JDM: Rise of the Scorpion – Everything You Need To Know

Drift your way through the busy traffic on the touge mountain roads of Japan in this exciting new drifting game, where Initial D meets Forza Horizon.

What Is JDM: Rise of the Scorpion Prologue?

If you’ve stumbled upon this article looking for info on the JDM: Japanese Drift Master game, but you’re not quite sure what this Prologue entails, you’re not alone! Think of Rise of the Scorpion as an early introduction to the main game. It’s an entirely free, smaller version of the “main game” that provides a teaser of what’s to come – essentially an advanced demo.

If you’re unfamiliar with “JDM: Japanese Drift Master,” we appreciate that it might sound like a terrible keyword-stuffed game that lingers in the depths of your favorite app store with about five downloads in three years. However, we can assure you this isn’t the case here.

Forza Horizon fans have been screaming for Japan to be the in-game location for years. With JDM, you’ll finally get to explore the open-world twisty touge mountain roads around the fictional Haikama Lake, surrounded by plenty of traffic as you slide your way through your favorite JDM and quirky kei cars going about their daily rituals, testing your drifting skills to the limit.

Rise of the Scorpion introduces us to Hatori Hasashi, a high school rebel living a double life, bringing his story to life through hand-drawn manga panels. By day, he’s trying to keep his traditional family happy. At night, he’s tearing up the streets in his Veilside-kitted 350Z.

Where Does It Fit Into The Market?

Both Rise of the Scorpion and its more comprehensive sibling, JDM: Japanese Drift Master, are all about immersing you in the world of JDM culture and drifting.

It’s a game built by JDM and drifting enthusiasts for the fans, blending what we love about Forza Horizon, CarX Drift Racing, and Need For Speed, mixed with some Initial D vibes and the tarmac physics of Assetto Corsa, set in a breathtaking open world of Japan.

If you’re wondering whether it’s trying to be a sim or an arcade racer, it’s shooting for that sweet spot in between. When the rear end slides out, it’s impressively close to what you’d experience in more established sim racers, combined with the fun of the more arcade-y games.

The devs want a realistic driving experience without needing a physics degree, somewhat similar to CarX Drift Racing. Think of it as a “simcade” – a perfect balance for when you want to feel like a pro drifter but don’t want to spend hours needing to play about with your suspension settings.

From the demo, much of the feedback from users praised the grip, tarmac, and tire physics. Even Assetto Corsa struggles to get this right, with many fans complaining about the “floaty” feeling. It’s not all about the grip, either. The game nails the trifecta of driving feel, sound, and graphics, even throwing in some much-needed Eurobeat.

Download The Game Here (It’s FREE!)

Gaming Factory, the studio behind the game, pushed it back slightly, but it’s now live and available to download on the Steam Store. Alternatively, it’s also available on Epic and GOG.

The developers have worked hard the past year, building the driving physics system specifically for the series. They went the extra mile by initially releasing a pre-release demo, giving gamers a taste of what’s to come and collecting valuable real-world feedback from drifting enthusiasts. These ideas left them with ideas for new features they wanted to integrate before the launch. Who can complain about that?!

In a world where we’re used to games being pushed out faster than a 2JZ-swapped Corolla, it’s refreshing to see a developer take their time, especially since it’s free and this isn’t even the main game. It’s refreshing to see a dev team prioritize their product over a quick cash grab in this day and age. The developers keep fans in the loop through platforms like Reddit, engaging with the community and listening to feedback.

Real-World Opinions From Popular YouTubers

It’ll come as no surprise that popular sim-drifting YouTubers were the first to get their hands on Rise of the Scorpion. So, pick your favorite YouTuber below to see their opinions, or maybe discover someone new to follow:

AR12Gaming

SLAPTrain

BlackPanthaa

Goosiest

Meet Hatori Hasashi, aka “Scorpion”

The main focus of Rise of the Scorpion is meeting “Scorpion” himself. Known as Hatori Hasashi by day, he’s your typical high school student, much like Initial D’s Takumi Fujiwara, trying to keep his traditional Japanese family happy with good grades and a squeaky-clean image. However, the real Hatori comes out to play when the sun goes down, becoming “Scorpion,” one of the hottest young talents on the local drift scene.

The game drops us right into Hatori’s world through a series of hand-drawn manga panels. We see him juggling his dual life surrounded by a cast of characters that wouldn’t be out of place in your favorite anime.

Hatori’s story is about his pursuit of becoming the best hashiriya (street racer) in the area and, somewhat unsurprisingly, trying to hook up with girls along the way. You also get to participate in “date races,” where you race to score dates. But don’t worry, it’s not all about virtual romance.

Game Modes

Despite being a prologue, the game still brings a selection of events and modes, making it about much more than simply drifting from point A to B. Here are the events that’ll test your skills:

Drift Race

You’ll need to throw your car sideways through the touge, racking up points along the way. It’s not just about going fast; it’s about looking good doing it, too. Multiple stages and trials mean you’ll have plenty of opportunities to perfect your technique.

Drift Battle

Drift battles should need no introduction here! You’ll need to show off your skills against your rival in a fight for the drift king throne.

Grip Race

This is a classic street race-style event for the non-drifting fans calling out for some traditional racing action. Be the first to cross the finish line and prove that sometimes, the fastest way between two points is a straight(ish) line.

In-Game Features

They’ve not held back on the Prologue features, either:

Open-world environment

Building upon the demo, the Prologue introduces an open-world environment with twisty mountain passes and bustling city streets.

Dynamic weather system

Something that Assetto Corsa has yet to nail. One minute, you’re drifting under clear skies. Next, you’re battling for traction and heading sideways into the guardrails in the sudden downpour.

Day-night cycle

Throw in the day-night cycle, and you have a world constantly testing your skills.

In-game smartphone

The virtual device isn’t just a gimmicky menu. It lets you tweak car settings, check messages from NPCs, follow your quest log, and even customize your wallpaper without breaking the game’s immersion. It’s like having a mechanic, a social network, and a high-tech ECU in your virtual pocket.

Traffic simulation

Navigate through bustling street traffic made complete with awesome JDM rides such as Kei cars.

Realistic physics engine

The Prologue showcases a physics engine that promises to deliver a realistic driving experience, compatible with various control setups from controllers to full racing rigs.

If you’re not able to get to your sim rig right now, why not try our free touge drifting games? We have two perfect Drifted exclusives for you to enjoy: Drift Hunters MAX and Touge Drift & Racing.

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