Among all the free applications, racing games are one of the must-have categories in both the Play Store and the App Store, and the choice is vast. Whether you’re talking about car racing, motorcycle racing or even walking, fans of the genre are bound to find something to their liking in our selection of applications. All of them will offer you dozens of hours of games without you having to pay a cent.
Our selection of free racing games on the Play Store and AppStore
- Mario Kart Tour
- Real Racing 3
- Asphalt Xtrem
- Trials Frontier
- Asphalt 8 Airborne
- Pako Forever
- Sonic Forces
Mario Kart Tour
The fourth mobile version of Nintendo’s catalog, after Animal Crossing, Super Mario Run and Dr. Mario World, Mario Kart Tour was perhaps the most anticipated. The phenomenal success of this zany racing series where banana skins and turtle shells follow controlled skids and turbo starts has been proven. Transposed to the small screen of a smartphone, it fortunately retains all its flavor. You manipulate your kart with one finger, dosing the skids and taking dips or throwing all the emblematic weapons of the saga. A treat, after some time of adaptation!
In addition to the most emblematic races of the console versions, reproduced in great detail, there are many new tracks and challenges. These are grouped into “seasons” that explore the four corners of the world (New York, Tokyo and soon Paris), and give you stars if you win. It’s up to you to accumulate them, to access the following races or to unlock any kind of bonus. Of course, you are constantly reminded of the existence of a “gold pass” at 5.49 € per month (to access the 200cc mode and other bonuses) but you can fully enjoy the game without paying a cent.
Mario Kart Tour is a very successful transposition of the cult kart game and is beautifully produced. You will quickly find the feeling of a console game, with a handling cleverly adapted to the screen of a smartphone. The selection of races is particularly wide, with some new tracks and the most popular races from previous versions. The challenge system, which is updated every two weeks, also offers a challenge. All that remains is for Nintendo to integrate a “real” multiplayer mode, to make it the ultimate edition of the series!
Real Racing 3
Able to put a powerful smartphone to the test, Real Racing 3 is a demanding car simulation that puts you behind the wheel of real cars on nearly forty international circuits. From single-player competitions to multiplayer modes where you can take on up to eight friends, the title is surprisingly complete and shines with its attention to detail. The gameplay is excellent and you will progress quickly, improving your vehicles along the way.
Real Racing 3 is a true reference in car simulation on smartphones, and continues to be the most complete title for those who love every detail. The graphics engine is particularly impressive, with very precise physics management. The content is rich, with many models and manufacturers represented, as well as real circuits. But the paying contents are still very important.
Asphalt Xtreme
For several years, the Asphalt license has been a benchmark for smartphone racing games. Released in February 2018, Asphalt Xtreme is the latest true opus in Gameloft’s saga, not counting Street Storm, which simply asks the player to change gears at the right time. Xtreme uses the same gameplay as Asphalt 8, but this time allows you to visit very different settings, in quarries, deserts, warehouses or the mountains. As usual, as you win races, you earn credits that allow you to upgrade your vehicle or unlock new ones.
Asphalt Xtreme is a credit to the series, even if the game doesn’t radically innovate in terms of graphics. The scenery and the lights remain pleasant to the eye. The gameplay is also quite pleasant with a gyroscopic management of the movements and the arcade aspect, thanks to the boosts, makes it a pleasant game to play. It’s a pity, however, that the free-to-play mechanics are also present.
Trials Frontier
For the first time in 2014, Ubisoft decided to bring its famous motocross license to smartphones. Trials Frontier offers you to complete courses, each one wilder than the next, with the help of your motorcycle. On the right side of the screen, two arrows allow you to move forward or backward. On the left, two other arrows allow you to choose the inclination of the biker by leaning forward or backward.
If the gameplay of Trials is now classic, the Frontier version adds a little scripted side rather well felt. The game also offers to upgrade your bike with the help of parts collected in the different levels.
Asphalt 8 Airborne
The Asphalt racing game series has had a great career on smartphones since its first opus on the late N-Gage, just 10 years ago. The eighth episode offers even more vehicles, in even more diverse environments. The graphics, without reaching the work of Real Racing 3, are very clean and colorful. Unfortunately, in-app purchases are particularly emphasized, but since the game is free and progression is possible (but slow) without paying, a good balance is finally found. The gameplay is not a problem, either with the accelerometer or with touch buttons.
Fans of cars and arcade races will be delighted with this new Asphalt. The garage has something to dream about, with brands such as BMW, Mercedes or Lamborghini, and the arcade gameplay allows you to enjoy the game immediately. It’s a pity, however, that the purchases are so present.
Pako Forever
If you’re looking for a racing game that’s out of the ordinary, Pako Forever might be for you! This time you have to run away from the police, learn to control your car by turning from left to right and make sure you don’t get caught by your pursuers.
Pako forever offers original gameplay, lots of maps and different cars, enough to keep you busy for a while. Moreover the graphics of the game are beautiful and will only enhance your experience. In the future we can hope for new game modes or simply improvements of the current one. Pako Forever is an excellent chase game and will be perfect if you are looking for a more arcade-like game. Only beware, Pako forever is somewhat complicated. It’s easy to learn but the challenge is high, and you’ll have to practice if you hope to unlock all the available cars.
Sonic Forces
Among the vastness of existing racing games, the cars don’t have to be systematically the center of attention. The legendary Sonic saga comes to the phone and offers you a foot racing game with all the cult characters of the license. A gameplay a bit like Subway surfer, tons of iconic characters to unlock, all wrapped up in nice graphics and you have Sonic Forces!
Despite the commercial failure of its console version, this mobile version will reach a wider audience. Sonic Forces offers a simple gameplay mixing running and fighting, which will prove to be quite addictive. We also appreciate that the game is constantly updated by the developers; there will always be new characters to unlock, or new races to do regularly. However, being a free game, Sonic Forces is no exception to the rule and unfortunately offers far too many in-game transactions that allow you to buy characters and such. Despite this, the game is still enjoyable without paying a cent, but it’s a shame that some players can get ahead simply by paying more than others.