D1 Grand Prix review

Drift videogame racing just isn’t like the "normal" kind. Don't believe us? Then simply play D1 Grand Prix. It will take everything you have learned in a lifetime of gaming vehicular competition, crumple it up, throw it on the ground, and stomp it into an unrecognizable pulp - laughing all the while. Heck, it might even insult your momma until you get your act together on the track.

The concept of drifting is all the rage in Japan, and is evidently gaining a bit of traction (pun intended) in the States. Finishing first? Not important. Maintaining "control"? Bah, that's for losers. What really matters in D1 is somehow bobbing and weaving like you're about to roll your sweet ride into a triple lutz (without actually doing so).

The trouble begins as soon as the racing starts. Learning to handle the tricked-out beasts you’re placed in is a chore that some gamers will find too tough to manage, since these rollicking behemoths are built for slipping and sliding. Anything less than long, tire-destroying, smoke-belching skids is considered abject failure – and it’s an exercise in frustration to maneuver the cars properly.

As you're flying around the tracks, there's a running commentary from three jerks whose idea of a good time is to consistently degrade your non-skills. To add insult to anger, words like "Idiot" and "Stupid" - no exaggeration - pop up on the screen when you don't pull off drifts the way the game thinks you should.