Mobile Driving Games You Can Download For Free

Mobile gaming is a huge market, with a wide choice of titles available with varying gameplay. We picked out some of the top titles and had a go ourselves. The titles we reviewed are all available for Android through the Google Play store, which all, if not the majority, being available on iOS.

All of the games are free to play and feature optional in-app purchases to speed up your progression in the game. If you plan on letting your kids play these games, we would advise setting the parental controls to prevent in-app purchases.

Asphalt 8

Asphalt 8 is a fast-paced, arcade-style racing game featuring some of the hottest cars, including the Audi R8, Nissan Juke NISMO, Mazda RX8 and many more. The objective is, not surprisingly, to finish 1st, but you can also score points by taking down your opponents and taking advantage of the stunt ramps dotted along the course. Points lead to earning credits, which can be spent on new cars or upgrades.

For someone who may be used to playing on the latest games consoles, the graphics on Asphalt 8 are very impressive and runs very smoothly. Controls are very straightforward; acceleration is automatic, tilt the screen to steer, tap right side of screen to use the nitro boost and tap the left side to brake. Multiplayer is available, play against your friends and the world.

Demolition Derby

If you like your games to be of a destructive nature, look no further than Demolition Derby. The game features several events and tracks, from the classic demolition derby (last car driving) to more traditional races (crashing is encouraged!). Credits can be earned to upgrade your car and buy new cars, however you have to wait for the upgrade to be completed unless you use diamonds to instantaneously finish the upgrade. If you want more diamonds, you have to buy them with real money.

Graphics run smoothly, yet are somewhat primitive. The developers boast realistic car wreckage and debris simulation, though this is a slight overstatement. Nevertheless, it’s a fun pick-up-and-play kind of game.

Turbo Dismount

Another game of the destructive kind. This physics game has a simple objective; to fling the vehicle of your choice into busy traffic, up a ramp or straight into a brick wall and inflict as much damage to the crash-test dummy as possible. The possibilities are endless and it’s easy to get caught up trying to beat your last score, or even the best score in the world!

Free to download with limited features, but you can pay a small fee to unlock further content.

Dr. Parking 4

If you see yourself a parking wizard, this game is for you! The objective may seem simple; to park in the yellow space, but it’s a lot trickier than it looks. If you’ve driven an automatic car, you’ll know the car will still move in drive even if you’re not pressing the accelerator and this game simulates just that, so there’s not much need to use that button. There’s also a brake pedal button, steering wheel and transmission selector.

The controls can be very fiddly at first, but there is a handy practice mode to help you get the grips with the game. The main game is exclusively online, so an Internet connection is required. The aim is to park up quicker than your opponent. Earn coins to upgrade your car or buy new cars.

Need For Speed: No Limits

Need For Speed is a big name in the gaming industry and has even spawned a recent film. Electronic Arts brings the street-racing franchise to the mobile platform and provides a fast-paced experience. The controls are very straight-forward; tap left to steer left, tap right to steer right and swipe up to use the boost.

On first play you’re thrown straight into the action and the simple controls makes this game very easy to pick up and play. Winning races earns you “materials” which you use to upgrade your car, though there may be a wait to make the upgrade as is expected from these kind of free games, unless you use your gold to complete the upgrade immediately (more gold can be purchased). Earn rewards by logging into the game on a daily basis.

All the cars are licensed; there’s a wide selection of fast cars to choose from, from the Ford Fiesta ST to the Koenigsegg CCX.

Real Racing

Another offering from EA, Real Racing offers a more realistic experience on real race tracks, including the famous Laguna Seca. The structure of the game is similar to that of Need For Speed, that is earning credit to upgrade your car and buy new cars. If you’ve played the likes of Gran Turismo on the Playstation, you’ll feel right at home with Real Racing.

The driving controls can be customised to your ability, allowing the game to automatically accelerate and brake for you so you can just concentrate on steering, or switch all, or some, aids off to offer a bigger challenge.

Splash Cars

Something a bit quirky; Splash Cars requires you to use your car to paint as much of a monochrome town as possible before you run out of fuel or write off the car. To keep going, you need to collect the green fuel cans and gold coins for a bit of extra cash. Complete targets to get more coins or unlock the next level, then use your coins to buy new cars that boast greater fuel capacity.

Playtime is limited. You get 6 “batteries” and use one for each level you play. It takes 10 minutes to charge 1 battery, so if you use them all, it will take an hour to recharge all 6, though you can watch adverts to speed this up or pay with in-app purchases.

It’s a nice and simple game. Despite the maps getting bigger as you progress, there’s not much variety to keep players interested, we reckon.

Traffic Rider

Okay, it’s a motorcycle game, but it reminds us a lot of the classic top-down arcade games where you have to avoid traffic. The concept has been given a stunning 3D, first-person makeover and the aim of the game is to get to the end of the course in the fastest time possible and score points for riding on the wrong side of the road or close overtaking (neither which we condone in real life!).

You control everything, tilting the screen to steer and touch-screen controls for acceleration and braking. There’s a wide selection of maps set at different times of day, different weather conditions and different flows of traffic to add to the challenge.

Earn cash to upgrade your bike and buy new bikes. There are tokens to use as well but we can’t see what these can be used for as, as far as we can tell, upgrades are already instant.