I want to preface this by saying that this isn't a jab at Mario Kart or any other series. Every game does something really well, and for Crash Team Racing I think that's the drifitng mechanic. I wanted to make this thread to focus in on that specific mechanic, highlight what it brings to the game that other kart racers often lack, and let people who are unaware, know how it works. The drifitng mechanic significantly contributes to why I love CTR so much, and how it's differentiated from Mario Kart.
Drifting in CTR
Like other kart racing games, in order to perform a drift in CTR you just hold down the bumper while performing a turn. What differentiates this mechanic is that you're able to gain a boost, by pressing the opposing bumper button with appropriate timing. The smoke fumes at the back of your car, or the UI indicator at the lower right show you the appropriate timing.
Do this three times within a single drift and you'll earn a substantial boost.
This mechanic is interesting, because unlike Mario Kart Double Dash (or DS) where players simply mash the stick to activate a boost, the boost in CTR focuses on timing. This avoids repetitive movements that might be tiring over time, while still emphasising player skill.
Perhaps more notably, the size of the boost is dependent on the explicit timing of the button press, down to a singular frame. The later you time the boost, the more boost you end up with. However, the closer the boost is performed to the perfect timing, the more risk there is associated, as just one frame late will lead to you missing the boost.
Here's a video that explains drifting and the min-turbo system
Reserves and SAFI Fire
What's especially interesting about CTR's boost mechanic is the invisible system that it feeds into, called the reserve system. Every time you perform a boost in CTR, the game operates by adding the 'boost time' to an invisible pool. If the time between your boosts is rapid enough, and the boosts are substantial enough, then you can actually continuously stack this pool so that you are able to boost for indefinite periods at a time of your choosing. This can be used strategically, similar to mechanics such as KERS from F1 racing.
Here's an explanation of SAFI fire and Reserves
This is a big part of why I love the gameplay in CTR, so I wanted to spotlight it. If you're unaware of how these systems work then watching the videos might help you compete when CTR: Nitro Fuelled comes out, particularly if you plan on playing online. Some of us will be boosting around the track with speed that seems inconceivable. These mechanics are also incredibly valuable for players that want to beat all of N.Oxides time trials.
Drifting in CTR
Like other kart racing games, in order to perform a drift in CTR you just hold down the bumper while performing a turn. What differentiates this mechanic is that you're able to gain a boost, by pressing the opposing bumper button with appropriate timing. The smoke fumes at the back of your car, or the UI indicator at the lower right show you the appropriate timing.
Do this three times within a single drift and you'll earn a substantial boost.
This mechanic is interesting, because unlike Mario Kart Double Dash (or DS) where players simply mash the stick to activate a boost, the boost in CTR focuses on timing. This avoids repetitive movements that might be tiring over time, while still emphasising player skill.
Perhaps more notably, the size of the boost is dependent on the explicit timing of the button press, down to a singular frame. The later you time the boost, the more boost you end up with. However, the closer the boost is performed to the perfect timing, the more risk there is associated, as just one frame late will lead to you missing the boost.
Here's a video that explains drifting and the min-turbo system
Reserves and SAFI Fire
What's especially interesting about CTR's boost mechanic is the invisible system that it feeds into, called the reserve system. Every time you perform a boost in CTR, the game operates by adding the 'boost time' to an invisible pool. If the time between your boosts is rapid enough, and the boosts are substantial enough, then you can actually continuously stack this pool so that you are able to boost for indefinite periods at a time of your choosing. This can be used strategically, similar to mechanics such as KERS from F1 racing.
Here's an explanation of SAFI fire and Reserves
This is a big part of why I love the gameplay in CTR, so I wanted to spotlight it. If you're unaware of how these systems work then watching the videos might help you compete when CTR: Nitro Fuelled comes out, particularly if you plan on playing online. Some of us will be boosting around the track with speed that seems inconceivable. These mechanics are also incredibly valuable for players that want to beat all of N.Oxides time trials.
