Five mobile racers where drifting actually feels good

Drifting on a touchscreen sounds like a bad idea. No steering wheel, no pedals, just your thumbs and a pane of glass. And yet a handful of developers have figured out how to make it feel great, and those are the games worth your time.

The trick is in the feedback. Good drift racers give you a clear window where the car is sliding and reward you for holding it just long enough. The bad ones feel floaty or punish you for the smallest mistake. Neon Drift League, which we reviewed recently, is a great example of the former.

When I test a racer, the first thing I do is take a tight corner at full speed and see what happens. Does the car feel like it has weight? Do I understand why I spun out? If both answers are yes, the game usually holds up over the long haul.

My other tip is to try both control schemes. A lot of players stick with the default and never realize the tilt option or the manual drift button suits them better. Spend ten minutes in the settings before you decide a racer isn't for you.

At the end of the day, a great mobile racer makes you feel fast and in control at the same time. That balance is rare, but when you find it, you'll know within the first lap.