Not many people know this, but I might be a little obsessed with the imported car scene and Japanese car culture. I love watching drifting and have always appreciated the talent it takes to take a perfect corner; thus, as I grew up as a gamer, I always tended to enjoy racing games as well.

‘Need For Speed Underground 2’ is easily my favourite of all time, but ‘JDM: Japanese Drift Master by Gaming Factory slides into the lanes of contenders of decent arcade race games with such potential.

The story unravels via Manga scenes and text messages straight to your mobile phone. You play as Touma, a race car driver who has ruined his career in Europe and has fled to Japan to begin a new life. Starting his new life as a lowly delivery driver, Touma must use his driving skills to hurdle his way through life and love all the way to the top of the Japanese drift racing scene. The story was decent enough, and the manga styling actually was a nice, charming touch that strings it all together culturally.

There is an open world map for you to explore. The map was more impressive than I expected, and while not the biggest racing map, it was decent enough to explore and feel like you are in very different areas of the countryside. As you gain more experience and money, the map opens up to more activities you can participate in.

Events mainly consist of the staple of drifting, but there are also Grip and Drag events. These are great because they break up the monotony of drifting and are a welcome change of pace at times.

The gameplay is pretty fluid, with each car feeling unique and driving differently. The only downside to this is if you have the wrong vehicle for the job, you find out too late, have to change at a garage and drive all the way to the objective. There is no fixing on the fly. There are the usuals in this sort of game with a car dealership, paint shop and a parts and tuner garage. The customisation, especially in the tuner shop, is quite extensive as you unlock items from rep earned in events.

The cars handle well, as I mentioned before, and look absolutely fabulous. All the great JDMs are there; Honda, Nissan, Subaru, the selection was about 20 cars deep, and I couldn’t have been happier. The only thing that would have improved the overall experience with the cars would have been some sort of at least minor wear and tear on them as you plough down the streets of Japan. At times, everything was a tad too clean even for an arcade racer like this one.

This problem can be wildly amplified by two other issues. The Traffic is very mismatched, and items placed in the environment aren’t very destructive. Sometimes the roads are very empty, and then even in the quietest back street will be cars obstructing the most perfect drift.

Also, there is a very inconsistent gauge on what can be driven through; sometimes, you can slam through a guard, but the next minute, a time post will send your car excessively flying into the sky.

The graphics are absolutely slick, though. The inner streets are lined with neon emblazoned storefronts, and the countryside with Japanese blooms and twisting trees. Rain glistens on the tarmac of a skid pan, and rays of light bounce off the glossy bonnets of each car.

The cars themself too are graphically the stars. The interiors are extremely detailed, and each body kit, rim, and engine part or paint job adds even more realistic character.

The music in the game is impressive too. There is a vast selection of music types on the radio that decently bang. The sound effects are very in tune with the atmosphere, too. Tires screech on the asphalt, engines rev into gear as you shift up and down and purr as you sit in idle.

JDM: Japanese Drift Master has a solid foundation and, thankfully, a fully transparent roadmap that shows promise for the future. The gameplay is decently fluid, the cars slick, and the graphics crisp. This is one title speeding out of the gates, and I can’t wait to see what is to come.

For fans of this game, a personalized souvenir undoubtedly adds a touch of ceremony to their passion, and Custom Pins Canada is the perfect choice.

The pins can encapsulate the game’s iconic manga style, classic Japanese car silhouettes, dynamic moments of drifting through corners, or even the image of protagonist Touma, all on a single badge. The quick customization feature makes this a truly tangible experience. This feature allows fans to design their desired pins in a short time. Order your adorable pins quickly at gsjj.ca.

Every time you see the pin, relive the exhilarating experience of drifting through the streets of Japan.

Written by: Stacey