Driftin' Away

Don't let the good looks fool you; Ridge Racer™ 6 might be the hottest thing on four wheels, but shallow the game isn't.

Cruising the title's photorealistic streets in your Sky Kid Fiera or Sheonite Bayonet (two of more than 130 cars players can collect), it quickly becomes apparent: There's a lot going on here under the hood. While getting ahead often requires cobra-like reflexes and an eye for approaching sharp corners, sometimes you've simply got to be more strategic when vying for a spot on the leaderboard.

That's where drifting, a process some may also know as powersliding, comes into play. Using this technique, cars can skid around hairpin turns by using their own speed and momentum—no taps on the gas pedal are needed.

Of course, there's a catch—while such maneuvers allow you to make tighter turns, they also all but eliminate any control you have over your vehicle. So while you're capable of skidding past rivals, unless you apply a subtle hand on the steering wheel, you'll continue drifting right into a wall or median.

But hey: No risk, no reward, right? Still, here are a few things you should know before virtually endangering life and limb.

Sitting sideways.

How to Drift

1. Start by working up some speed—traveling at around 80 or 90 MPH is ideal.
2. Wait until you come to a turn.
2. Once you approach the turn, steer in the same direction it's headed.
3. When your vehicle (or machine, as the game calls it) begins to turn, release the accelerator (right trigger button).
4. Your car starts to slide sideways as the back wheels spin out.
5. Apply full throttle to regain some measure of control over the vehicle, and adjust the angle of the drift with the steering control (left stick).
6. Finally, simply make sure the machine is facing in the same direction as the road, and it will regain its grip on the tarmac and begin to accelerate again.

Can you hear the screeching rubber?

Important Points

• Drifting is the absolute best way to take tight corners quickly. And, in some cases, the only way to go around them without crashing or slowing to crippling speeds, period.
• Cars all feature a nitrous gauge. Once charged, you can access a turbo boost that will propel you past rivals at incredible speeds. The way to build up the gauge? Yep, drifting ...
• Get acquainted with drifting right away. While it's possible to win early events without it, you'll never travel the entirety of a unique racing route you've custom built in World Xplorer mode without becoming a master of the technique. Later competitions can't be won unless you're an expert.

Nitro-fueled mayhem.

Hot Tips

• Practice makes perfect. Hone your abilities by playing single races before tackling lengthier campaigns. Look for wide open curves that offer plenty of room for screw-ups. Once you've got the hang of handling them, you can move on to trying the technique on more narrow and unforgiving stretches of track.
• Like they say, seeing is believing. And if you don't believe there's any way to squeeze through a particularly tight section of course without stopping completely, well ... it's probably a good sign you should start easing into a drift.
• Watch your wheels. During drifts, the back end of your car swings out in the opposite direction from which you should be steering. So if the wheels go right, press the left stick to the left to maintain control over your car. If they spin towards the left, press it towards the right instead.
• The faster you're going when you barrel into a drift, the quicker you fill your nitrous gauge. Also important to recall: Don't waste your time with small, low-speed drifts. It's much more efficient to do one long, high-speed drift. Try not to overdo it, too—the gauge won't charge while nitrous is in use.
• Leave yourself room to screw up; get a head start before the real race even begins. Prior to each competition's start, try to keep your engine RPM just below the red line. The instant the word "GO" flashes on the screen, floor the pedal. You'll tear out ahead of the pack and give yourself a pronounced edge over rival racers.

Article by Chris Zimmerman