Slipstream for Nintendo Switch - A Love Letter to 80s Racing Games

In this episode, we take Slipstream from BlitWorks for a test drive, and Out Run inspired arcade-type racer for the Nintendo Switch

I love racing games. I have always wanted to be involved in racing in some form or fashion. Whether as a fan attending full-scale races, or as a driver myself competing for national championships in the world of radio control cars and trucks, I love everything having to do with racing. That also crosses over to my love for racing games, which is why when BlitWorks, the developers of the game Slipstream, reached out to me and asked if I wanted to take a look at their new release I was excited to do so.

The best way to describe Slipstream is as a stage-type racer, similar to Rad Racer, Cruisin' USA or Out Run, but with a twist. Instead of just a time limit, you're trying to beat, you actually have opponents you are trying to beat to the end of each stage. You have a number of tools available to you in able to help you defeat your foes, and they're somewhat original and unique.

The first tool you have is the literal slipstream, or NASCAR fans would know it as the draft. As the lead car punctures the air in front of them you get a speed boost, but you need to time your past appropriately to make sure you don't run into your opponent or other slow vehicles. While more arcade-like and its implementation than what a true draft or Slipstream is in a simulation game, it's still a fun concept

The next tool that you have available is the drift mechanic, and I'm having a hard time with it myself due to the way it's implemented compared to one other game. With the drift mechanic, as you turn the car you tap the brakes and then go back to the throttle to initiate a power slide around the corner. Where in reality a drift would actually be slower than a car going straight around the corner, and Slipstream it actually gives you a speed boost. But there's a cost, as drifting reduces the amount of traction that you have, and you may slide outward towards a barrier, wall tree or other obstacles.

The challenge that I had with the drift mechanic is I am very hard-wired with how drifting in Mario kart 8 deluxe works. With that drift mechanic, you have to constantly be moving the analog stick left and right to continue your drift. With Slipstream once you initiate the drift you simply steer towards the direction that you're sliding. I will admit that this is very similar to how you should steer if you ever start skidding in a full-size car, but again having played so much Mario kart 8 deluxe it was hard for me to remember the difference in this mechanic.

Each car has different handling and speed characteristics, some have more top speed but accelerate more slowly, while others accelerate better but have less top speed. You can also press up or down to change the color of whatever car that you go with. While they do not share the names with their real-life counterparts, you can definitely tell the real-world inspiration behind a lot of these cars. I couldn't help but notice the 280ZX body style on one of the cars myself.

Graphical standpoint, this feels like something that would have fallen between the 16 and 32-bit era. It definitely has that pixel art sort of approach which I really appreciate and definitely pulls on the nostalgia strings. The music is also right out of that era as well. I do wish there was a way that you could change the radio stations as you could in Out Run or Rad Racer, but for what it is it's pretty good.

I will tell you that this is not an easy game at all. I consider myself to be a much better than the average racing game player, and I have had a hard time getting through the early stages in this game. There is a difficulty selector, but I feel that applies more towards the overall speed and not as much towards the actual difficulty and challenge of the game.

Why it RoX:
- Only $9.99
- Beautiful graphic approach
- Great music
- Truly unique in the racer genre
- Challenging AI
- Multiple car choices and color choices

What could be improved:
- Difficulty level ramps up real quick
- No way to change music tracks in-game
- Breaking mechanic is non-existent

Should you buy it?
I have had a lot of fun playing Slipstream, even more so after recording my footage for the review. It's annoyingly fun, the kind of game that irritates you when you fail and gives you the determination to continue trying over and over and over again. I always loved Out Run, Rad Racer, and the cruising USA series, and this feels like it fits properly within that family of games, with a twist. The drifting mechanic is interesting, but I do wish there was a more efficient breaking mechanic than just letting off the gas. And maybe I just need to get better at the way this drives, maybe brakes aren't necessary and I need to rewire how I approach the game. That's the fun of something like this, the challenge continues to evolve as you play.

#NintendoSwitch #SlipStream #VideoGames