Drift Street International Hands-On
We get up to ridiculous speeds in our first hands-on with this DSiWare racing exclusive.
Aussie dev studio Tantalus may have found the most success so far with its Pony Friends game, but it's focusing on horsepower of a different kind with its latest title, the DSiWare-exclusive Drift Street International. As its name implies, the game is an arcade racer with a heavy emphasis on drifting, and it left us with a positive Ridge Racer vibe during our first hands-on at GDC 2010.
Pepper Grinder GameSpot Video Review Wild Bastards Is More Than Just A Void Bastards Western Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road – Worldwide Beta Test Demo Trailer Visions Of Mana Is A New And Vivid Take For The Series | GameSpot Hands-on Preview Corpse Party II: Darkness Distortion - Official Announcement Trailer Escape From Tarkov - Official "Winter Tales" Live Action Trailer Call of Duty: Warzone - Exploring Rebirth Island Trailer Modern Warfare III & Warzone - New Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire Bundles Trailer Predator: Hunting Grounds - Official "The Hunt Begins Again" Reveal Trailer Chef Life: A Restaurant Simulator | Tokyo Delight DLC Gameplay Trailer ONE PIECE: PIRATE WARRIORS 4 – Legend Dawn Pack – DLC Character Pack 6 Trailer The Last Case of Benedict Fox - DEFINITIVE EDITION Official Launch trailer
Please enter your date of birth to view this video
By clicking 'enter', you agree to GameSpot's
Terms of Use and Privacy Policy
Drift Street International will let you race on 12 tracks set in the US, the UK, and Japan and will feature six different cars (which you'll have to unlock as the game progresses). When in single-player, you'll be racing against three other AI opponents on mostly curvy tracks, perfect for drifting around at high speeds. The controls are simple: the DSi's A button is for accelerating, while tapping B as you approach a corner will initiate a drift that you can control. Successful drifts (that is, not crashing into walls or barriers while drifting) will slowly build up a nitro meter, which can be unleashed by pressing the X button should you need a quick burst of speed.
We played the game’s single-player mode, which featured a stock-standard race, a checkpoint challenge, and speed trials. The speed trial proved to be the most challenging, as the game tasks you with maintaining a set speed at all times. Fail to keep your vehicle at that speed, and you’ll fail the mode. The game also supports four-person multiplayer via Wi-Fi, but we were unable to try out this feature.
For a DSIWare title, Drift Street International is looking quite good. Tracks and cars sport some good detail, and the frame rate didn't stutter during races. For fans of the Ridge Racer style of arcade drift, this game will be instantly familiar and accessible. Drift Street International will be released next week and will retail for 800 Nintendo points.
Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com
Join the conversation