Nitro Circuit Dash

Nitro Circuit Dash is pure arcade racing with no simulation pretenses. You tilt or tap to steer, drift to build boost, and chase medals on short, loopy circuits. It's built for one-handed bursts and nails that feeling of threading a drift perfectly into a straight.

The car roster unlocks through play and each handles distinctly — the heavy car is awful on tight tracks and great on the open ones. Time trials are where it shines, since shaving a second off a clean lap is genuinely addictive.

The track count is a little thin and the cosmetic unlocks don't excite us. But as a quick-reflex palate cleanser between heavier games, it earns its spot on the phone.

What we liked

• Satisfying drift-to-boost loop
• Cars with genuinely different handling
• Perfect for quick one-handed sessions