Drag x Drive gets a new mode and an offline demo

Nintendo has released an update for their wheelchair basketball multiplayer game, Drag x Drive. Patch 1.2.0 adds a new game mode for the full game, while also revamping the Global Jam beta test into a regular demo for all to try.

The new game mode is Survival Tag, which is basically exactly what it sounds like. Survival Tag can be played throughout the park lobby with friends, local wireless and LAN, and needs to be started by the lobby host from the X menu.

Elsewhere there’s just some general bug fixed and improvements to the game, which are outlined in the patch notes below.

As for the demo, this allows you to check out the game offline, playing the tutorial, challenging bots in 3v3 matches, and exploring the park. You’ll generally be able to get used to the Joy-Con 2 mouse mode controls and how they work to play the game.

It’s nice to see the game getting some support still, but will it entice any new players to really dive into the game? Looking back on our review of Drag x Drive, I said, “Drag x Drive makes good use of the Joy-Con 2 mouse controls for a simple game of wheelchair basketball, but it lacks the charm and personality you’d expect from a Nintendo game.”

Here’s the full Drag x Drive 1.2.0 patch notes:

General Updates

• Added the chasing game Survival Tag to friend parks, local wireless parks, and LAN parks.
  • Note: To play Survival Tag when in the parks listed above, the player who created the park opens the X Menu, then selects Start Survival Tag on the Players tab.
  • Depending on the wireless environment, there may be times where player positioning does not perfectly match between users. For that reason, there may be cases where, even if it appears to one player as if contact was made, from the other player’s perspective no contact occurred. In order to limit unpleasant experiences in situations like these as much as possible, in basketball games this may be determined as no contact.
  • On the other hand, in Survival Tag, the question of contact is the whole crux of the game and is particularly important to game progression. Therefore, it has been designed such that a tag is considered successful if there was contact from either perspective (the tagging player, or the one who was tagged).
• Corrected the calculation of Iso Wins on the Game Stats tab under Stats. Previously, it counted the total number of Isos, not just wins.
• Added Rope Jumps to Other Stats tab under Stats.
• Changed the target of the Focus Cam when near the sumo ring to the sumo ring itself.
• Made some adjustments to bots in friend parks, local wireless parks, and LAN parks.
  • Note: We slightly lowered the strength level of the Easy and Standard bots that the player who created the park can add under the Players tab of the X Menu.
• Added a feature to enable players to delete their own records.
  • On the screen that displays players’ records before starting time trials or shooting contests, simultaneously press and hold the ZL Button, left directional button, and right directional button on the Joy-Con 2 (L) for 10 seconds to delete the record.
  • Once deleted, records cannot be restored.
  • Obtained trophies will remain, even if records are deleted.

Fixed Issues

• Fixed a very rare issue where, due to unintended behavior, the displays for level or total distance would reach the upper limit.
• Fixed a rare issue in Circuit Sprint where players sometimes passed through terrain.
• Fixed an issue where bunny hops made it possible to accelerate to and maintain speed that exceeded top speed.
  • The intended design is that it is only possible to accelerate beyond the normal top speed when driving down a slope or successfully pulling off a halfpipe or ramp trick. However, unintended behavior occurred, such as players accelerating beyond top speed when landing after rotating, or not decelerating while in midair even if they had exceeded top speed. We fixed this because this issue required players to control their character in unintuitive ways in order to achieve good results.
• Fixed various issues to create a smoother gaming experience.

Note: Version 1.1.1 for the Drag x Drive Demo (formerly Drag x Drive: Global Jam) was also released.

General Updates

• Changed software title from Drag x Drive: Global Jam to Drag x Drive Demo.
• Changed the software icon that displays in locations such as the HOME Menu.
• Made it possible to play the tutorial and certain bot games any time.
• Fixed various issues to create a smoother gaming experience.

Source: Nintendo