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| Power Drift | |
|---|---|
 Japanese arcade flyer | |
| Developer(s) |
|
| Publisher(s) | |
| Director(s) | Yu Suzuki[5] |
| Producer(s) | Yu Suzuki |
| Designer(s) | Yu Suzuki[6] |
| Composer(s) | Hiroshi Kawaguchi |
| Platform(s) | Arcade,Amiga,Amstrad CPC,Atari ST,Commodore 64,Dreamcast,MS-DOS,MSX,PC Engine,Saturn,ZX Spectrum,Nintendo 3DS |
| Release | |
| Genre(s) | Kart racing |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
| Arcade system | Sega Y Board[7] |
Power Drift (パワードリフト,Pawā Dorifuto) is akart racing game released inarcades bySega in 1988. More technologically advanced than Sega's earlier 2.5D racing games, likeHang-On (1985) andOut Run (1986), inPower Drift the entire world and track consist ofsprites. The upgraded hardware of theSega Y Board allows individual sprites and the background to be rotated—even while being scaled—making the visuals more dynamic.[7]
Designed and directed byYu Suzuki, the game was a critical and commercial success upon release in arcades. It was subsequently ported to varioushome computers in Europe byActivision in 1989, followed by aPC Engine port published in Japan byAsmik Ace in 1990. It was not released onSega consoles until theSega Ages release for theSega Saturn in 1998.
The objective is to finish each race in third place or better in order to advance to the next stage.[8] Players have the option ofcontinuing if they finish the race in fourth place or lower before the game is over, but the player's score will not increase upon continuing the game.
The tracks have aroller coaster feel to them, with many steep climbs and falls, as well as the ability to "fall" off higher levels. To add to this feeling, the sit-down cabinet was built atop a raised hydraulic platform, and the machine would tilt and shake quite violently. Each circuit, labeled from "A" to "E" has a certain theme to it (for example, circuit A has cities, circuit B has deserts, circuit C has beaches, etc.) in a series of five tracks. There are also four laps for each course.
All the tracks on each course have names as well. Course A is Springfield Ovalshape, Foofy Hilltop, Snowhill Drive, Octopus Oval and Curry De Parl. Course B is Swingshot City, Phantom Riverbend, Octangular Ovalshape, Charlotte Beach and Highland Spheres. Course C is Bum Beach, Jason Bendyline, Nighthawk City, Zanussi Island and Wasteman Freefall. Course D is Mexico Colours, Oxygen Desert, Jamie Road, Monaco Da Farce and Blow Hairpin. Course E is Aisthorpe Springrose Valley, Patterson Nightcity, Lydia Rightaway, Bungalow Ridgeway and Karen Longway.
If players place first on all five tracks (which is indicated by all five gold trophies on the number of wins display behind the course letter), an "Extra Stage" is unlocked, where the assigned car is a vehicle from otherSega games. Courses A, C and E allow players to race with theF-14 Tomcat fighter jet fromAfter Burner II in the Extra Stage, while courses B and D have an option to race the motorcycle fromSuper Hang-On. Players also can press the start button while in a race to see a rear view.
Power Drift was later ported to theAmstrad CPC,Commodore 64,MSX,Amiga,Atari ST,MS-DOS andZX Spectrum home computers byActivision and released in 1989. The home computer ports lack the tilting action seen in the original arcade version. APC Engine version was developed by Copya Systems and published exclusively in Japan byAsmik Ace Entertainment on April 13, 1990.
ASega Mega Drive version was planned but never released.[9] A32X port was in development by Sega, but not published.[10] Dempa was working on aSega CD conversion that also did not reach store shelves.[10]
Sega later includedPower Drift in theSega Saturn compilation seriesSega Ages released on February 26, 1998 and inYu Suzuki Game Works Vol. 1 for theDreamcast on December 1, 2001.
Power Drift was also included as one of the seven games on theNintendo 3DS collectionSega 3D Reprint Archives, which was released on April 26, 2016.
| Publication | Award |
|---|---|
| Amstrad Action | Mastergame[11] |
In Japan,Game Machine listedPower Drift on their 1988 issue as being the second most-successful upright arcade unit of the month.[12] It went on to be the fourth highest-grossingarcade game of 1989 in Japan.[13] The ZX Spectrum port knocked the long-standingRoboCop from the top of the UK sales charts in 1989.[14]
The arcade game received positive reviews from critics upon release in 1988.Sinclair User magazine rated it 10 out of 10, comparing it favorably with Sega's earlier arcade hitOut Run (1986) and stating it was technically "a breakthrough", while praising the "breathtaking" graphics and "heartstopping" gameplay.[3] Andy Smith ofAdvanced Computer Entertainment said it was an "exciting" and "thrilling high speed" racing game in "a futuristic car cum-Go-Kart" that "combines all that was best" inOut Run andBuggy Boy (1985) to come up "with a terrific driving game that looks set to be a winner".[15]
GameFan magazine reviewed the PC Engine version, scoring it 172 out of 200.[16]
Sinclair User gave the arcade version ofPower Drift the "Racing Game of 1988" award. They said it was, "without doubt, the single most spectacular game ever to arrive in an arcade". They explained, "the blinding speed of the game and the astonishing way that the track zooms up and down, side to side as you participate in the race of a lifetime can be described in no lesser term than fab".[17]
Guinness World Records gavePower Drift the award for "First kart racing videogame" as it predatedSuper Mario Kart (1992).[18]
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