GAMES WE LOVE: Asphalt 9: Legends - The Spectacular Arcade Racer

Nine games and several spin-offs in, the developers at Gameloft have mastered the art of creating slick, spectacular arcade racers.

Everything in Asphalt 9: Legends has been polished to a dazzling shine. While tearing down the road in a beautiful Ford GT or Porsche 918 Spyder, you can barely take your eyes off the cliffs and other stunning scenery. And it’s all presented with breathtaking camerawork, lighting, and particle effects. If you ever want to show a pal the graphical power of your iPhone or iPad, here’s the game to use.

The races themselves are quick, easily digestible dashes to the finish line. Your supercar accelerates and steers all by itself, leaving you in charge of drifting, triggering nitros, and switching paths to take the optimum route. Plus, you can use 360-degree spins to bash rivals.

Want complete control? Simply toggle off the TouchDrive option before a race. Just be warned: You may learn surprisingly fast what a smashed-up BMW Z4 looks like.

Drifting, driving over collectibles, and launching off ramps earns you more nitro, so Legends definitely encourages over-the-top racing. It’s thrilling stuff: You’ll dash through the streets of San Francisco, plow across snowy vistas in the Himalayas, and rocket past Scotland’s rainy ruins at ludicrous speeds, all while pulling off split-second stunts.

The more you play, the more new toys you unlock. Joining a club with other drivers opens up chats and leaderboards; you’ll also find multiplayer races and limited-time events to tackle. Add it all up, and you’ve got one amazing ride.