Drag x Drive review: Mousing around

Drag x Drive was one of the more fascinating titles to be revealed during the Switch 2s inaugural showcase. In theory, its deeply Nintendoan offbeat sports title that takes advantage of a unique control scheme in a way no other video game does. Unfortunately, the final product feels like it exists solely to demonstrate the Switch 2s new mouse controls, without much more to offer.

Wheeling and dealing

In Drag x Drive, players use both Joy-Cons in Mouse mode to control their wheelchair, with each hand controlling the corresponding wheel. You slide the Joy-Cons forward to move forwards, back to go backwards, and sliding one while holding the other in place will let you rotate on a dime. Its an intuitive set of controls that are simple to grasp.

Once youve mastered Drag x Drives unique locomotion, the basketball of it all comes into play. The mouse controls work in tandem with the gyro controls, allowing users to take a shot by simply lifting their Joy-Con from the surface and gesturing a shooting motion. Youll need to be properly lined up to get an accurate shot off, as precision and proximity to the basket are the factors that determine whether or not your shot will go in.

Drag x Drive is entirely built around this marriage of mouse and gyro controls, so dont expect to sit back and just play this one with a Pro Controller. Its a unique style of play that succeeds in spotlighting one of the Switch 2s new features, but it doesnt feel like Drag x Drive is trying to do much else. The novelty wears off quickly, and when that happens, youre left with an underwhelming sports experience.

Drag x Drive also suffers as a direct result of its control scheme. Its downright tiresome to be constantly sliding your arms forward and backwards as you wheel up and down the court. Making games that physically exhaust players is nothing new for Nintendothe Wii was famous for itbut in a game that already feels rather shallow, it just further encouraged me to close the game out and play something else.

Still, its a Nintendo game, so theres a base level of polish that youll notice while playing. The Joy-Cons give off a cool rumble effect to simulate the wheels rolling against the ground, and you can use the motion controls to clap your hands together to celebrate a teammates bucket, or even high five them as they slide past you.

The court itself is structured like a half-pipe, with ramps on the baseline. This allows you to build speed, catch air, and dunk the ball if youre close enough. Its fun to pull off, and there are several other tricks that players can combine with shot attempts to earn additional points. This creates some interesting scenarios where youre down by 2.2 or 3.5 points in the final seconds of a game.

Airball

What truly disappointed me about Drag x Drive was the nearly complete absence of Nintendo Magic. Even when they miss, Nintendo typically still gives you something special to walk away with. Take ARMS, for example. The 2017 fighting game didnt spawn a new blockbuster franchise, but it oozed charm. It had style and a vision. Min Min was memorable enough to earn a coveted roster spot in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and Id bet we see some of those characters again in the future.

Drag x Drive, on the other hand, has none of those things. You play as a gray humanoid robot with no face or discernable features in a dull and echoey warehouse that's also mostly gray. It is starkly anti-Nintendo. Where is the personality? The silly characters or over-the-top animations? The world that begs to be explored? Its all absent here. Some color and a sense of style would have gone a long way in charming players. Or, perhaps Drag x Drive could have been tied to an existing IP like Mario or Switch Sports. The game carries a strong tech demo energy, and its never really able to shake it.

There is some customization in Drag x Drive, however. Completing challenges will reward players with trophies, which unlock new helmets for them to equip to their player. You can then change the colors of your helmet (and the rest of your outfit and wheelchair) to give yourself a little personality. This is also where you can change your position. Guards are smaller and weaker, but move the fastest. Centers are large brutes, at the sacrifice of speed and agility. Forwards live somewhere in the middle. Since games are 3-on-3, teams can experiment with different compositions to see what works best.

Outside of standard basketball games, Drag x Drive offers minigames that you can compete with other players in. This includes a rebounding challenge, speed trials, and a good old-fashioned obstacle course. Its good that theres something to break up the gameplay, but outside of earning trophies, these minigames arent all that compelling.

Hoop dreams

Although Drag x Drive didnt work for me, I want to give it credit as an awesome piece of representation. Wheelchair basketball isnt a sport that gets a lot of love in the entertainment world, and its genuinely admirable to see a company as big as Nintendo put its name behind the sport. Its clear that a strong effort was made to simulate the mechanics and feel of wheelchair basketball, and I hope this isnt the last we see of it.

Unfortunately, Drag x Drive just doesnt deliver the joy and excitement that I expect from a game developed by Nintendo. Not only is the gameplay just fine, it lacks the charm and style that usually makes up for those faults. Its still a neat way to test out the Switch 2s Mouse mode, but perhaps it wouldve been better suited for an IP spin-off or Switch Sports sequel.

This review is based on a digital download code provided by Nintendo. Drag x Drive launches for the Nintendo Switch 2 on August 14, 2025 for $19.99 USD.

Donovan Erskine

News Editor

Donovan is a journalist from Maryland. His oldest gaming memory is playing Pajama Sam on his mom's desktop during weekends. Pok�mon Emerald, Halo 2, and the original Star Wars Battlefront 2 were some of the most influential titles in awakening his love for video games. After interning for Shacknews throughout college, Donovan graduated from Bowie State University in 2020 with a major in broadcast journalism and joined the team full-time. He is a huge film fanatic and will talk with you about movies and games all day. You can follow him on twitter @Donimals_