CSR Racing for iPhone and iPad – Quick Look

CSR Racing

CSR Racing

A new racing game has hit the App Store this week from NaturalMotion who already have the popular Backbreaker range of games under their belts.

CSR Racing for iPhone and iPad has two distinct differences from many other racing games in the App Store. Firstly, the racing in question is city street drag racing where you pot your wits against other cars of a short distance to see who can accelerate the fastest.

The second distinctive feature of CSR Racing is the fact that it is one of the first racing games to use the freemium model. This means that while it’s a free app to download there are multiple opportunities to spend your real money via in-app purchase, more of that later.

The game is possibly one of the most beautiful racing games available for iOS and that’s certainly the case in regard to the multiple vehicles in the game which pop of the screen in glorious technicolor. All the cars are customizable to allowing you to put own creative spin on your drive.

The racing is pretty simple and is more a test of timing and reactions, as there is no steering involved your focus is on changing gear at the optimum moment and using your turbo.

This may seem all rather basic but it’s actually good fun as you attempt to out sprint your generally bigger and better opponents.

Progress in CSR Racing see’s you challenge a variety of city crews as you compete against them via increasingly difficult races. To get your vehicle into a position where it can challenge the various crews you can race in other events to earn cash and gold.

It’s this use of cash and gold that can become increasingly frustrating as the balance between progress and in-app purchase is heavily balanced in the favor of the later.

Yes, you can progress through the game without spending a penny but in it’s current form it will take you a long time to earn enough money to challenge the top players not only because of the cost to upgrade and buy vehicles but also because gas is in limited supply and it can only be earned by either inviting friends to play or waiting for time to re-fill your tank.

The freemium model is clearly one that works but in CSR Racing the balance is clearly set incorrectly which causes frustration and annoyance.

From a gaming perspective CSR Racing is a success, from a monetary perspective it’s a complete failure. I would recommend taking a look but be warned that you will either need to be patient or be willing to dip your hand into your wallet on a regular basis.

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