combines original gameplay and creative freedom from studios by maintaining a long-term online relationship with its customers. With a secure base of private funding, Digital Reality publishes games across all platforms, from downloadable console titles to browser-based and mobile games. Originally founded under the name Amnesty Design in 1991, Digital Reality has 20 years of experience in game development. The company’s first game, Reunion, was released on Amiga and PC in 1991, and in 1994 the company began work on the Imperium Galactica series. Other popular published games from Digital Reality include Haegemonia: Legions of Iron, Platoon, and Desert Rats vs. Afrika Korps. For more information, visit www.digitalreality.eu.