Drop Drive- Game Review

Jacqueline Atkins
Oct 9
3 min read

Title: Drop Drive: Deeper Space Edition

Designed By: Scott R. Smith

Art By: Gong Studios

Published By: Phase Shift Games

Released: 2024

Player Count: 2-5

Time to Play: 45-60 Minutes

Ages: 8+

Overview:

Drop Drive is a sandbox-style space game for 2–5 players where you zoom around the galaxy mining asteroids, picking up passengers, battling space pirates, collecting aliens, and selling your loot to earn the most space bucks. Each game starts with you building a unique ship, and from there it’s totally up to you how you explore the universe. With modular pieces, a mix of strategy and dexterity, and tons of variety, Drop Drive lets you create your own adventure every time you play.

What's purr-ty cool:

A You-nique Ship

One of the first joys of Drop Drive happens before the game even starts: building your spaceship. You’ll get to mix and match unique front and back ship cards, which not only look cool but give you different powers and setups each time you play. Add to that the ship upgrades that expand your ship and bring new abilities into play, and you’ve got a game that feels refreshingly modular and full of discovery from game to game. They also get fun names and the more parts you add, the crazier they get.

Colorful spaceship cards on a white table show "The Lone," "Touring," and "Kraken." Highlighting text: "NAV MODULE" and a gameplay tip.

Galaxy Building for the Creative Spirit

Drop Drive leans into its sandbox nature in the best way. Want to mix basic and advanced planets? Go for it. Want to spice things up with Anomaly rules? Absolutely. Prefer to invent your own custom challenges using the components? The rulebook says “yes, please.” This open-ended structure makes Drop Drive feel like more than a game—it’s a customizable toolkit for spacefaring fun, and it encourages creativity at every turn.

Board game setup with colorful pieces on a white, space-themed board. Cards and a dice are nearby. The mood is strategic and playful.

Play with Pieces, Not Just Cards

If you like to physically do things in your games, Drop Drive has you covered. It's kind of like a dexterity game for the non-dexterous human. You'll be dropping ships from a measured height onto a ever changing galaxy, flinging planets into orbit, and using your custom spaceship’s nav tool to determine how far you can travel. It brings a delightful dexterity element to the gameplay that’s both tactile and strategic with some luck thrown in too (you never know exactly how a piece will bounce once dropped). Plus, the passenger system—where you taxi aliens from one planet to another for rewards—feels like a cosmic nod to Crazy Taxi, and we’re here for it.

Fast Turns with a Splash of Player Interaction

Drop Drive moves at a smooth pace thanks to its quick turns, but it also finds ways to keep players engaged on others turns. When ships bump into each other in the galaxy, you’ll have to decide whether to fight or play nice. You can also go toe-to-toe with space pirates in combat for potential rewards. These moments of interaction keep everyone invested without bogging things down.

Out-of-This-World Components

Hexagonal card with a green lizard pirate in a blue hat. Text reads "Captain Har Tack." Pink die and toy chain nearby.

The game doesn’t just play well—it looks stellar. Drop Drive comes packed with screen-printed tokens, funky shaped pieces, and holographic baggies. Even the interlocking bits feel thoughtful and satisfying. It’s the kind of production quality that makes setup exciting and cleanup (almost) not a chore.

The cat's meow:

"Who knew launching yourself into space and discovering aliens could be so lucrative? Next time, I’m installing lasers on my litterbox." - Solo the Spokescat

Disclosure: Pudgy Cat Games was provided a copy of this game in exchange for a review, however, this review reflects the honest thoughts of the author.