KartRider Drift

KartRider Drift is a free-to-play, cross-platform 3D online kart racer that continues the long-running Crazyracing KartRider legacy that began in 2004. It doubles down on colorful, upbeat style, arcade-centric handling, and that familiar party-racer loop of snagging items during a lap to harass rivals or protect your own push to the finish.

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Publisher: Nexon
Playerbase: Medium
Type: Racing
Release Date: January 11, 2023
Pros: +Vibrant, polished visuals. +Easy-to-learn steering and racing fundamentals. +Hooky, match-friendly racing flow. +Deep options for kart tuning and cosmetics. +Creative tracks with memorable themes.
Cons: -Mode variety can feel thin. -Drift timing and control have a learning curve.

Overview

KartRider Drift Overview

KartRider Drift offers an arcade-forward spin on online kart racing, emphasizing quick matchmaking, charming character designs, and courses that reward maintaining speed through smooth lines. Choose from a modest lineup of familiar series characters, then queue into races for up to eight players where the objective is straightforward: place high while handling the mayhem created by item pickups. Tracks are built around distinct themes, so you might be sliding through sandy desert bends one race, then threading turns around spooky graveyard set pieces, thick woodlands, or slick ice paths that demand careful corner control.

As with other item-driven kart racers, a lot of the tension hinges on what you collect and the timing of your activations. Aggressive items can break an opponent’s rhythm, while defensive tools help you endure the last-lap scramble when positions shift rapidly. Beyond item play, drifting is the defining skill—linking drifts into boosts is essential for holding speed in technical sections and setting up overtakes. If you want something more purely competitive, Speed Mode removes items and shifts the focus to racing lines, drift precision, and solid course knowledge.

Progression and personalization round out the appeal. You can dress up characters with cosmetics and tweak karts using a large pool of parts, letting you shape both looks and performance to match your preferences. It’s approachable for casual sessions, yet layered enough to reward players who invest time into mastering drifts and optimal routes.

KartRider Drift Key Features:

  • Pick-Up-and-Play Arcade Racing – rapid online races where smart positioning, well-timed items, and tidy cornering decide the winner.
  • Bright Unreal Engine 4 Presentation – colorful environments and character visuals across varied locales that keep each race feeling distinct.
  • Two Core Race Styles– battle with item pickups for unpredictable party energy, or race in Speed Mode where execution is everything.
  • Robust Customization – customize characters and fine-tune kart setups with plenty of parts and cosmetic unlocks.
  • Cross-Platform Play– race against a wider audience with cross-play support for PC and Xbox.

KartRider Drift Screenshots

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KartRider Drift Featured Video

KartRider: Drift | X019 Announce Trailer

Full Review

KartRider Drift Review

Review write-up will be added soon.

System Requirements

KartRider Drift System Requirements

Minimum Requirements:

Operating System: Windows 7 or above (64-bit)
CPU: Intel i5 Quadcore CPU or above
Video Card: GeForce GTX 760 or above
RAM: 8 GB RAM
Hard Disk Space: 30 GB available space

Recommended Requirements:

Operating System: Windows 7 or above (64-bit)
CPU: Intel i5 Quadcore CPU or above
Video Card: GeForce GTX 760 or above
RAM: 8 GB RAM
Hard Disk Space: 30 GB available space

Music

KartRider Drift Music & Soundtrack

Soundtrack details are not available yet.

Additional Info

KartRider Drift Additional Information

Developer: Nexon Korea Corp.
Publisher: Nexon America

Platforms: PC, Xbox One

Engine: Unreal Engine 4

Closed Beta 1: December 5 – 8, 2019
Closed Beta 2: June 3 – June 10, 2020

Release Date: January 11, 2023

Development History / Background:

KartRider Drift is a free-to-play 3D online multiplayer kart-racing title developed and published by Nexon. The global release was announced on November 14, 2019 during Microsoft’s Xbox X019 event in London. Following the reveal, Nexon ran an initial closed beta from December 5 to 8, 2019, and later held a second closed test from June 3 to June 10, 2020. At that stage, the game was targeting a 2020 launch window.

The title released on PC and Xbox One and is notable in the series for offering full cross-platform matchmaking. Nexon also mentioned a mobile version with cross-play support planned to arrive in 2023.