The core gameplay of Initial Drift Online revolves around racing up and down the scenic mountainsides of Japan in a classic hot hatch, but you can also cosplay as Takumi from Initial D and perform deliveries in exchange for cash, which you can spend on vehicle upgrades and new vehicles altogether. There are two different soundtrack options, Eurobeat and Phonk, and there is a day/night cycle to keep things interesting, as well as a global leaderboard for both uphill and downhill races.
For a niche retro arcade game, Initial Drift Online has a decent player base, with around 1,500 daily players, according to SteamDB. That means that if you are in the mood for a PvP match, there’s a good chance you’ll find one, since the world isn’t completely open. All of that said, Initial Drift Online doesn’t claim to have the depth of customisation of a Forza or Need for Speed game, nor does it claim to have the hyper-accurate physics simulations of BeamNG. It’s mostly just a fun romp through some retro scenery with fun drift mechanics and a wacky soundtrack — an alternative to Vampire Survivors and the slew of roguelikes that have been so popular on the Steam Deck, perhaps.