Drift Masters

The other day I opened Drift Masters planning to play for five minutes just to kill some time. Almost an hour later I was still there, trying to hold the car in a slide through one corner where I crashed into the barrier every single time. The game runs right in your browser with no download needed, so it’s very easy to get hooked.

How Does the Game Score You?

Nobody forces you to finish first. What counts is how long and how smooth your slide is, and that gets converted into coins. A slow but clean run beats a fast but sloppy one. This completely changed the way I think about racing games.

Three Maps, Three Personalities

The Keys I Press Most

• W and S: accelerate, brake or reverse
• A and D: steer left and right
• Space: handbrake, to get the rear of the car sliding
• F: nitro
• C, L, Left Shift, Ctrl: change camera, toggle headlights, shift gears up and down

How I Trained From Zero

1. Go to the City, drive straight and steer lightly for a few minutes to get used to the weight of the car.
2. At a corner, ease off the throttle, tap Space for a short beat, then release it.
3. Hold the slide angle with the throttle and steering, and don’t turn sharply.
4. Only try nitro once your slide is steady, and only use it when exiting a corner.
5. Once you’re comfortable, move on to Race Track and leave Snowy Track for last.

The Three Mistakes I Made Most Often

Entering a Corner at Straight-Line Speed

The car will spin around on the spot. I fixed it by lifting off the throttle a little earlier than I thought I needed to. It sounds slower, but it actually keeps the slide going longer.

Holding the Handbrake Too Long

The slide looks cool, but the car loses all its momentum and almost stops. A short tap and release is the right way to use it.

Firing Nitro in the Middle of a Tight Corner

I crashed into barriers more times than I can count because of this habit. Save nitro for the stretch after the corner.

Also, try pressing C to change the camera. Each view gives you a different feel for judging the distance to the barriers, and you’ll find out which one suits you.

Quick Questions and Short Answers About Drift Masters

Done Playing but Still Want More?

Once I can drift reliably in Drift Masters, I like to look for another driving game for a change of pace. You can check out Snow Crush to keep up your love of getting behind the wheel.