Top Mobile Games Updates

Thursday, August 10, 2017

6 Types Of Ads Commonly Used In Mobile Games

There are two types of mobile games in general: paid games and free-to-play games. Generating revenue from paid games is much more straightforward. The more users who buy and install the game, the more money developers make. It’s as simple as that. Some paid games offer only one-time transactions. Meaning, they don’t have in-app purchases.

Free-to-play games, on the other hand, need alternate avenues to earn money. The most common are in-app purchases, which are basically add-ons or optional content that enhance the gameplay in one way or another. They are usually designed to make the game easier and give paying users overpowered advantages over nonpaying users, hence the term “pay-to-win.”

Another popular way developers make money off their games is through advertisements. Ads are often frowned upon by users because they are simply annoying to look at. Some ads also break the flow of the game content. But when done right, ads are an excellent and reliable avenue for developers to make money. In this article, we’ll list down the six types of ads often seen in mobile games.

Banner Ads

Banner ads can be seen all over the internet, not just in mobile games. They are exactly what their names say: ads that “hang” at the top or bottom of the screen. Their purpose is to be attractive enough to get users to click on them. Banner ads are typically small in size. They are large enough to be seen by users but small enough to be unobtrusive during gameplay.

However, due to the small space allocated for them, banner ads rely more on images and less on texts. This gives more established names an advantage over lesser-known ones – brand recognition, in other words. Only a few words can be included in banner ads without appearing too cluttered or messy. So advertisers need to be direct and on-point when creating banner ad texts.

Banner ads are inexpensive and easy to produce. After all, they’re just small boxes containing a handful of words and a few images to draw the user’s attention. The thing about banner ads is that nobody really clicks on them. According to research by Marketing Insider Group, the average click-through rate of banner ads is 0.06 percent. And that’s for banner ads on the internet. Imagine the CTR of mobile game banner ads.

Rich Media Ads

Rich media ads are interactive ads containing a combination of texts, images, audio, and video. The goal of rich media ads is to engage users and hopefully pique their interest. Unlike banner ads, rich media ads can feature multiple images or screenshots (for a mobile game ad). This gives interested users a better look at the product.

There are also rich media ads that use a smartphone’s gyroscope and camera. Like that War Dragons ad, which allows you to check out the cool dragons by moving your smartphone around. These type of ads are highly creative and go beyond simple texts and images. The downside is that they’re heavier, size-wise, due to the media involved.

Interstitial Ads

Interstitial ads can be one of the most annoying types of ads. Unlike banner ads, interstitial ads are full-screen ads that cover the entire game screen. They typically appear during transition screens, which happen in-between game levels. Basically, they’re glorified loading screens.

Interstitial ads usually stay on-screen for a few seconds, before giving users the option to close the ad via a hard-to-find “X” button somewhere on the ad. This is what makes them annoying to deal with. Admit it, you probably had a few experiences where you had to spend a few seconds looking for that damned tiny close button. Because of this, interstitial ads are often seen as momentum breakers, especially in a particularly action-packed mobile game. There are two types of interstitial ads: static text-and-image ads similar to banner ads but way bigger and video ads, which we’ll discuss next.

Video Ads

As mentioned, video ads are interstitial ads, which play in-between levels or during loading screens. They are livelier and are more successful at getting the attention of users. They usually run 15-30 seconds because users have short attention spans. Now, there four types of video ads: forced, unforced, rewarding, and non-rewarding.

Forced – These are video ads that automatically play without waiting for you to hit the play button, therefore forcing you to interact with them. But you don’t really need to watch the full content of the ad because, after a few seconds, an option to close the ad usually appears.

Unforced – Obviously, unforced video ads are the opposite of forced video ads (duh). These video ads don’t automatically play without your consent. You have the option to play them before returning to your game, in case you’re interested, or completely discard them immediately. Unforced video ads are less annoying compared to forced video ads, for obvious reasons.

Rewarding – Rewarding or incentivized video ads are video ads that give players rewards or bonuses when played, hence the term. They usually appear after finishing a level and offer players the chance to boost their level rewards. For example, in an endless runner game where players collect coins, watching these video ads will double the collected coins from the just-ended level. Because of the incentives they offer, rewarding video ads have a much lower chance of being ignored by users.

Non-rewarding – The opposite of rewarding video ads, obviously. Like forced video ads, non-rewarding ads typically get shown the door as soon as the close button makes an appearance on-screen. They offer no incentive when viewed all the way, so there’s really no reason to sit through them. Unless you’re interested in what the video ad is selling, of course.

Notification Ads

Notification ads are infinitely more annoying than interstitial ads. These are ads that go straight to your smartphone’s notification tab. You can think of them as sort of mini banner ads – except you can’t completely ignore them like regular banner ads. Notification ads force you to delete them manually unless you set your smartphone to automatically block them. If you’re a developer, it would be best to stay away from these type of ads because they are totally not cool.

Pop-Up Ads

Lastly, we have pop-up ads. These ads are a bit similar to interstitial ads in that they usually appear during transition screens or when the game is paused. They are pretty harmless and very easy to shove aside. Unlike pop-up ads on the internet, pop-up ads in mobile games are less annoying to deal with because they don’t come in batches. You can think of them as smaller, low-budget interstitial ads.

Recommended Ad Type?

Obviously, you can’t deploy all six types of ads in your mobile game, unless you want users to label your product as a shameless cash-cow. And if you’re an indie developer short on budget, you probably can’t afford all of them anyway. So which type of ad should you go for?

We recommend going for video ads that reward users with in-game goodies in exchange for viewing ads all the way to the end. It gives ads the chance to get the message across in full. Using this type of ad is a win-win scenario for everyone involved, really. Users get extra game content and bonuses, while ads get a higher chance of being viewed, which translates to commissions for the game developers.

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5 Reasons Why Nintendo Switch Won’t Negatively Affect Mobile Gaming

On March 3, Nintendo launched the anticipated Nintendo Switch, less than six months after it was officially revealed last October. It is a home console that can also function as a handheld console. The main console looks like a tablet, but with two detachable controllers, called the “Joy-Cons,” attached to both sides. This tablet can be inserted into a dock which connects it to a TV at home, allowing the Switch to function like a traditional home console.

The Switch offers a new way to enjoy gaming on-the-go, an area where Nintendo has excelled at in the past. Should this worry mobiles and the mobile gaming industry? Will the Switch take back the crown from mobiles and restore handheld consoles to their rightful place as the kings of on-the-go gaming? Short answer: No and no. Long answer: Continue reading; we have 5 reasons why the Switch won’t have a negative impact on mobile gaming.

1. Nintendo Is Being Marketed As A Home Console

The Switch is first and foremost a home console. Nintendo told this to Polygon last October, which was further reiterated by Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime in an interview with Wired earlier this year. It’s a successor to the ill-fated Nintendo Wii U, which fell flat on its face right out of the gate and hasn’t recovered since. Though Nintendo hasn’t acknowledged this, the Switch also effectively succeeds the Nintendo 3DS, their current entry in the handheld consoles contest. The 3DS probably still has 2-3 years left, though, depending on how the Switch performs in the coming months.

The Switch being marketed as a home console means that it isn’t in the same market as mobiles – the 3DS is. It’s competing with the other home consoles out in the market, the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One (along with their “spin-offs,” the PS4 Pro and Xbox One S, respectively). Handheld consoles are the ones fighting against mobiles in a battle for on-the-go gaming supremacy, a fight that mobiles have been winning so far. The Switch doesn’t belong in that fight simply because it was never meant to be in it.

2. Less Portability Due To Size

The Switch, according to tests done by Trusted Reviews, lasts for roughly two-and-a-half hours to three hours while on handheld mode, which is about the same as the battery lifespan of mobiles when running games. This should make the Switch ideal for long bus rides or road trips, right? Well, not exactly. The Switch is way bigger, not to mention thicker than mobiles except for larger tablets like the iPad. So you can’t really carry it around in your pocket and simply whip it out anytime while commuting. At the very least, you would need a small sling bag to bring it with you. Obviously, this isn’t an issue for smartphones, which are a lot more convenient to carry virtually anywhere. Portability is another reason why smartphones have become the preferred choice over traditional handheld consoles for on-the-go gaming. Why bring a bulkier dedicated gaming system when you can have a mini-computer in your pocket, right?

3. Steep Price Tag For On-The-Go Gaming

Okay, let’s assume for a moment that the Switch is a handheld console first and foremost, meaning it would have to fight off the threat of mobile gaming just like the Nintendo 3DS does. Now, what are its advantages over mobiles? We can think of three notable ones: 1) it has physical buttons which are infinitely better than touchscreen controls, 2) it has and will have access to games from well-known developers like Bethesda Studios and Square Enix, and 3) its Joy-Con controllers offer a more fun and engaging multiplayer. But do you think casual gamers, who make up the majority of the mobile gaming crowd, would be willing to cough up $300 (excluding tax) for a dedicated handheld gaming system?

It’s safe to say they would rather spend that much money on a juiced-up mobile device where they can do more than just play games. This is also one of the reasons why Sony’s PlayStation Vita wasn’t a hit among consumers – it was simply too expensive for a gadget only meant for one thing. Nowadays, consumers want their mobile devices to function as mini-computers. There’s also the issue with the games themselves. Mobile gaming has an abundance of free-to-plays and games that can be bought for less than $5. As for the Switch? Games would be generally priced between $20-60 each, similar to other console games, which is an immediate turn-off for casual gamers who only want short bursts of entertainment while on the way home.

4. Mobile Games Are Best Suited For Quick Entertainment

Aside from being significantly cheaper, mobile games are also designed specifically for gaming sessions that only last for 15 minutes or less. Many hit mobile games, like Candy Crush Saga and Crossy Road, don’t demand that you spend at least an hour or two on them. There’s a reason why the mobile gaming scene is littered with endless runners and puzzles games. These kinds of games are perfectly suited for quick entertainment, especially when you’re, um, doing “business” in the bathroom. Just boot them up, play for 10 minutes while waiting for whatever it is you’re waiting for and then close them anytime.

Sure, there are mobile games that require your attention for longer stretches (mostly RPGs and adventure games). But they are best played while sitting at home, not on-the-go. Now, it’s still too early to assess the Switch’s game library since it’s still tiny, with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild the only notable game currently available. But considering the Switch is primarily a home console, it’s safe to assume that it won’t likely feature many games similar to mobile games that can be played for just a few minutes.

5. Nintendo Is Also “In” On Mobile Gaming

Nintendo is also invested in mobile gaming. This was made official back in March 2015 when they announced their partnership with DeNA. (Coincidentally, the Switch, then code-named the “Nintendo NX,” was also first announced during the same press conference.) The deal with DeNA showed that Nintendo has no plans to continue playing tug-o-war with mobile gaming. As the popular saying goes, “If you can’t beat them, join them.” Over the last eight months, three mobile games based on Nintendo’s intellectual properties have been released: the augmented reality game Pokemon Go, the endless runner Super Mario Run, and the tactical RPG Fire Emblem Heroes.

The former two are based on two of Nintendo’s three biggest intellectual properties (The Legend of Zelda is the other one). If Nintendo created the Switch to push back the challenge of mobiles, they shouldn’t have greenlighted the aforementioned mobile games nor signed the deal with DeNA. That would be a conflict of interest. This is the ultimate reason why mobile gaming shouldn’t sweat out the Switch. Plus, there’s also the probability that the Switch could eventually hook up with mobile devices in the future. Nintendo exec Shinya Takahashi, in an interview with The Telegraph, said that “it’s certainly not an impossibility.”

Since the Switch is still in its infancy, we don’t know yet how it will really affect the gaming landscape. Will the Switch’s never-before-seen features allow Nintendo to get back into the home console business after being kicked out of it courtesy of the Wii U? Will the Switch eventually supplant mobiles as the go-to source for on-the-go gaming even though it wasn’t meant to fight against mobiles? Let’s give the Switch a year or two and see how things go.

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6 Challenges Independent Mobile Game Developers Must Face

The mobile game industry is showing no signs of slowing down. It’s actually the contrary – it’s getting bigger each year. Due to this, many are looking to get into the mobile game business as independent developers. By definition, independent – or “indie” – developers differ from big-name studios in three aspects: 1) they’re usually comprised of small teams, 2) they don’t have financial backing from publishers and often distribute games digitally because it’s cheap, and 3) they have more leeway to experiment with gameplay mechanics. Not all indie developers check all three numbers, though.

Indie mobile game developers arguably have a tougher time than indie developers on traditional gaming platforms like PC and consoles. This is because it’s easier and cheaper to develop games for mobile devices, compared to games for PC and consoles, which results in more competition. If you’re planning to dive into the mobile gaming scene as an indie developer, know that the path to success is populated with landmines and other forms of challenges. To give you a taste of what it’s like, here are 6 challenges or hurdles that you need to overcome in the mobile game industry.

1. Massive Competition

It’s virtually impossible to come up with an original idea for a mobile game these days. Pretty much everything has been done before. Hundreds of clones and cheap knock-offs of popular games populate Google Play and iTunes. So the next time you think you have an entirely original concept in your hands, think again. It’s likely already existing. Brainstorming for ideas and gameplay concepts is the first and arguably most difficult step.

You need to think of something that would make your game stand out from thousands of others. It’s like trying to create an orange-flavored candy that doesn’t taste like an orange-flavored candy. A good way to get your creative mind humming is to focus on the type of audience you want your game to cater to, and then proceed from there. Just take one step at a time. Also, make sure that whatever you’re cooking isn’t a blatant rip-off of a licensed intellectual property, lest you run into legal issues.

2. Resources And Expenses

Compared to established studios, indie mobile game developers are typically dirt poor. You don’t have the money to efficiently work on your game and, unless your game becomes a massive hit overnight, you’re similarly empty post-release (usually for ads and marketing purposes). Hiring a large workforce right from the get-go is pretty much impossible, which likely leads you to regularly ask for favors from friends, colleagues, and family members. But obviously, not everyone is blessed with acquaintances that possess the necessary skills to help in developing a mobile game. You can turn to crowd-funding for financial support, but to successfully get the necessary funds to kick-start your project, you need to produce something that would entice people to invest in your game. Which boomerangs you back to no. 1.

3. Making A Cross-Platform Game

In general, you would want to develop a game that works on a number of operating systems. Sadly, money issues make this very difficult from the beginning. Unless you’re blessed with team members proficient in coding for multiple operating systems, which makes the process slightly easier. There are several factors to consider when developing a multi-OS mobile game. The most obvious of which are the different screen sizes, which is directly tied to resolutions. A game strictly made for a smartphone’s smaller screen won’t look good on an iPad, right? So you have to consider that not everyone plays in the same kind of device.

4. ASO And Marketing

Okay, let’s assume you successfully developed an amazing game that you think will blow everyone’s minds. What now? Where do you go from there? The next step would be to work toward making your game more visible. Because, as mentioned, the mobile gaming scene is littered with thousands of other games. Most of them aren’t even real attempts and only serve as annoying fillers on Google Play and iTunes. Your game needs to brave through this sea of games, and the first thing you need to look into is app store optimization (ASO).

Game descriptions aren’t simply chunks of texts that describe a game’s features. Great game descriptions are full of keywords, which are separately researched, and action words that get people to download the game. It doesn’t help that people nowadays are quick to lose interest after reading just one paragraph. So you need to create a killer “hook” to ensure that they read past the first paragraph.

The next hurdle would be marketing your game. There are a number of ways to market your game, like using social media or cross-app promotion (which requires you to hook up with other developers). One of the best ways to market your game is through word-of-mouth. And it all depends on users’ initial experience in your game. If they like what they saw, they are more likely to give you a helping hand by either giving a stellar review or even sharing your game on social media. The first impression is critical, as it opens the floodgate to more people downloading your game.

Needless to say, marketing your game requires that you have social skills. Or at least enough courage to interact with strangers on the internet. You’re basically begging people to notice and download your game, except that you’re not actually begging them like, “Please download my game. Please, please download my game.” You have to do it in a strategic and tactful manner, of course. Another way to promote your game is to not limit it to Google Play and iTunes. There are other app stores out there, like Amazon App Store, SlideMe, and F-Droid.

5. Post-Release Content

There are usually two kinds of successful mobile games: A) one-hit wonders that become successful for a few months and then gradually fade out of the spotlight, and B) mobile games that stay successful for years after their initial release. Flappy Bird is an example of the former, though legal issues with Nintendo had a hand in shoving it out of the spotlight. Angry Birds, Candy Crush Saga, Crossy Road, and Clash of Clans are examples of the latter. The different between A and B is content. Flappy Bird’s gameplay wasn’t built for longevity and doesn’t offer any other features except for its high score system.

The latter batch of games, though they similarly feature repetitive gameplay mechanics, are built to last. Their respective developers can continue to monetize them by pumping them with post-release content every now and then. If you really want to maximize your game’s monetization potential, you need to design it with extended play in mind. You don’t have to put numerous features in the game right from the start. You can gradually release updates and patches that would keep people interested in your game.

Also, be sure to regularly interact with your player-base. Don’t neglect them when you start raking in thousands of dollars every day off of your game. If you treat them badly and make them feel like you’re just milking them for money, don’t be surprised if an exodus happens. Making sure that your game stays successful (assuming it achieves success in the first place) is another story. Developing mobile games should be seen as a long-term investment, not just some one-off thing.

6. Mobile Game Security

The last hurdle you would need to overcome is your game’s security. We’re not going to be all technical on this, but here are a few things that you need to worry about: A) piracy, which doesn’t really need explanation, B) other developers who reverse-engineer your game code to produce blatant clones, which is the reason why app stores are littered with such things, and C) a hole in your in-app purchasing system, which could lead to lost profits from illegally acquired items or services. Make sure your game is well-protected against such attacks. Because once your game achieves massive success, it will become a target of other developers hoping to cut into your profits.

A Trio Of Successful Indie Game Developers

Still reading this? That means the above-mentioned challenges and hurdles have not swayed you into abandoning your dream of developing a successful mobile game. As they say, one of the best ways to learn is to learn from the best. Having said that, here are three indie game studios that achieved success in different ways. You’re probably familiar with all of them, thanks to their massively successful “signature” games.

HIPSTER WHALE

Based in Melbourne, Australia, Hipster Whale is the most recently founded of the three. But don’t let the studio’s infancy in the mobile gaming scene fool you: They already have partnership deals with Disney Interactive Studios and Bandai Namco Entertainment. Hipster Whale is best known for creating the hit game Crossy Road, which is still popular today. Bluntly speaking, Crossy Road is just a re-skinned Frogger, a classic arcade game. Instead of developing a never-before-seen concept, Hipster Whale merely took an existing one and modernized it.

They added dozens of playable characters who are basically just clones of each other and created a visual style that’s similar to Minecraft, an ultra-popular game among younger audiences. Hipster Whale is an example of a studio who took an original idea and then made enough changes to not make it look too obvious it’s based off that idea. They showed that you don’t have to be entirely original in the mobile gaming scene to achieve success.

HALFBRICK STUDIOS

Halfbrick Studios is similarly based in Australia. They have been around since 2001, with more than a dozen games across multiple consoles under their belt. They entered the mobile gaming scene back in 2010 with the game Age of Zombies, which you probably know nothing about. However, they didn’t have to wait long before they got their first taste of success in the mobile industry. In the same year, they released a little game called Fruit Ninja. If this is the first time you’ve heard of the game, then congratulations on your return to the real world.

The gameplay of Fruit Ninja is extremely simple, relying solely on touchscreen swipes. Even a 3-year-old can easily pick up on the gameplay. It’s one of the most addicting games to play on-the-go, allowing users to quickly get back into the game anytime. Halfbrick Studios also produced another hit game the following year: Jetpack Joyride, which similarly features excellent gameplay mechanics. Halfbrick Studios is a great example of a studio who excels at creating an addicting gameplay that makes it hard for users to put down their devices.

TELLTALE GAMES

Like Halfbrick Studios, Telltale Games has been around for more than a decade. Founded in 2004, the still-independent studio has developed more than 20 games for multiple platforms. Many of which were based on licensed intellectual properties. Unlike most other developers, Telltale Games create their games in episodic format. They also have a penchant for focusing more on storytelling than action-packed gameplay. Some of their most well-known games include Minecraft: Story Mode, Batman: The Telltale Series, and The Walking Dead series. Kabam could learn a thing or two from them on how to properly develop a game based on popular intellectual properties.

However, though Telltale Games is one of the most well-known indie developers in the video game industry due to their distinct style, they are also notoriously known for the amount of bugs and glitches present in their games. So aside from being an excellent example of a studio who knows how to captivate audiences without the need for action-packed gameplay, they are also an example of a studio who constantly overlooks errors, which is something other developers should never emulate.

Conclusion

There are other indie mobile game developers who made it big in the mobile gaming scene. And no, not all of them are located in Australia. Two more things to keep in mind as an indie developer: First, don’t let money and greed cloud your judgment once you achieve success. User experience in your game always comes first. And second, don’t give up too soon. The aforementioned 6 challenges are daunting, so it’s important to keep your resolve throughout every roadblock.

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Wednesday, August 9, 2017

11 Of The Best Racing Games For IOS And Android 2017

Racing is one of the few genres that are well-suited for mobiles. Controls are simple and gameplay is fast-paced, which is perfect for quick gaming sessions. Not to mention tilt control is arguably the closest thing you can get to an expensive racing wheel controller for PC and consoles.

Racing games are often categorized under sports. So you were probably disappointed that not a single one made our list of the best sports games to check out this year. We thought about including at least one game, really. But we felt it would be inadequate, so we made a completely different list. Here are 11 racing games for mobiles that you seriously need to check out this year.

Need For Speed: Most Wanted

Electronic Arts’ Need for Speed is one of the most popular racing game franchises in gaming. It has even spawned a movie adaptation, but like all other video game movie adaptations, it sucked. Need for Speed: Most Wanted on mobile is a reboot of the original game released back in 2005. It features top-notch graphics, which shows full-car damage, and offers the option to drive using either tilt or touch control.

The game is set in Fairhaven City where you can enter races using over 30 different cars, though most of them need to be unlocked using Speed Points (SP) first. Car customization is also available to make your machines more beastly on the road. Most Wanted features police cars, which are hell-bent on putting a stop to your racing adventures. Though its single-player mode is a bit flawed, Most Wanted is one of the best racing games on iOS and Android.

Real Racing 3

If street racing isn’t really your thing, you can check out Real Racing 3, another mobile racing game by Electronic Arts. It features real racetracks, instead of having a huge city to freely drive around like in Need for Speed: Most Wanted. Over 100 cars from well-known automobile manufacturers are included in the game. Combined with the ability to customize each car you own, this virtually shuts down any notion you may have that there are “too few car options” in the game. But as always, you will need to unlock cars first using in-game currency.

Real Racing 3 features real-world racetracks where you can race against not one, not two, not three, but more than a dozen cars at the same time. Further adding to the “realness” is that you will be required to perform maintenance on your cars between races. If you’re all about realistic rubber-burning, there’s arguably no better mobile racing game than the award-winning Real Racing 3.

Horizon Chase

Miss the good old days of classic racing games? With Horizon Chase, you can rev up the nostalgia machine to take you back to when Top Gear and Lotus Turbo Challenge were big hits. Horizon Chase is a classic racing game at heart, outfitted with a modern look to appeal to the newer generation. Hollywood isn’t the only one who has the right to make “modern” remakes of classic material, you know. Horizon Chase features an updated look based on 16-bit graphics, with brightly colored, polygonal backgrounds. You can almost feel the retro oozing out of it.

There are 16 unlockable cars, which you can drive on more than 70 racetracks spread across 36 cities. You can race on a countryside racetrack while the sun sets or in an urban setting at night while the moon glows. Every racetrack will feel different from each other. And as you race to get your hands on all 9 cups, composer Barry Leitch will serenade you with fitting tunes to make your trip down memory all the more nostalgic.

Asphalt 8: Airborne

Hailing from the long-running Asphalt series, Asphalt 8: Airborne is another popular racing game for mobiles. You can choose from over 150 cars manufactured by the likes of Aston Martin, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Dodge, BMW, Cadillac, and much more. All cars are segregated into different classes and can be freely customized to give you a more personalized racing machine. More than a dozen locations are featured in the game, which includes Tokyo, London, Venice, and Dubai. Each location is home to multiple racetracks.

Airborne puts heavy emphasis on airborne stunts, hence the game’s subtitle. Each racetrack is littered with numerous ramps, which you can use to launch your car to perform mid-air tricks like barrel rolling. Unlike most other racing games, there’s more to simply finishing first in Airborne. There are also secondary objectives that you can complete during the race to gain more points. This includes performing a number of airborne stunts and knocking over opponents. You can think of Airborne as a more extreme version of Real Racing 3, where action-packed gameplay replaces realistic mechanics.

Grand Prix Story

Technically, Grand Prix Story isn’t a “real” racing game, in the sense that you don’t actually get to drive a vehicle like the other racing games in this list. Instead, Grand Prix Story is a racing simulation game where you take on the role of a racing team manager, as opposed to a race car driver. Its gameplay is a stark contrast to real racing games: slow, meticulous, and lacks grandeur. But that doesn’t mean it’s any less fun.

Your main goal in the game is to give your drivers the best opportunity to win races. This includes developing cars with optimal specs, getting sponsorships, and hiring crew members. And yes, contracting drivers, too. You will simply be a spectator during automated races. Being a simulation game, Grand Prix Story has numerous statistics and mechanics that you need to fully acquaint yourself to. It can be overwhelming initially as you learn the ins and outs of the game. But if you’re looking for a game that you can invest long hours in, we definitely recommend Grand Prix Story.

Thumb Drift

With racing games that feature gorgeous graphics and deep gameplays dominating the market, it’s easy to overlook gems like Thumb Drift. Basically, Thumb Drift is more of an endless runner instead of a real racing game. The gameplay is simple yet addictive, with more focus on drifting. Your goal is to simply avoid hitting the edge of the racetrack and other obstacles. Crashing your car will immediately mean game over. However, that’s easier said than done.

True to its title, Thumb Drift features only two controls, which is to move left or right using your thumb. But since your car moves extremely fast, steering can be really difficult. Expect to spend your first hour or two simply crashing every 10 seconds or so. Similar to endless runners, coins can be collected as you drift your way through six different racetracks. These coins can be used to unlock more cars. Due to its fast-paced and simple gameplay, Thumb Drift is best suited for quick gaming sessions.

Traffic Rider

Thanks to their thinner frame, motorbikes can easily weave through traffic. It’s one of their biggest advantages over cars, trucks, and everything in between. If you want to see just how ridiculously easy it can be, check out Traffic Rider. It’s a racing game developed by Soner Kara, creators of Traffic Racer, another hit racing game. But unlike in Traffic Racer, Traffic Rider will have you drive motorbikes instead of four-wheeled vehicles.

The game features stunning locations, from a snow-covered highway to a city filled with lights. No matter where you are, the goal remains the same: drive from point A to point B while avoiding every vehicle in front of you. Just like in real life, crashing your motorbike will have grim consequences – game over, in other words. You can choose from over 20 motorbikes. All of which actually produce sounds recorded from real motorbikes, making the experience feel more realistic. Traffic Rider boasts over 70 missions in career mode, to go with more than 30 achievements to complete.

Repulze

Tired of driving real cars? If you fancy a racing game that features futuristic vehicles instead of the usual Camaros, Ferraris, and BMWs, we recommended checking out Repulze. It features cool hovercrafts, which you maneuver using touch controls or tilting. The gameplay is fast-paced, with gravity-defying mechanics that make sharp curves trickier to navigate than in ground-bound racing games.

There are 24 tracks in the game, each with their own set of challenges that you need to complete. Challenges can range from simply beating a set time to avoiding a set number of collisions. Repulze also incorporates a weapons system, unlike most other racing games. Nothing is more satisfying than blowing up opponents who dared to drive past you. The one downside is the hovercraft roster, which only features a handful of choices. If you’re a big fan of the Wipeout games, you will definitely love Repulze.

Riptide GP: Renegade

Is Repulze too futuristic for your taste? If you’re looking for a racing game that’s still a bit more grounded in reality, we recommend Riptide GP: Renegade by Vector Unit. Instead of cars, motorbikes, and made-for-science-fiction vehicles, Renegade will have you driving hydro jets, which are basically motocross bikes powered by hydro jets. And instead of dirt tracks or anything land-related, you will race across waterways, flooded ruins, and canals.

Renegade features a deep career mode where you can earn experience and in-game currency, which you can use to upgrade both rider and hydro jet for better performance. If you want to test your racing skills against the best of the best, you can enter 8-player online matches. Local multiplayer is also possible, in case you’re less confident about your skills and want to test them against real-life friends first. With a box full of unlockable content and numerous racetracks filled with shortcuts to discover, Renegade is built to keep you up every night.

Red Bull Air Race 2

Who needs roads when you can have the sky as your racetrack? If you missed out on Red Bull Air Race: The Game, for whatever reason, its sequel will give you the chance to catch up. Red Bull Air Race 2 is more than just a sequel. It takes all the good out of the first game and makes them even better. It features all-new content in the form of pilots, planes, challenges, and more. The controls – either touch or tilt – are smoother than ever, allowing you to gracefully maneuver your plane with zero delays.

Red Bull Air Race 2¸offers hundreds of different races, scattered across 11 locations including Las Vegas, Abu Dhabi, Budapest, and San Diego. The gameplay centers on controlling your plane to follow a set path in the air, hitting the markers and avoiding crashing into pylons. You can unlock more planes as you progress through the game – all of which can be customized to your liking. To maximize your plane’s chances of winning, you can also hire a crew, with each member possessing unique skills. If you’re getting bored with driving cars and motorbikes, Red Bull Air Race 2 is just the perfect alternative to keep your love for racing games burning.

CSR Racing 2

Capping off this list is CSR Racing 2 (CSR2), a godsend to people who love racing games but downright suck at steering even after years of exposure to the genre. It’s a drag racing game where controls for accelerating, braking, and steering are non-existent. Instead of driving a car like you would in almost all other racing games, you will simply need to repeatedly change gears. There’s an on-screen prompt that will tell you when to change gears. The goal is to press the change gear button at exactly the right time.

The gameplay is actually similar to a rhythm game. However, you do have the option to use nitro using a separate on-screen button. Featuring glorious graphics for a mobile game, CSR2 has more than 50 cars from big-name manufacturers such as McLaren, Bugatti, and Ferrari. You can customize both the inside and outside of your cars to produce a drag racing beast to go up against opponents around the world. CSR2 may be less action-packed compared to traditional racing games due to the lack of input, but that’s not preventing it from being of the best racing games in the mobile market.

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