When I originally saw the announcement trailer for this title I was actually a bit gobsmacked, as it instantly felt like a massive risk and a game that only Nintendo would dare to make. Much like some of its other very niche titles that have extensively featured the quirks and possibilities of their unique controllers or other hardware, Drag x Drive feels like something that started out as a tech demo, but was then brought up to the big leagues in order to see what could happen with more time and attention. The result, unsurprisingly, will likely be pretty divisive, as simply getting the hang of the controls and how to get them to perform consistently for you can be quite a challenge. That said, I applaud the very indie-esque spirit to the game, taking a pretty risky idea and running against the flow of traffic to offer something fresh and different.

For the uninitiated, this is essentially a game where you’ll be playing wheelchair basketball against either bots, friends, some randoms online, or some combination thereof. Using the Switch 2’s pretty unique mouse control configuration for its joycon, you’ll use a combination of swipes, buttons, and gestures to move, turn, block, pass, shoot, and maybe pull off some wild moves if you’re up to it. As you might expect, getting the hang of the controls, let alone getting some level of mastery with them, is a bit of an undertaking, but I’d say within the first hour you should at least be able to scrimmage reasonably well, though personal skills will likely yield some wildly different results pretty quickly. This won’t be a game for everyone, and if you’re either a bit uncoordinated or lack a sincere desire to dig in and “git gud” at something new, you’ll likely want to give it a pass outright.

Oddly enough, the control aspect is more complicated than just the game’s unique use of the joycon, just figuring out how to use the controls comfortably and consistently is quite a challenge. I figured I’d be set, since I play at my desk that has a surface that’s essentially a giant mousepad. That’s perfect for this, right? Well, not actually. Having my hands and arms raised to use the surface effectively was actually a bit tiring and not entirely comfortable as time wore on. While the concept of instead using my upper legs as the control surface seemed ridiculous, it actually didn’t take long until I decided this proved to be a superior means of control. Consistency remained an issue, to be sure, but having my arms lower and closer to my body did make for a better experience. Then getting the coordination together to perform the sequence of moves needed to bunnyhop and pull off more involved combos took some more time, but with work I could at least get some semblance of a better game together… even if my output when compared to the average person I was playing with or against online remained subpar at best.

A consistent comment I’ve seen with the game is that it’s a lot like Rocket League. As someone who still plays that on almost a daily basis, I will say that comparison can be deceiving and risks giving Drag x Drive much more credit than it deserves. Considering the fact that Rocket League has a 10 year head start, that shouldn’t be a surprise, but in terms of depth it’s simply on another level. Yes, both really do require a commitment of time, effort, and patience to have a hope of mastering. You won’t be making aerial goals in the first few hours of playing Rocket League, and you won’t likely be tearing down the court and making trick shots in this either. That said, the diversity in the different modes, skill-based matchmaking, and nuance between the two is substantial… and considering Drag x Drive is exclusive to the Switch 2, it has substantial hurdles in the way of it remaining a viable game to play online with loads of people weeks or months in, let alone a year or two. Yes, there are some added modes that work as a distraction between matches, and can be fun while refining your core skills, but without some more varied games on the court, even if you’re pretty good at the game it will likely get stale after a while.

All of this makes scoring a challenge for me, torn between the realities of the practical limitations of the game and its control scheme, and my genuine appreciation for games that take risks and feature play that absolutely feels unique. This is simply a sports game that plays like no other, for better or worse. What would ultimately make it an ideal purchase would be to have a few friends who are also interested in it, and getting together to play in a friend lobby to enjoy more balanced play and some trash talk. Without some updates and refinements to matchmaking, and other methods of getting people into more balanced matches, it can be really rough to be a newbie out there. But without the audience playing the game on a regular basis remaining pretty high, the limiting factor would still be the pool of players, no matter how much they work on trying to pair up people of similar skill levels. Nonetheless, much like ARMS and other more unique offerings Nintendo has had over the years I applaud the effort, the inclusiveness, and the spirit of innovation behind this unique sports title.