SkyDrift (XBLA): "Aerial Arcade Combat Racing"

SkyDrift is the second XBLA game that I have requested for review. It was recently released on the Xbox Live Marketplace by Digital Reality, the developer of the game. I'm actually familiar with racing games of all types, and have enjoyed playing many different types in my gaming career. If you've ever played games like 'F-Zero GX (GameCube)', or 'Mario Kart (SNES, GameCube, Wii)' then you'll understand what this game is all about. Aside from the similarities of the previously mentioned titles, this game is unique in that it uses combat planes as the racing vehicles. The game features a campaign, and multiplayer mode with a wide variety of tracks/areas to race in. This high speed aerial combat racer also features various types of gameplay that includes speed runs, and power races with the option of difficulty settings. The maps/tracks in the game are detailed with impressive graphics, and accented with a rocking soundtrack. It's included achievements, and badges add some goals into the mix. It's definitely a racing game that I have enjoyed playing.

SkyDrift features a large array of combat planes to choose from. Initially you only have two planes to select from, but others can be unlocked by playing through the 6 level campaign mode. The planes also have 4 skins/graphics each that can be unlocked as well. During my playthrough of SkyDrift I realized that some planes are better suited for certain race types than others. Choosing the appropriate plane will greatly influence the outcome of your races. One plane for example is maxed out on speed, and does much better on the standard/power races. The planes with higher maneuverability are best used in speed races where the speed becomes quite intense a times. Your choice of plane will definitely effect the outcome of your races in the game.

Campaign mode is a single player experience that not only eases you into the controls, but also prepares you for online multiplayer. There are a total of 6 levels in Campaign mode. Each level contains about 5 different races. The race types in each level contain standard races, power races, and a final survivor race in which the last plane left is the winner. Before you can advance to the next level (set of races) you must place in at least 3rd in each individual race. As you make your way through the campaign you will unlock skins, and other planes that you can use in the offline or online mode.

Multiplayer is definitely the strong point of this game, but the campaign mode is fun as well. Like campaign, the online multiplayer contains the various tracks, and game types. The difference is that your score is kept on an online leaderboard letting you know where you rank among the other players. To be totally honest, I found it difficult to find online matches at certain times of the day. This is likely due to the amount of people who have purchased the game though. If you get this game I would definitely suggest that you wait in the online lobby for a while (5 minutes max) to see if anyone else will join you. I think it all comes down to the time of day though.

The combat part of this game is a lot like 'Mario Kart'. It features different power-ups/weapons that can be obtained by simply running through them. These power-ups/weapons include machine guns, homing missiles, an electronic pulse, a sky mine, a shield, and even a tool to repair your plane. After getting your power-up you can fire/use it by pressing 'X'. You also have the option of switching between two different power-ups/weapons by pressing the 'Y' button. The ability to have two power-ups at once sets this game apart from 'Mario Kart' where you were only able to use one power-up at a time. Something else that is different is that you can turn your power-ups into boosts. The planes in the game are given certain amount of boosts, but by pressing the 'B' button (when you have a power-up) you can gain additional boosts to use. This definitely helps out in keeping your top spot in each race. Utilizing the power-ups, and boosts properly is the key to winning.

Racing in SkyDrift is simple for the most part, but the inverted axis controls will take some getting used to. For basic movement/turns in the game you will use the 'Left Thumbstick'. If you want to make more evasive maneuvers you can use the 'Left Thumbstick' with the 'Right Thumbstick'. This combination of controls allows for sharpers turns, and the ability to turn your plane on it's side. To really get effective use out of this, pressing both of the thumbsticks in the same direction is required. To simply turn your plane sideways without the sharper turn all you have to do is use the 'Right Thumbstick' by itself. Your plane also has the ability to slow down, and accelerate. The 'Right Trigger' will slow your plane down, and the 'Left Trigger' will speed it up. If I remember correctly you can add additional speed with a boost/s by pressing the 'A' button. My description of the controls may make the game sound more difficult than it really is, but it's really not that hard to pick up on.

In the end I found SkyDrift to be a very fun arcade racing game. The simple control scheme, and the unlockable extras really added to the quality of this game. The in-game enviroments themeselves were beautifully rendered, and feature locales that include ship wrecks, deserts, snow covered mountains, and even lava covered volcanic areas. The variety of race types also enhanced the games overall experience. I really liked how Digital Reality included an online game mode, and leaderboard. These features which are likely the best part of the game's experience add significant replay value to it. Finding a game online may be difficult at times, but it's definitely worth it when you do. Playing through the campaign isn't bad either, and I definitely recommend you do so. This way you can unlock all of the planes and skins. I definitely think SkyDrift is worth the points, and I hope to see more people playing online soon.