2K Drive Review

The most obvious feature of 2K Drive, due to the success of the free to play title Real Racing 3, is its $6.99 price tag. The whole, 'why buy the milk when you can get the cow for free' completely applies to this racer, and one wonders if 2K Sports has given gamers enough bang for their buck to warrant such an expenditure. Is this racer worth the cash, or should you just drive off and download a free app?

The argument really stands on what kind of importance you place on iOS gaming. Since I prefer lounging on my couch or bed while I'm tapping away at my apps, 2K Drive is the perfect experience for my iPad. Although I'm not a dyed in the wool driver by any means, I will spend countless hours navigating my way through tracks all around the world, and these days I prefer to take that journey on my tablet.

If you've titled your device before on past apps, learning to drive is a total cinch with 2K Drive. With the brake pedal on your left and your acceleration located on your right hand side, I simply grip my iPad and use my thumbs to shift my car's respective speeds as it attempts to overtake various cars or avoid smashing into hairpin turns. Several hours into the game, I'm still mastering the tilt controls and occasionally my vehicle will spin out of control due to my own lack of skill. Although it's easy to enter various races and challenges, don't expect an easy ride on 2K Drive. Below is a photo of my driver on the verge of failing a time trial.

By paying for 2K Drive, gamers will also be free from annoying advertisements which infest many freemium based apps, and although you can purchase 25 cars for an extra $10, that's just a total option and not a necessity. With each race you enter, whether it's in solo or multiplayer mode, you earn a bunch of stars which in turn leads to gold coins.

These stars and coins increase the more you level up in experience and win trophies. If you're totally inept at racing, that's fine as well, since you will still rack up stars due to the miles you accrue from your challenges. Basically, once you pay the upfront money you're good to go and can earn new cars, upgrades, and boosts by racing to your hearts content. Instead of giving my Chevrolet Volt a much needed upgrade pack, I went for the eye catching paint job.

With over 100 events to choose from and unlock, 2K Drive excels in its level of variety. One early challenge has your vehicle attempting to dodge a helicopter's sight line for at least 20 seconds, and if you succeed in that task you may find yourself burning rubber on the streets of England, or maybe even on a dirt path. Want a break from all those collisions and lack of victories? Head over to the news section and check out the latest articles on the auto industry. In short, you really don't have to be a car nut to enjoy 2K Drive's diversity. Personally, I'm fine driving on a dusty path without another vehicle in sight. As long as I don't flip over and ruin my chance at a record time.

Multiplayer mode is also a seamless experience, and if you want to earn gold coins in a much more rapid fashion, this is the way to go. The Raceface function allows you to choose a photo of yourself and use it as your driver. Since I don't want any other racers to harbor any kind of road rage, I'm leaving my annoying mug out of any kind of Raceface feature. Thankfully, I have other drivers to show you how it's done.

Since I've devoted half a day to playing 2K Drive and still haven't scratched the surface, I can heartily recommend this title. The multiplayer mode is totally fun and seamless, and the vast array of challenges and races should keep you entertained. I will devote more hours to winning more trophies and filling my garage with cars I can only dream of owning, and for seven bucks it's a fantasy I can finally afford.

App Store Link: 2K Drive for iPhone & iPad | By 2K Sports | Price: $6.99 | Version: 1.5 | 565 MB | Rating: 4+