2K Drive aims to be the ultimate car lover's game

2K Game's mobile racing simulation, 2K Drive, aims to be an all-in-one game that lets players customize cars, race them and immerse themselves in the professional sport.

The game is positioned as a car lover's go-to app, with 2K Drive's homepage populated with car news from Autoblog, photo galleries of luxury cars, video footage of races and tracks, and various game modes. Players can race in Championship Mode, which features more traditional progression; Multiplayer Mode, which offers asynchronous competition; and a road trip mode that lets them race on tracks from around the world, while also teaching them about the significance of the locations.

Players will be able to choose and customize their vehicles, changing everything from the paint work to the window tint to the rims to their own helmet. The cars themselves range from Indy race cars to the Nissan Cube, and players will have to choose different cars based on the terrain they're racing on.

In Multiplayer Mode, players take part in asynchronous races against friends or strangers from the game's leaderboard. Players will only be able to race opponents who have previously driven on the track on which they're about to race because the game uses that data in the multiplayer race. When a multiplayer race begins, the ghost of the opponent's vehicle will drive through the course exactly as they had done previously, and the player will have to try to catch up, over-take and beat their opponent's time. The opponent's ghost car will be visible on the track, and the game will playback all their movements in real-time, including every collision and error made.

Aside from traditional race tracks, the game also features real-world locations like the salt flats of Utah and the streets of Tokyo, and fictional tracks like one where the road resembles a roller coaster, and another where a car has to race a helicopter through a maze. There is even a stage where a player uses a car to dribble a soccer ball across a field and into a goal (one of the few times the Nissan Cube is useful).

Players will be able to customize the way their vehicle handles to best prepare for each unique track. Break assist, rear wheel assist and steer assist can all be turned on or off, and the steering sensitivity can also be changed. If a player chooses to drive with assistance, the game might be easier to play, but the fastest time might be more difficult to achieve. But if a player turns off all assistance and drives the car manually, it may be more difficult to handle, but it will also be possible to take advantage of the car's physics and achieve a faster time.

According to 2K producer Dan Schmittou, physics lies at the core of 2K Drive, and every car performs differently as a result. If a player chooses a car with rear-wheel drive, they will really feel it when they're taking their vehicle around bends or when they are drifting. Choosing a car with a higher center of gravity will also have a noticeable impact when the car has to race on narrow tracks. Schmittou told Polygon that car choices really have a strong impact on the way races play out, and every vehicle will simulate real-life physics.

"What we wanted to do was create this cutting-edge racing simulation that combines the depth and richness of a console experience for the mobile platform," Schmittou said. "We want to bring a unique car culture to mobile, and we're focused on true physics simulations and car handling."