Power Drift

1988 · Racing · Arcade

Overview

Power Drift (1988) is Yu Suzuki's kart racer for Sega, built entirely from scaling sprites on a cabinet that tilted and shook, recognised by Guinness as the first kart racing game.

Deep Dive

Players must finish third or better to go on. There are five courses of five tracks, four laps each. Winning every race on a course unlocks an extra stage flown in After Burner II's F-14 or ridden on Super Hang-On's motorbike.

Developer Story

Suzuki directed, produced and designed it on the Sega Y Board, which could rotate and scale both sprites and background, with music by Hiroshi Kawaguchi. The sit-down cabinet sat on a hydraulic platform. Activision's 1989 computer versions lacked that motion, and Mega Drive, 32X and Sega CD versions were cancelled.

Did You Know?

Sinclair User called it "the single most spectacular game ever to arrive in an arcade".
Its ZX Spectrum version knocked RoboCop off the top of the UK chart in 1989.