There are plenty of reasons to like Nintendo, especially in this rather turbulent period of the game industry, where many developers and publishers aren’t “being the nicest ever,” while Nintendo is sticking the landing with its big 1st party titles and trying to deliver experiences that gamers will love and remember for some time. That brings us to the other side of the coin: Nintendo’s “weirdness.” Every once in a while, they get it in their heads that they need to go “off the beaten path” to make something, and games like Drag X Drive are a result of that “weirdness” taking form.
The game was revealed during the Switch 2 Nintendo Direct in April, and many fans tilted their heads as they watched the trailer for it. Very basically, it’s basketball, but in a wheelchair. On its own, that would be odd, but not “to the level of Nintendo.” Except, The Big N then decided that the way to play this game would be to use the Nintendo Switch 2 Joy Con controls as mouse controls, and that players have to brush their Joy Cons along the surface of an item to get the “wheelchairs” to move. Yeah, you’ll be burning calories while playing this title. Trust us.
Needless to say, there’s plenty of uncertainty around the sports title, even with the success of the Switch 2, and the fact that the game has been confirmed to be digital only and $20. However, The Big N can sense your “uncertainty” and has thus announced the “Drag X Drive Global Jam Demo Event.” This will be a special demo event where players who have Nintendo Switch Online can play a version of the game and try out the title with other players, while also getting a feel for the control scheme. For those who have never used the Joy-Cons as mice before, this will be a godsend for them.
Here are the three dates for the event:
As you can see, this is just days before the game drops on Switch 2, which is likely by design. Nintendo wants it fresh in their heads, so that if they like it, they don’t have to wait too long to buy it, or get it through pre-orders. Many of you might be having “Déjà vu,” as this is exactly what Nintendo has done for other games in the past, including a certain now-beloved ink-based game featuring Squid Kids.
We’ll have to wait and see if this one goes down the same path.
