Drift Mania Iphone Game Review

The other day I was checking the app store and noticed that FAAD (Free App a Day) was giving away the game Drift Mania. Despite the 3 star review I decided to give the game a try, hey it was free right. Everything looked great from the start, the visuals on the game are very nice. I actually thought “wow is this really a game on the iphone”, then I tried to play it.

I consider myself a decent gamer. I was able to hold my own in the late night halo sessions at Russ’ place back in the day. I am no Russ, but I can game. Gaming on the iphone is a little different than on game systems, especially with racing games since control on iphone racing games usually involves physically turning the iphone side to side. Once you get the hang of it on a good game like GTI Real Racing its not too hard.

However on Drift Mania I can’t seem to keep the car on the road, its like driving on ice all the time. Part of the reason I don’t like the driving dynamics is the gass pedal is some weird slider. I know they did it to simulate how a real drifter applies different pressure to the pedal while drifting, it just doesn’t work on the iphone.

Think about this, the way to drift in this game you need to quickly tilt the iphone from side to side while feathering the gass slider on the right side and tapping the ebrake handle on the left side. You have to do all this to a car that acts like its on ice and that seriously over reacts to the slightest tilt of the iphone.

After a few minutes of practice (torture) I really began having some self doubt on my gaming abilities. I thought that It cant just be me so I checked out the review for the game in the app store. I think the one below sums it up nicely.

“Only download this game if you enjoy feeling masochistically frustrated.”