SkyDrift isn't a game that's received a lot of attention, and that's unfortunate considering how enjoyable its premise actually is. It's a self-proclaimed arcade racer wholly laced with high-octane racing, challenging courses, and a few relics of the arcade racing genre that truthfully could have been left out, but overall it's a well-rounded, low-cost racer that's constantly enjoyable. 

I'll get the bad out of the way first: SkyDrift seems to be filled to the brim with rubberband A.I. racers. While playing through the "campaign" it takes little effort to maintain 2^nd-5^th place with some clean racing, but grabbing that lucrative 1^st place position and then holding on to it can be impossibly challenging. It's clear that the A.I. is meant to provide a challenge, but between avoiding the crazy power-ups and racing a plane through tight spaces with razor-like precision, it can be frustrating to constantly be denied first place.

Frustrating A.I. aside, the meat of the game is absolutely exhilarating. The numerous courses make for an interesting challenge as you race through, below, and above numerous obstacles littering the courses here and there, and ultimately it takes practice and skill, not just the fastest plane available, to actually win races. The game is geared to reward skill, so flying through a narrow opening in a canyon instead of flying around it will reward you with a slightly higher score and a minute amount of boost. This system urges players to learn courses through trial and error and take well-planned chances to give themselves that small extra edge required to win. 

SkyDrift also adds a Mario Kart-like feature with power-ups, which adds an offensive take to races. Getting ahead of an opponent may place you in the sights of their missiles and get you shot down; of course, you can also be defense and collect shield and repair power-ups to help protect your normally frail aircraft. However, SkyDrift gives powerups an interesting twist: you can sacrifice a power-up for additional boost if need be, and the stronger the power-up, the more boost you'll receive in return. It's an interesting trade-off system that allows you to make the decision between destroying an opponent or racing past them, and the extremely low respawn times following an exploding plane mean that killing an opponent may not necessarily secure you the lead. 

Of course, the obstacles and twisting winding nature of the courses may prove more of a foe than your opponents. Sharp turns, split second decisions, and shifting terrain mean that the actual course may down you more than opponents. The game definitely rewards trial and error play, which can lead to some unwarranted crashing during your first time around a track. You'll also need to pick the right plane for the right track. A plane specializing in speed is made just for that: speed. Straight lines and long sprints are going to be your friends, and any track with several turns is going to result in your plane not maximizing on what it's crafted to do. In this respect, SkyDrift offers a healthy number of planes, but I would have liked to have a few more to select from. 

Aside from the adrenaline-filled racing, SkyDrift is a beautiful game. While it doesn't have the absolute best-looking textures, everything is meant to be viewed at high speeds, and it works well when you can pull yourself away from flying combat / racing to admire the detailing on something like a waterfall under or through which you're racing, although there isn't much in the way of music aside from an enthusiastic announcer.

The only other problem plaguing SkyDrift is its own lack of popularity; there's hardly anyone online to race against, and that leads to a dull multiplayer experience. I've raced against one person at a time and have yet to have a full matchmade game. This corrals you into the single-player, which can grow repetitive, but all in all SkyDrift is a great racing distraction for small bursts of time. 

GameDynamo's Score for SkyDrift (PC)

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