Racing games

Most of the 260 or so games on this shelf come down to one idea: carry as much speed as you can through a course without losing control. About 125 carry the general racing tag, car games add some 45 and driving titles about 30. Bikes have a corner of their own with almost 25 games, from motocross to superbikes, and the smaller groups hold parking challenges, trucks and drifting, around ten games each.

Moto X3M: Spooky Land is a stunt bike game on spooky, obstacle-filled tracks. Endless Car Chase has no finish at all: you outrun a police force that keeps growing, steering with the arrows or a swipe and grabbing cash and power-ups on the way. Park the Cars goes the other way entirely, swapping speed for tight spaces and careful parking.

Level-based stunt games suit a short break, because you can stop after any track. Open-world driving, derbies and chases with cars to unlock and upgrade are better when you have longer. On a phone, landscape is usually the right way to hold it, since most of the racing games here are built for a wide screen. Nothing needs downloading and every race is free, so the only decision left is which one to start.