When comparing Power Drift vs Gradius, the Slant community recommends Gradius for most people. In the question“What are the best and the most revolutionary games of all time?” Gradius is ranked 37th while Power Drift is ranked 95th. The most important reason people chose Gradius is:
Perhaps it’s the first arcade game having secret stages?
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro One of the first games to incorporate 3D effects
While Power Drift isn't actually 3D, it manages to appear like it has some 3D elements because of the way it uses 2D sprites. It also tilts the screen when steering, and includes a 3D looking fly-by introduction to each track. Together, this made for a 3D-like experience, without actually using any 3D technology.
Pro Secret stages
Perhaps it’s the first arcade game having secret stages?
Pro Power-ups chosen during gameplay
The kind of power-up depends on the amount of power-up capsules collected, and the second button allows you to choose the desired one.
Cons
Con Very touchy controls
The controls in Power Drift are extremely touchy, making controlling your cart very frustrating. Adding in the fact that it's very easy to fall of the track, plus the very fast gameplay makes it extremely difficult to control.