Drive Mad

Summary

This surprisingly challenging driving puzzle game combines immensely satisfying physics with rage-inducing frustration that (for some reason) keeps you coming back for more as you work through the 100 increasingly savage levels.

While it looks like another simple, blocky low-poly monster truck browser game, you’ll quickly realize it’s actually a perfectly refined, addictive test of weight transfer, momentum, and split-second timing (perfect for drifters!)

Each level brings something wildly different, and you’ll never know what the next one has in store. One minute you’re navigating icy slopes with zero traction, the next you’re trying to get a stretch limo over an obstacle, or struggling to control a rocket-fueled weapon that flips over with the slightest touch of the throttle.

The ragdoll-style vehicle physics make the suspension bouncy and ultra-sensitive, where every tap counts. Get the landing wrong, and your truck falls to pieces, and then you’re back at the start line again.

Whether you’re balancing a house on top of your truck (yes, really), crushing obstacles, or figuring out the various puzzle elements mid-level, there’s always something fresh to keep you hooked (and confused!)

Features

• Release date – March 2019
• Difficulty – Intermediate/Advanced
• Levels/environments – 100
• Number of vehicles – 100 (variations)
• Vehicle customization/upgrades – No
• Multiplayer – No
• Mobile – Yes (iOS and Android)
• Developer – Martin Magni

Physics

The awesome physics are what make Drive Mad so challenging and fun, but also frustrating.

Your monster truck has super soft, bouncy suspension that reacts to every tiny input. If you accelerate, the rear squats while the front pops a massive wheelie. Brake too hard or suddenly, and the rear-end launches itself into the air.

The elasticated feel means you nearly always need to tap the keys rather than hold (with some exceptions along the way). You’ll also learn to use these adjustments to balance mid-air after launching off the huge ramps and land at the perfect angle.

Graphics

Drive Mad’s blocky cartoon styling keeps things simple and focused on the gameplay. The minimalist vibe allows the game to run smoothly on pretty much any device while still looking super clean.

The visuals remind us of Polytrack, a popular (and surprisingly testing) racing game worth checking out if you’re after something more fast-paced, with a similar number of tracks (over 100) and global leaderboards to compete on.

Drive Mad controls

PC/laptop/Chromebook

• Right/up arrow/X key/D key – Accelerate (tilts truck forward)
• Left/down arrow/Z key/A key – Brake/reverse (tilts truck backward)
• R key – Reset level
• P key – Pause game

You can also click the left or right side of the screen with your mouse, but this can be a little fiddly when you need to quickly hit one of the pedals.

Mobile/tablet (iOS/Android)

• Press the on-screen buttons

Drive Mad works perfectly on iOS and Android devices within your browser. You can also check out our ever-growing mobile games collection for other popular titles optimized for portable devices.

How to play Drive Mad

Initial setup

When you first load Drive Mad, there’s no menu – you’re straight onto the first level.

In the top-left corner, you’ll find the ‘Pause’ button, where you can restart or resume. You can also click ‘Menu’ here to view the game’s 100 levels, and you can check back later if you want to replay a certain level. You can only access the levels you’ve unlocked (by completing the previous ones), and each level has a name hinting at the challenge that awaits.

In the top-right corner, the question mark opens a menu with a ‘Skip’ option. We recommend resisting the temptation to use it, as you’ll learn way more by figuring each level out yourself. Patience is very important here.

Getting started

At the start, you’ll find yourself on a grassy platform with a bridge ahead and a finish line in the distance. Your goal is reach the finish without your truck falling to pieces (or into the ocean). Easy enough, right?

You’ll soon see that when you accelerate (we recommend using the right arrow as it makes the most sense to use), your truck doesn’t just move forward – the rear suspension compresses and the front lifts. Hit the brakes or reverse, and the opposite happens. This means you can control your truck’s pitch in mid-air by tapping forward or backward, letting you adjust your landing angle on the fly.

The key to success here (for the most part) is tapping the accelerator/brake rather than holding. Rapid, feathered inputs give you way more control than committing to full throttle or full brake.

You need to constantly balance the truck to prevent it from flipping, especially during big jumps or while navigating challenging terrain. Land at the wrong angle and it’ll smash to pieces, giving you a Polaroid-style screenshot of your failure before the (thankfully instant) retry button appears. You can also quickly hit the ‘R’ key on your keyboard before the pop-up appears.

Be warned – if the truck’s body touches the ground at any point (not the wheels), it’s game over. You can smack into the finish line frame as hard as you want, but anything before that will leave you regretting your choices.

Along the 100 levels, you’ll encounter just about every terrain imaginable, from predictable, grippy sections to full ice-based levels where traction completely disappears. You’ll also face obstacles that require perfect timing to avoid getting crushed, and red buttons (or blocks) that activate various mechanisms when you drive onto, or push them (often turning green when activated).

Why your drifting skills will come in handy

If you’ve spent time learning drifting fundamentals, you’ll find the skills surprisingly useful here. Weight transfer is a big part of this game, and you’ll need to understand how the center of gravity shifts when you accelerate or brake to help you predict how the truck will react. You’ll also encounter various vehicles with (drastically) different loads, mixing things up on almost every level.

At times, momentum matters just as much as it does in drifting games. Careful throttle and braking control are super important, as is traction. Some of these monster trucks have studded snow tires that dig into the ground, while others have tiny wheels with barely any grip. You’ll need to check out the upcoming terrain and adjust your approach accordingly.

On top of that, the suspension travel and how weight loads onto different wheels during jumps or landings are all connected to the same principles you’d use when managing weight transfer through a corner.

Game modes

Unlike most browser games, Drive Mad doesn’t have separate modes. Instead, each of the 100 levels offers its own unique challenge (and vehicles). Some take seconds to complete, others will have you retrying (and possibly yelling) dozens of times.

Simple obstacle courses make up the bulk of early levels, where you’ll be navigating basic ramps, bridges, and jumps while learning the bouncy physics.

Vehicle-specific challenges provide a variety of trucks with unique characteristics that help (or hinder) you on specific levels. For example, ‘Limo Ledge’ gives you a stretch limo with a ridiculously long wheelbase that gets caught on everything. ‘Square Wheels’ literally puts square wheels on your truck, forcing you to patiently build momentum, and ‘Rocket Car’ straps a huge rocket booster to your truck, making every input ten times more sensitive.

Levels, like ‘Slippery Slope’, cover the ground in ice, leaving you with almost zero traction as you skate downhill. Others have you driving backwards intentionally, or controlling two trucks simultaneously on separate tracks. Some will also require you to collapse bridges by smashing into them aggressively, while others demand absolute patience in order to time your way through obstacles.

Puzzle-based levels will require you to complete specific tasks where you’ll need to push a cube into a square hole to lower the finish line, or hit red buttons to activate various actions at the right moment.

One level even makes you flip your entire truck to position the finish line (which is attached to the top of your vehicle) correctly.

Needless to say, it gets increasingly bonkers, and you’ll never know whether you’re about to get a six-wheeled lorry smashing through boxes, a double-decker monster truck, or a plane that needs to use the floating platform as a runway before taking off.

Drive Mad car list

There’s no garage or vehicle selection menu where you pick your ride. Instead, each level assigns you a specific vehicle designed for that challenge. There are 100 different vehicle variations (with their own mods and customizations) across the game’s levels, ranging from standard monster trucks to gigantic, bizarre creations.

The standard monster trucks at the start have the usual big tires, (somewhat) predictable suspension travel, and a relatively low center of gravity. They’re grippy enough to learn the basics but still bouncy enough to keep you on your toes.

Extreme variations begin to appear quickly as you progress, and things soon start getting weird! You’ll even need to balance houses on top, and some trucks can climb walls with their insane power and grip, while others have you controlling just a single wheel in the ultimate balancing act.

For even more variety, make sure you check out our monster truck games collection for more options. Popular choices include familiar classics such as Hill Climb Racing 2 and Big Monsters Racing.

Tuning and upgrades

Drive Mad doesn’t have any tuning, customization, or upgrades beyond the preset adaptations you’re assigned with the vehicle at the start of each level.

If this is what you were hoping for, Drift Hunters MAX offers the most comprehensive tuning system of any free browser game. You get real-life drifting physics, 39 cars, and a massive track selection with various game modes. There’s also enough tuning depth on offer to keep you busy for months. For those of you on lower-spec devices, the classic Drift Hunters game is a perfect entry-level alternative.

Want a tuning game with multiplayer instead? Drift King is the hottest free multiplayer drifting game right now, with plenty on offer, alongside great physics and fantastic tracks. Or try Drift Hunters Pro – made by the same team as Drift King, but focused on 90s JDM drift cars.

Advanced tips & tricks

Master the tap

Holding down the throttle or the brake is almost always a mistake, but it will be required for some of the obstacles. For the most part, rapid taps will give you way more control over the truck’s pitch and momentum, which is especially crucial during big jumps where you need to adjust your landing angle mid-air.

Aim for rear-wheel landings

Try to always land on your rear wheels first, as this gives you more control over the truck’s rotation and prevents the front end from slamming down and potentially touching the body to the ground (instant failure). Lean backwards in mid-air to pitch the nose up slightly before landing.

Study the terrain before committing

Some levels look straightforward but have hidden tricks, many of which won’t be immediately apparent and might take a few restarts to get right. Take a second to try and observe what’s ahead, even if your initial view is limited. Are there slippery surfaces? Big jumps? Maybe the platform suddenly disappears shortly after a jump?

Make the most of reverse when necessary

Sometimes you’ll need to reverse and get the biggest run-up possible in order to build enough momentum to clear a jump. Sometimes you need to back up almost to the edge of the platform to get enough speed, or you’ll undoubtedly fail.

Look for red elements

Red tiles, buttons, and blocks are almost always interactive. If you see something red, it’s probably the key to completing the level; you’ll just need to figure out how. Typically, if they turn green, you’ve successfully activated them.

Patience is often essential

Many elements (such as swinging hazards and moving platforms) require precise timing. Don’t rush it, and wait for the right moment, even if it means sitting still for a few seconds.

Drive Mad FAQ