Today, reviews for Drag x Drive, Nintendo’s latest first-party game for the Switch 2, have surfaced online, and the consensus is decidedly underwhelming. Despite the excitement surrounding its release, the game has garnered low ratings, resulting in two of the five lowest-rated Switch 2 games on Metacritic being published by Nintendo. This raises concerns about the quality of Nintendo's offerings for its new console.
On August 13, the review embargo for Drag x Drive was lifted, prompting multiple gaming outlets to share their critical evaluations of this arcade-style wheelchair basketball game. Unfortunately, the overall reception has been tepid at best. Critics have noted that the game is overly complicated for casual players while failing to provide enough depth to engage seasoned gamers. This duality has left many feeling dissatisfied with the gameplay experience.
One of the primary criticisms of Drag x Drive pertains to its controls, which depend heavily on the new Joy-Cons’ mouse functionality. Many players have described these controls as tedious and cumbersome, making the gameplay less enjoyable. Even players who have invested time in mastering the controls report that the 3v3 sports game lacks excitement in both visuals and gameplay, contributing to its lukewarm reception.
As of 2:30 PM EST, Drag x Drive holds a modest rating of 62 out of 100 on Metacritic, positioning it adjacent to another poorly received Nintendo title, Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour. This launch game faced criticism for being little more than a glorified tutorial and tech demo disguised as a purchasable game, earning it a disheartening score of 54. Both titles now rank among the lowest-rated games for the Switch 2, with only Bandai Namco’s Tamagotchi Plaza performing worse.
What can we learn from this situation? It’s essential to recognize that as more games are released for the Switch 2 over the coming months and years, the current low-rated Nintendo games may eventually rise in rankings, especially as lower-quality titles flood the market. However, the current state of Drag x Drive and its peers highlights a concerning trend: the Switch 2 may be a remarkable console, yet it currently suffers from one of the weakest launch line-ups of exclusive titles that Nintendo has presented in recent memory.
