Supergonk (a publishing name that always gives us a giggle) has announced that its latest racing title, Warp Drive, will be coming to Switch on 1st December, 2022, and in this one, you're supposed to take the short cuts.
The studio brought us Trailblazers back in 2018 - a strange racer-meets-Splatoon-type game where you painted the track as you drove around it - and now it has set its sights on another beloved Nintendo classic to combine with its racing formula. F-Zero is clearly the inspo behind this one, with the karts hovering around their futuristic setting and making all kinds of wizzes and bangs as they go.
Warp Drive is presented with some pretty crisp-looking cel shaded visuals too, which certainly look to complement the comic book-y effects of speed boosts and explosions. Looking at the trailer, we might even say that this style is driving faster than it should be, with all of the flashing colours and tight turns meaning that there is a lot going on while you are trying to concentrate on the track.
For the official word on the game's features as well as a look at those bright graphics, check out the following from Supergonk:
WARP DRIVE is fast-paced racing with a brand new way to drive: TELEPORT around the track to find shortcuts and hidden routes! Get behind the wheel of a powerful QUAD ROTOR to test your creative driving abilities. Race on the ceiling, jump huge canyons and drive up waterfalls in an epic inverted racing battle! UPGRADE your quad rotor in-between races, gradually improving its abilities, parts and appearance. Follow the advice of your outspoken manager, Lenny, or just ignore whatever he says... what do aliens know about racing, anyway?! Use deadly HOMING MISSILES to smash opponents, or lay traps with BOMB MINES. Drive smartly, battle rivals, boost fast and warp your way to victory!
The game will release on 1st December, 2022 for £22.49. It's Switch eShop page is up already, so be sure to check it out and decide if the teleportation racer is worth that price point - or if you are better to stick to playing F-Zero X on the Switch's N64 library until a sale warps into frame.
Will you be taking Warp Drive for a spin? Teleport down to the comments and let us know!
[source youtube.com]
Comments 29
Isn't this music from Jet Set Radio? I know Hideki Naganuma still does work, but I swear I've heard this before.
Slight overabundance of black lines perhaps, but I'll keep an eye on it. Interested to find out if there's much to differentiate it from the crowd, aside from the visual style.
@gcunit I agree completely about the black lines and thought the exact same thing. To me, it comes across as looking a little too "coloring book" or at best "comic book" for my tastes. BotW managed to have cell shaded graphics without looking like a coloring book, so I know it can be done. Which I suppose suggests they did it on purpose. Odd design choice.
@Debo626 With reference to @KayFiOS's post above, perhaps it's strongly inspired by JSR, though the black lines in this seem even more prominent than they were in JSR.
I want Extreme G on NSO
I would rather say its got more a Wipeout feel than F-Zero, or is Wipeout also F-Zero inspired? [hmm]
@gcunit I'm not familiar with Jet Set Radio, but I suspect you may be right. I can't imagine playing a racing game like that, as those black lines would be very distracting.
@KayFiOS Yeah hideki naganuma composed this song and yeah he still makes music.
Looks ok to me, but can only think, somebody, somewhere make a new FZERO game (or even FZERO 64 or FZERO GX remastered)! Oh yeh..... and hurry up with it!!
this color scheme and boosting changing to insane flashing ugly colors is NAUSEATING AF!!! BIG NO for me!!
Please have 60 fps and time trial modes. This looks great.
Can people please stop comparing every future racer with F-Zero?
There are futureracers like WipeOut, Redout, Extreme-G and what not which basically are Mario Kart style games in future and more mature settings. And there is F-Zero, a concept that noone ever tried ... or DARED to copy. The feeling of racing against 29 opponents and the only tool you got is your skill combined with airplane-fast speeds that let most futureracers look pretty slow in comparison (which is OK for most, WipeOut doesn't need to be faster than F-Zero)
This again, really looks more like Mario Kart than FZero.
@SMUGSLOTH69 Yeah, but I wasn't sure if I was just going crazy or if this was actually from JSR, but now I'm wondering if they have to pay SEGA royalties or something for using music from their game.
Its been on Apple Arcade for a year and half or so. Couldn’t get into it initially, but I’m willing to give it another shot.
I wanted to give this game a chance, but realizing that it won't have online multi-player was an instant no for me.
@valcoholic it's because NintendoLife knows how starved F-ZERO fans are, and name dropping that series is how they get clicks. I know Fast RMX is often compared to F-ZERO, but if I can't eliminate any of 29 other racers through aggressive and risky tactics, it's not F-ZERO. I really hope, at the very least, Nintendo releases GX on NSO someday. In this day and age, I'll take what I can get...
I tried it on Steam for a little, didn't find it fun so I refunded it.
@KayFiOS yeah; I have FAST on the WiiU and always put it in the Extreme-G drawer. It doesn't really have gadgets, but I'm wondering why noone ever tried to do a future-racer with 30 vehicles. The sense of speed is just greatly emphasized when being in this crowd of vehicles, doing crazy jumps and slides. It really is a shame they don't do a new one, on the one hand, GX is barely necessary to improve on (butthen do an HD remake goddammit) but then again, advanced physics, new tech and something like an online championship could really do something good here. And with the Switchs install base it would easily sell a million copies. I mean Metroid Dread sold what ... 4-5 Million?
@valcoholic Butt hen? Oh...nvm "but then" I'm an idiot lol. 🤣
@Bunkerneath I agree, that other F-Zero-like Kickstarter (Aero GPX) from a week or two ago looked more like F-Zero.
Both look like interesting projects, I'll probably pick up both of them anyway.
Just watched some vids on YouTube. I don't think my 42 year old eyes can deal with this, sadly
@valcoholic 100%. Nintendo could port Chibi-Robo: Zip-Lash!! on the Switch, and it would do well simply by proxy of it being on the Switch. Nintendo can and should take a chance on their older IPs, but aren't, and it's single-handedly the most baffling decision they've made in my opinion.
Sigh. It'll do until Nintendo brings the GOAT back.
looks awesome but it better have local multiplayer or no point in getting it for me lol
I'm intrigued. I look forward to seeing a review before deciding to get this.
@Debo626 Not familiar w/ JSR? Here, this should help.
This game got very middling scores on Steam. I wouldn't expect a lot.
@Clyde_Radcliffe - Or, y'know, a more tangible access?
Love the cel-shaded look & aesthetic in games, so this has some appeal. But “F-Zero-likes” just makes me want a new F-Zero tbh.
… Wun can only hope.
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