The joy of a racer you can play with one thumb

Nobody wants a fiddly steering wheel on a phone. The best mobile racers strip the controls down until only the fun is left. Neon Driftline does exactly this by building the whole game around the drift.

When the handling is predictable, wipeouts feel fair, and that fairness is what keeps you coming back. You never blame the game, only your own line through the corner.

Short races matter more than people admit. A two-minute lap fits a coffee break, and unlocking a car that handles differently gives you a reason for one more go.

If you bounce off mobile racers, try tilting instead of tapping, or the other way around. The right input method completely changes how these games feel.