Asphalt 6: Adrenaline

Throw in online and local multiplayer, and Asphalt 6: Adrenaline is one of the best racers you can buy. We would have preferred more cars, but this is pound for pound one of the coolest games on the App Store. On that note, do yourself a favor and splurge on the $6.99 iPad edition.

There is no question that racing fans will get a kick out of Asphalt 6, but fans of arcade racers will love it just a bit more. The graphics are solid, the sound is good, the driving mechanics are exciting (maybe a bit too forgiving for racing sim fans), and the game is just plain fun.

Online multiplayer adapts a leveling system we've seen grow in most online gameplay in the last few years rather then just sticking in a few leaderboards.

When I compare it to the new Need For Speed Hot Pursuit or Real Racing 2 it feels lightweight and gimmicky, but there's certainly enough here to recommend to fans who prefer the thrills of arcade racing over more realistic racing games and I still had a lot of fun living as a boy racer.

You can find most of Asphalt 6: Adrenaline's content in plenty of other racing games. Still, you rarely see all of the content that Adrenaline offers in one game. You also rarely see all that content performing well together. It's definitely one of the better iPhone racing games out there.

If you don't already have a mindless arcade racer for your iDevice, Asphalt 6 will slot in nicely, but outside of the shiny graphics it doesn't offer anything others don't already have.

Asphalt 6: Adrenaline offers over-the-top rush hour action best suited for solo play due to unbalanced, shallow multiplayer.

There are not many reasons to complain about Adrenaline, because it's certainly the best game in the Asphalt series. Asphalt 6 takes advantage of the iPhone hardware to generate impressive graphics with more solid framerate. With names like Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, Ducati and BMW, the game can offer some of the most outstanding and various car licences on the App Store, while the single player mode can make player busy for several hours. Unfortunately, the multiplayer mode (online and local, via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth) isn't so good, offering only one type of challenge with just 6 players.

Asphalt 6: Adrenaline is a fun arcade racer with a bunch of cars and tracks. If all you want is speed and exotic locations, this is the game for you. But let's be honest, the Asphalt series is starting to get really familiar.

It looks like a million bucks, but the Asphalt series is due for a creative tune-up.

Quotation forthcoming.