If there’s one thing thatNintendoconsoles are known for, it’s gimmicks. A kinder man would say “innovative features”, but let’s call a spade a spade - they’re gimmicks. Some of them are massive wins, like theWii’s motion controls and theSwitch’s docking, while others are big misses, like theWii U’s tablet and the3DS’s limited 3D effect. But no matter what, each console brings something new to the table.
Following the Switch 2’s reveal, I’ve seen a lot of complaints that it’s not really doing anything to set itself apart from the original Switch beyond being a more powerful current-gen console. While I wouldn’t really care if thatwastrue considering the winning formula the original Switch already had, I think a lot of people areforgetting (or ignoring) how unique the Joy-Con mouse capabilities are.
That’s not even to mention the C Button’s GameChatfeatures which, while basically just Discord, are nice as an integrated feature. I didn’t get to try it myself, but it’s another interesting Switch 2 gimmick.
I can’t really blame anyone for feeling it’s just a Switch, 2. That’s the name. Unlike the Wii’s waggling and every other successful Nintendo gimmick where the vision is clear, the mouse controls are the sort of thing that doesn’t translate well to a Direct and needs to be experienced. Having tried it out for myself, I can say that it’s the most interesting part of the Switch 2, and there’s one game that truly shows off its potential.
Nintendo Switch 2’s Mouse Controls Are Wheel-y Cool
Metroid Is A Good Showcase, But Drag x Drive Is The Real Winner
That game is Drag x Drive, one of the stranger announcements during the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct. The DJ-esque sounds and up-and-down movement of the Joy-Con before the reveal had me thinking we were in for some kind of Wii Music or DJ Hero revival, so you can imagine my surprise when we instead saw a motion-controlledRocket Leaguealike.
At its core, Drag x Drive is a fairly simplistic sports game that sees two basketball wheelchair teams play 3v3. What makes it special is how it uses the Switch 2’s mouse capabilities, with each Joy-Con controlling a wheel by dragging the controller back and forth. Pushing one Joy-Con forward makes you turn either side, while doing both at once lets you move forward or backward depending on which direction you drag the Joy-Con.
That might sound easy (lord knows I thought it did), but in practice, it takes a fair bit of getting used to. During the tutorial, I found myself constantly crashing into walls, accidentally spinning around, and embarrassingly having to pause to remember my lefts and rights. But after a few minutes, everything clicked into place and I was mostly wheeling around with the best of them.
Don’t worry about needing a big space to drag the Joy-Con around, as you can just use the surface of your leg.
Drag x Drive Is Basically Motion-Controlled Basketball Rocket League
And It’s As Cool As That Sounds
The mouse controls are the main gimmick in Drag x Drive, but they’re just the first part of the puzzle, as the Switch 2’s motion controls also get a lot of use to represent hand gestures and motions. Most importantly, they’re used when you want to try and shoot and score, which is done with a simple flick of the wrist that always feels good, even though most of my shots completely whiffed or were sent into the wrong basket altogether.
Those two core tenets of Drag x Drive come together nicely during the game’s competitive matches. We only had time to do one after so much time was spent on the tutorial and getting used to the controls, but it was an exciting few minutes of rolling around that felt like it was scratching the surface of how the game can be played. Getting together a group of friends and properly passing, communicating, and making dunk shots will be a great time.
you’re able to also spin the ball when it’s in your hand, which is really just for style points but something I wish I’d thought to try out.
Like most Wii Sports adjacent Nintendo games, Drag x Drive takes a simple concept and runs (or rolls) with it to show off an interesting gimmick to its fullest.While Metroid Prime 4 also makes great use of the mouse controls, Drag is a game that’s entirely built for it and one that convinced me how much potential it has.
My only concern right now is how much depth the full game is going to have and whether it’s going to be able to justify whatever price it ends up going for. If it was a pack-in title like Wii Sports I could see it being a killer app for the Switch 2, but since even the Welcome Tour is a paid game (or rather, a paid instruction manual), I don’t think that’s going to be the case. I just have to hope it’s either priced sensibly or there’s more to it that makes it feel like a game instead of an admittedly very fun tech demo.
