Ember Road Rivals

Ember Road Rivals is a one-thumb arcade racer where you steer by tilting or tapping the sides of the screen. The real meat is the drift system: hold a corner long enough and you bank a boost, then dump it on the straights. Chaining drifts cleanly is genuinely satisfying.

The AI rivals stick close, maybe too close, so leads evaporate if you brush a wall twice. It can feel cheap now and then, but it also means almost every race comes down to the final corner. We finished more photo-finish races here than in most mobile racers.

Track variety is decent, with neon night courses being the clear standout. Progression is steady without feeling grindy, and the car handling actually changes between vehicles rather than just the numbers on a card.

What we liked

• Drift chaining feels great
• Close, nail-biting finishes
• Real differences between cars