DrawRace 2 HD
Racing evolved.
Trials HD creator RedLynx exploded onto the App Store scene with 2009's DrawRace, a simple looking but fun title that challenged players to essentially draw a path for their cars to follow instead of stepping behind the wheel. Over two million people downloaded it.
Clearly inspired by this success and a rabid community, the developer tweaked the formula and returned with the appropriately titled DrawRace 2, a sequel that delivers superior graphics and most importantly, more stuff.
That said, the basic premise remains the same with one notable exception: turbo. As your car brakes, the turbo meter fills, giving you a chance to boost any time, though this feature can work for and against you, where pressing the button at the wrong moment may result in the vehicle smashing into a barricade or spinning out of control, a mistake that will almost always cost you the race against skilled opponents.
Beyond that, DrawRace 2 comes with a deep Career mode containing well over 180 challenges, as well as a variety of rides to choose from, including rally, sports and formula one cars.
The fun comes from figuring out how to master each detailed track, zipping through straight-aways to build speed and then slowing at just the right time to navigate corners. There's a fairly sizable learning curve, especially since each car handles differently, but achieving the perfect route is worth the effort.
What makes this title irresistible, though, are the multiplayer options. Pass and play pits you against a buddy using a single iPhone or iPad, which is addictive enough, but we love Friend Challenge, where you download and compete against someone else's ghost data. There's also a cool World League that pits you against other gamers online.
All of this aside, there's a chance you'll dislike DrawRace 2, since sketching routes takes a backseat to hitting the gas and steering the car. It also doesn't help that your finger obscures the racing line, forcing you to rely on instinct; you eventually get a feel for it
Racing strategists, on the other hand, will happily dive into DrawRace 2 and play this sucker for months. Kudos to RedLynx for building off the original while delivering a unique touch screen experience.
Requirements: Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 3.0 or later.
Requirements: Compatible with iPad. Requires iOS 3.2 or later.
What's Hot: Huge career mode, a variety of cars, enjoyable multiplayer modes, detailed tracks with ramps, turbo.
What's Not: HD version costs extra, frustrating learning curve.
4/5
