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Drift Hunters is a free-to-play car drifting game that has hooked players worldwide since its release in 2017. Developed by Illia Kaminetskyi under Studionum43, it blends the adrenaline of high-speed drifting with the satisfaction of car customization.
The game falls squarely in the car drifting genre, but what makes it stand out is how it feels when you play. From the moment you load it up on your desktop browser, Android, or iOS device, you’re dropped into a world of slick 3D visuals and smooth gameplay.
Built using the UNITY engine, Drift Hunters runs surprisingly well even on less powerful devices, delivering stable frame rates and responsive controls. There's no paywall, no in-app purchases or hidden costs, so you’re free to unlock cars, upgrade parts, and experiment on different tracks at your own pace.
Explore Drift Hunters on:
When you first jump into Drift Hunters, you’re handed the iconic Toyota AE86 and 25,000 credits. It feels like getting the keys to a classic drift legend. After spending countless hours drifting through tight corners, here’s what I’ve learned about the controls and early strategy:
Pro tip from my experience: Upgrade your turbo and engine early. It makes those first drifts on beginner tracks like Nishuri or Emashi much easier to hold. Later, I’d grind credits on the City track—it’s where I unlocked my first Nissan GTR after hours of practice. Also, don’t forget to fine-tune ride height and camber to really feel the difference in how the car slides.
In the “PARTS” menu, you’ll quickly realize that upgrading your turbo and engine first is the meta strategy. Why? Because top players prioritize wheel spin and drift maintenance over raw speed. By boosting turbo pressure, you’ll find it easier to kick out the rear end and hold drifts longer, especially on wider corners.
Head over to the “TUNING” menu to fine-tune ride height, camber, offset, brake balance, and turbo pressure. Personally, I noticed lowering ride height and adding negative camber helps maintain tighter lines through corners like those on the Stadium track.
There are 10 unique tracks, each offering different challenges:
The meta? Players often “farm” credits on City to unlock higher-tier cars faster. In fact, many experienced players recommend combining turbo upgrades with City runs for efficient credit stacking.
With over 25 cars—including fan favorites like the BMW M3, Toyota Supra, and Nissan GTR—the customization options run deep. Paint jobs, rim designs, and performance upgrades let you tailor each car to your style.
After a few dozen hours, I noticed subtle tweaks, like adjusting camber or offset, can make the difference between a smooth combo or spinning out mid-drift.
Thanks to the UNITY engine, the game delivers impressively realistic drifting physics while maintaining a stable frame rate on even low-spec devices. Whether on a phone or browser, it’s optimized to be smooth and accessible to everyone.
A 2013 study on game immersion and motor skill learning found that games with realistic physics, like Drift Hunters, improve players' hand-eye coordination and spatial awareness—skills critical for mastering drifting mechanics.
And yes, all of this comes wrapped in a completely free-to-play package with no pay-to-win mechanics.
After spending dozens of hours in Drift Hunters, one thing became clear—it rewards patience and practice. Like drifting in games such as CarX Drift Racing or Assetto Corsa, mastering Drift Hunters starts with the fundamentals.
Practice Basics
Before jumping into advanced tracks, head to a wide-open area and practice donuts and figure-of-eights. These simple moves help you feel how the car shifts weight mid-drift. It’s something many players (myself included) overlook at first, but it builds the muscle memory you’ll need later.
Drifting Techniques:
Advanced Technique - WallTap
In Drift Hunters, the WallTap is like a hidden gem. It’s risky but rewarding. Lightly tap the wall with your rear bumper mid-drift to boost your multiplier. I’ve personally pushed it from 20x to 60x on Stadium and Nishuri tracks. It’s not unlike advanced maneuvers seen in CarX Drift Racing, where precision is everything.
Track Selection Tips:
Tuning Advice
Top players recommend avoiding maxed-out power early on. A balanced setup gives better control. Stick with the automatic gearbox at first and gradually adjust suspension and turbo for smoother drifts.
Having tried overly aggressive setups myself, I can say: balance beats brute force every time.
Even after dozens of hours in Drift Hunters, I found myself surprised by some of the game’s lesser-known tricks.
One example is the WallTap technique. Beginners often miss this, but skilled players use it to nudge their rear bumper against a wall while drifting, skyrocketing their combo multipliers—sometimes up to 60x on tracks like Stadium. It’s high-risk but high-reward.
Tracks like Tyshen are designed with wide, flowing corners, perfect for chaining drifts smoothly. In contrast, Stadium is tighter but perfect for mastering WallTaps.
Then there’s the deep tuning system. Many players just upgrade power and move on, but fine-tuning camber, offset, and brake balance can massively change how your car feels. A slight tweak might mean the difference between spinning out or holding a perfect drift.
As Illia Kaminetskyi, the game’s developer, mentioned in an interview with Drifted.com, “Drift Hunters was built to reward experimentation and personal driving styles.”
Experts at TopSpeed also praise the UNITY engine’s physics, which makes every adjustment noticeable. Within the Drift Hunters community, it’s common advice to try different setups on each track. Many players underestimate how much a well-tuned car can boost high scores.
Drift Hunters is more than just a free drifting game—it’s a deep, skill-based experience. With realistic physics, customizable cars, and hidden techniques like WallTap, it rewards players who dig deeper.
Illia Kaminetskyi, the developer behind Drift Hunters, is known for crafting simple yet engaging games.
Working under the studio name Studionum43, Illia has created a range of titles beyond drifting. These include Drift Hunters 2, which builds on the success of the original, as well as Master Chess, a clean and accessible chess game, and City Car Driving Simulator, a casual driving experience. Illia also ventured into platforming with Portal 2D, offering puzzle-solving fun.
For more projects and updates from Illia Kaminetskyi, you can visit his official page on Itch.io.