The case for arcade racers on your phone

Arcade racers might be the most phone-friendly genre there is. A race lasts a couple of minutes, controls fit your thumbs, and you can drop it the second your bus arrives. Neon Drift Circuit reminded me how well this works.

The drift-boost loop is the heart of a good arcade racer. It gives you something to master beyond just steering, and it turns every corner into a small decision about risk and reward.

My tip for these games: learn the tracks, don't just react. Once you know where the tight corners are, you can set up your drifts early and keep your boost flowing instead of scrambling.

They won't win awards for depth, but for filling short gaps in the day, few genres do it better. Keep one installed.