Like anything, racing planes needs the right tool for the job. Happy sitting in third place to maybe push forward on the last lap? Not today, sunshine, you’ve got to get competitive lest you explode. There’s a Survivor-style elimination mode to add some spice to racing. It reminds me of a something Acclaim would put out that Burnout-era of arcade thrills under the guise of a console game. This is what makes me think of F-Zero, WipeOut et all: breakneck speeds, fast reflex cornering and knife’s edge flying.
Yet that won’t be enough, as the enemy can and will utilise the same boost rings floating about the course. No firepower, but you still retain your boost gauge, earned by flying dangerously close to the environment. The first is a straight forward, lap-based Speed Race. Eschewing weapons for boost rings, there are a couple of variations on this fast theme that make it entertaining. That’s where the Speed Races come in to play. Whilst the dogfights are entertaining in an old-fashioned/cart racer sense, variety is always welcome. That you can have two at a time, and can switch between, also adds an element of fighting tactic to each race. More missile damage, bigger mine explosive field, longer lasting shield, that kind of thing. Picking up the same item twice gives it a second level, increasing its potential. There’s only a handful of both offensive and defensive pickups, but thankfully, they can be upgraded. Conversely, there are shields and repair pickups that will give you a reprieve… if you’re not shot down in that time. No banana peels, yet there are shock fields to slow other racers down. There’s no blue shell-like first place chaser, but there are homing missiles. The weapon selection isn’t too elaborate, in terms of creativity, but it’s certainly effective. But when courses get more elaborate, and planes get faster, it becomes tense as you chase gold medals and pole position. They may seem like it at the start, but that’s because players are limited by their aircraft. Having the divide works in favour for SkyDrift Infinity, but that doesn’t mean Power Races are slow and steady. This, for me, is where the Extreme G/F-Zero comparisons hit.
As the name suggests, Speed Races eschew weapons in favour of boost rings and precision manoeuvring. Races are divided into Power Races, which is your standard Diddy Kong Racing affair, or Speed Races. You pick your craft based on what stats suit the type of race, put a funky livery on it and prepare for high octane speed and dog fighting. No, this is the “firing missiles whilst air-drifting around corners” type of flying, and I am all for it. No simulation, no super-precise-obeying-the-laws-of-physics flying, or anything else Microsoft put into Flight Simulator. Let’s find out if first impressions carry through to longevity, shall we… Brace Yourselfįirst and foremost, SkyDrift Infinity is pure arcade shenanigans. It looked fast, it looked pretty frantic and overall, it looked fun.
So when SkyDrift Infinity flew into FGHQ, I thought I’d give it a whirl. Gamers haven’t had anything either recent or non-futuristic in quite a while. We’ve had a port of Star Wars Episode I: Racer and a remake of Rollcage in GRIP, and of course, WipeOut comes and goes when it feels like it. Seventeen years for the former, eighteen for the latter. It’s been a good while since the days of F-Zero and Extreme G led us on eyeball-melting rides. Short of training to be a pilot, SkyDrift Infinity is trying to scratch that itch. There’s an inherent thrill in zipping around dangerous courses at breakneck speeds, edging your way to first place.
Skydrift infinity platform movie#
A fast and fun return to the days of arcade racers, does SkyDrift Infinity have what it takes to hit that nostalgia? The Finger Guns review:Īs the diminutive cultist once said in that movie about planes, “I feel the need.
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