Real Racing 3

Real Racing 3 deliberately moved away from arcade racers like Asphalt toward greater simulation – real tracks like Silverstone or Mazda Raceway, licensed cars from dozens of manufacturers, and physics that account for braking, traction, and vehicle damage. The controls offer several options, from tilting the phone to a virtual steering wheel to automatic braking and acceleration, so the player can set the difficulty according to how much control they want over the driving. Body damage from collisions and the need to service the car afterward are among the elements that distinguish the game from purely arcade competitors and bring it closer to the simulation spirit of the Real Racing series.

Studio Firemonkeys released the game in 2013 as one of the technically most ambitious mobile racers of its time, with finely detailed cars and tracks, and a unique Time Shifted Multiplayer system where the player doesn't race live against others but against recordings of their runs – a solution that avoids the need to have online opponents present at the same time.

The free-to-play model relied on real-world time needed to repair and upgrade the car after a race, forcing players to either wait or pay to speed things up – a mechanic that earned criticism at launch for aggressive spending pressure. Despite that, the core driving remains honest and technically strong, so the game still ranks among the most-played mobile racers ever, regularly updated with new cars and tracks for years after release.

Why play it: For players who want the closest thing to a simulation among mainstream mobile racers, provided they don't mind the waiting times in the game's economy or are willing to pay to skip them.