The last time I’ve played a good drifting game, it was with Drift Mania Championship 2. This was a game that mimicked a lot of what you see in the real life Formula Drift series and most of the drifting action was contained in closed circuit tracks. The follow up to that game is what you see here with Drift Mania: Street Outlaws, but instead of being confined on a track, the action is now out in the streets where the drifting action is more dangerous and unpredictable. Like in previous games, the vehicles showcased here aren’t real, but they do resemble some real-life cars.

One of the main issues people seem to have with the Drift Mania series is the control scheme and being able get your vehicle into a controlled drift. In theory, the control scheme isn’t supposed to be hard. On the right hand side of your screen is your accelerator pedal. The higher up on the screen you move your thumb, the faster your car goes. Tilt your device to turn your vehicle and on the left bottom corner is your e-brake that you tap and hold to engage. It should be easy to control, but it’s not, at least not at first. You’ll find the controls are quite sensitive so you’ll have to master how much tilt you need for each corner as well as the amount of throttle you need and when to lay off the e-brake. It takes a lot of skill to master but if you keep at it, you’ll be drifting like a pro in no time. It requires a lot of practice, but after a few rounds, you’ll begin to get the hang of it. Don’t give up.

The game also offers a lot of customization options which requires money. Each race you run will earn you money that you can spend on upgrades to make your vehicle better. Not only can you buy upgrades, you can also adjust settings like steering, gear ratio, suspension, and weight distribution. Change these to suit your particular driving style. Of course you also use money to buy new and better vehicles that will keep you competitive.

Graphically, Drift Mania: Street Outlaws is a bit better than the previous game. Environments are nicely rendered and the car models are decent. It’s not hyper realistic like Rear Racing 3 is for instance, but it’s still pretty good for a mobile game. Everything zooms by smoothly as your driving and I didn’t notice any lag at all while playing. The audio in the game is also very good with great sound effects and a really rocking soundtrack.

Overall, I’d say that if you’re a racing fan and a fan of drifting, you’re going to like Drift Mania: Street Outlaws. The Drift Mania series really is the best drifting game out for iOS and despite a steep learning curve, if you stick with it, you’ll find the drifting action in this game quite satisfying. For me, since I’ve played their previous games, I was able to pretty much jump into it and only had to play a couple of games to get back into the swing of things. The action is very fast and very challenging and you’ll find yourself playing each track numerous times trying to gain all the achievements, medals, and improving on your score.

App Store Link: Drift Mania: Street Outlaws
Version: 1.01
Developer: Ratrod Studio Inc.
Price: $0.99
In-App Purchasing: Yes
Compatible Devices: (Universal App) Requires iOS 4.3 or later. Compatible with iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5s, iPad 2 Wi-Fi, iPad 2 Wi-Fi + 3G, iPad Wi-Fi (3rd generation), iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular (3rd generation), iPad Wi-Fi (4th generation), iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular (4th generation), iPad mini Wi-Fi, iPad mini Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPod touch (4th generation), and iPod touch (5th generation). This app is optimized for iPhone 5.

Description

Drift Mania: Street Outlaws takes the heat to the streets allowing players to battle and compete in underground drift events based on various world locations.

From Japan where it all began, to the Swiss Alps, Desert Canyons and the steep hills of San Francisco, Street Outlaws will take you to the edge of your seat while drifting around some of the most hazardous roads.

Delivering the same addictive gameplay as the other titles of the Drift Mania series, Street Outlaws features 21 vehicles, high end 3D graphics, more realistic controls and a new improved multiplayer mode.
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HIGH DEFINITION GRAPHICS
Drift Mania: Street Outlaws includes next generation 3D graphics specially optimized for your mobile hardware to provide you with the best drifting experience.

CUSTOMIZE & UPGRADE YOUR CAR
Fully customize your vehicle’s appearance with custom paint jobs, body kits, custom wheels, window tints and spoilers. Make it your one of a kind drift beast! Upgrade your ride by installing aftermarket performance products from licensed brands including Royal Purple, K&N, Magnaflow and Centerforce to gain an extra edge against the competition.

TUNER FRIENDLY
Adjust different aspects of your car including the suspension, steering sensitivity, gear ratio and weight distribution to suit your own driving style.

BECOME A DRIFT KING
Complete the career mode which includes 13 tracks to master, 60 achievements and 48 performance upgrades to unlock. Gain cash to upgrade your favorite ride with visual and performance mods.

DRIFT BATTLE
Start a drift battle tournament, compete against different opponents and build up your street credit.

MULTIPLAYER MODE
Challenge your friends to a drift battle! Share and brag your results with your friends on Facebook or Twitter.

LEADERBOARDS
See your ranking against other players worldwide using the Drift Mania online leaderboards. Submit your high scores and expose your accomplishments to the world.

LOADED WITH FEATURES
•Supports all latest generation devices and high resolution displays
•Fully customizable controls including element repositioning and sensitivity adjustments
•Accelerometer (gyroscope) and virtual wheel steering mode
•Variable throttle bar system or pedal accelerator controls
•21 high-performance street vehicles with unique specs
•13 drift tracks to master from different worldwide locations
•48 performance upgrades per vehicle
•Hundreds of visual mods including body kits, spoilers, window tints, wheels and custom paint job
•Tuning mode to adjust all aspects of your vehicle
•3 levels of difficulties
•5 race camera configurations
•Full race replays
•Ability to listen to your own songs from your own music library
•Soundtrack including songs from Templeton Pek, Curbside, Balliztic and Avery Watts
•Record and share your game replays on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter
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Drifting is the act of maneuvering a vehicle through corners at speeds and angles that exceed the vehicle’s grip. A drift is when a driver performs a controlled slide through corners while adhering to the racing line. Drifting involves fast cars, super skilled drivers and hardcore fans.

It’s a combination of driving skill, style and showmanship. It’s all about loss of the rear wheel traction while keeping the race car in total control. Drifting is so popular because it brings all the best aspects of motor sports into one package. Highly skilled drivers control a high powered street car past its limit, sideways at high speed, burning rubber. It can’t get any better!
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•Available in the following languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Chinese

[via App Store]

Related articles

• Drift Mania: Street Outlaws, Coming October 10th (Preview Trailer) (thegamerwithkids.com)
• Ratrod Studio Launches Drift Mania: Street Outlaws on all Platforms [Trailer] (thegamerwithkids.com)