Nintendo is well known for crafting games that incorporate its console’s gimmicks around launch. The Nintendo Switch featured games like 1-2 Switch and ARMS, among others. With Nintendo Switch 2 now available, the Kyoto-based company has once again followed that trend. The certainly interesting Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour launched alongside the system on day one for $9.99, and just last week, Drag x Drive released, featuring a control scheme that requires the Joy-Con 2’s mouse capabilities.
Ever since we got our first look at this unconventional take on basketball, I’ve been a bit curious about how this experiment would play. After spending over 10 hours with Drag x Drive, I unfortunately feel that the skepticism surrounding the game was largely warranted. There are some bright spots, but there’s not enough here for me to recommend this to most players.
Rolling Onward
Drag x Drive is a 3v3 sports game that sees you control a player in a wheelchair playing basketball. It’s a very neat concept that surprisingly is a lot of fun to play, and this is largely thanks to the requirement of mouse controls. One of the biggest new features of the upgraded Joy-Con 2 was the optical sensor on each to allow for mouse controls, where you can position your Joy-Con 2 sideways and use the controller like a mouse for PC. A cursor pops up on the Switch 2 homescreen when you use mouse controls; it’s really neat.
Nintendo, so far, has done a solid job implementing uses of mouse controls into the Switch 2 launch library for the most part, with both Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour and Donkey Kong Bananza offering some fun use cases. However, Drag x Drive is the first full game that requires mouse controls—you won’t be able to use a Pro Controller for this. Players control the character by swiping both Joy-Con 2 forward or backward in real-time, making for an engaging experience that requires you to constantly move. The only way to move around the court is by utilizing the directional mouse controls and the shoulder and bumper buttons to brake or pass.
This control scheme makes for a very unique way to play basketball, as you’re constantly moving as fast as you can to catch a pass, make a shot, or perform a trick. You have to actually pull the Joy-Con 2 off the surface you’re playing on (most likely your legs) and flick your wrist to take a shot. It’s worth noting that I did run into some slight wrist strain a few times after playing. Part of this is likely due to the small nature of the Joy-Con 2, as these do not have the best ergonomics as a mouse for a long period of time.
Thankfully, despite the occasional strain, Drag x Drive is fun to play. I think there is a learning curve that will take some time to get used to, but once you understand the controls, there is a creative experience here that I found somewhat rewarding. Movements are perfectly reflected in the game, with a responsive feel that is heightened by a lack of any online connectivity issues. The HD Rumble 2 is also very well utilized, providing feedback that makes it feel like you really are moving wheels.
The 3v3 format is a good time to play with friends, especially as you can coordinate your moves and navigate through the court to defeat the enemy team. Performing Tricks by wheeling into the air and taking a shot gives you a bonus on top of your standard points, so you can rack up some wacky scores that might just barely give you the edge in a match. I think Drag x Drive could have absolutely packed in more complexity in its controls, but that was not the direction that the game was going for. Sure, ramming into enemies to free up the ball each time as defense can get old, but you still have to account for angles and speed to be successful.
However, while the controls and concept of the game are fun, an apparent lack of content makes this experience one most players will likely put away for good after just a short while.
Free Throws for Days
Each time you boot up the game, you’ll load into a park-like environment that acts as the game’s hub. The main mode of the game is standard basketball matches, which move at blitzing speeds and take place across a few minutes. You have to pay close attention to the court and all other players at all times, as there may be opportunities to score or turn over the ball at a moment’s notice. These matches overall are fun, but there is a significant difference in the experience between playing with friends and playing solo. When playing solo, you are limited to three simple communication messages that do not do much for you if you’re open for a pass. With friends, you can communicate on voice chat to get precise commands and interactions at all times. It’s not a dealbreaker by any means, but this limited communication can quickly lead to frustration.
Beyond this standard mode, Drag x Drive only has a few minigames and challenges to offer. These are Rebound Scamble and Circuit Sprint, which have you racing against others or catching a ball before anyone else. You also have challenges that can be accessed around the main hub to put your Trick skills to the test. I certainly was not expecting a huge undertaking of content for $20, but what’s here can only be compared to something like a minigame. There is one main mode to play with a few bite-sized offerings to check out in between matches. As a result, that one mode can quickly become dull and tiring. I am concerned that this will lead to a sharp decline in player count before the game even has a chance to establish a base. During my later play sessions, about a week after launch, I was barely able to find any players outside of Japan, though connectivity was not an issue. Nintendo could have aimed to establish some sort of progression system or ranked mode to keep players engaged, but the lack of either is apparent. There are pop-ups after each game that give a title to players for scoring the most tricks or points, but these do not do anything at all. You can unlock customizable options for your player, but these fail to add anything significant to the game.
Sadly, my biggest problem outside of the obvious lack of content is the art direction. Nintendo is known for bright, colorful, and outstanding art direction most of the time, but the dark and bland color palettes and designs make Drag x Drive feel lifeless at times. There is something to be said about this direction, sort of matching that typical basketball park environment, but I still feel Nintendo could have made something better. Strong character design could have done a lot to make the visuals a lot more engaging overall. The visuals themselves are crisp and look solid on Switch 2, but with nothing exciting, I failed to find myself impressed by them in any capacity. It also doesn’t help that the soundtrack is not very memorable.
Pass The Ball
Overall, Drag x Drive is a fairly mediocre offering that doesn’t do anything to stand on its own. While there is promise in the core gameplay, Nintendo failed to provide enough content to allow for any investment whatsoever. A campaign could have gone a long way in engaging players, and the lack of one feels very apparent. This could have been a game that found a dedicated audience with the right modes, but its inability to reach its true potential is something I thought about throughout my entire time of play.
I feel very similar about this release as I did with Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour—and that is not in a good way. With so many incredible games releasing on Switch 2 over the next few months, I think almost all players are better off saving the $20 to put toward another release. Maybe there is something to be said for those planning to squad up with three friends, but solo players can find better experiences out there. Not every game needs to have dozens of modes and content offerings, but Nintendo—of all developers—can do better than this.
Disclaimer: Drag x Drive was reviewed on Nintendo Switch 2 and purchased by the reviewer.
