Top 10 racing games for iPhone and iPad

We're sure at some point in your life you've dreamed of jumping behind the wheel of a high-powered beast, thought about speeding down winding country lanes, and pictured taking pole position in the driver's seat of a hot Bugatti supercar.

Well, stop dreaming, thinking, and picturing, and head on over to Apple's App Store pronto.

There, you'll discover a digital treasure trove of fast-paced races, high-speed chases, run-and-gun tournaments, police pursuits, and hundreds upon hundreds of the world's best four-wheeled machines.

These are the top ten racing titles for the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.

At the front of the grid is the gorgeous Pocket Gamer Platinum Award-winning Real Racing 2, which manages to pack in 30 officially licensed speedsters and 15 stunning tracks.

You can put the pedal to the metal through Time Trial, Head-to-Head, Elimination, and Cup races, or jump into Championship tournaments. 16-player online and eight-player local wi-fi races can also be entered.

Real Racing 2 comes complete with Retina display support and a whole host of Game Center leaderboards and achievements.

Download Real Racing 2
Download Real Racing 2 HD

DrawRace 2 is a unique racing title that offers a completely new way to experience speed. Instead of controlling your car directly, you trace out the racing line you want your machine to follow on the track with your finger.

You can go it alone around “gorgeous, highly detailed 3D tracks”, through 180 challenges and gymkhana skill games, or against some of your buddies in pass-the-handset and online modes.

DrawRace 2 managed a podium finish and a Pocket Gamer Gold Award when it pitted in our review lane earlier this month.

Download DrawRace 2
Download DrawRace 2 HD

If you like your racing games to be more Mario Kart than Gran Turismo, you should definitely take Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 2 for a spin around the block.

Playing as the genetically enhanced Eastern Barred Bandicoot - or one of other nine series favourites - you'll speed around 12 wacky tracks, collect an assortment of power-ups, and blow your opposition to smithereens.

You can also get together with three of your buddies and race online in three different modes.

Download Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 2

Kairosoft's Grand Prix Story doesn't actually let you jump into the driving seat of any vehicles, but it's still ruddy addictive.

As the manager of an up-and-coming racing team, it's your job to hire and fire drivers and mechanics, schedule stat-boosting training sessions, research new cars and racing parts, and secure profitable sponsorships.

If you're struggling to compete with the more experienced constructors, check out Pocket Gamer's beginners' guide to Grand Prix Story.

Download Grand Prix Story

Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing

The Pocket Gamer Platinum Award-winning Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing is another Mario Kart-esque racer that combines wacky tracks, silly weaponry, and an all-star gaming cast.

There are ten classic Sega characters at your disposal, a range of cars, planes, monster trucks, and bikes to drive, and 15 'white knuckle' courses to fly around.

Game Center is on board with four-player online multiplayer, and a bunch of leaderboards and achievements.

Download Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit

In Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, you assume the role of either an illegal street racer or an officer of the law, and race a wide variety of real-world cars.

You can utilise road blocks, spike strips, oil slicks, and a range of other weaponry, and unlock achievements as you speed along busy stretches of highway.

You can even bring your friends along for the ride over both local wi-fi and Bluetooth.

Download Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit
Download Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit HD

PadRacer

PadRacer is a top-down racing experience in which you can use your iPad as a track and your iPhone or iPod touch as a steering wheel.

This Universal app allows you to draw your very own track with a few swipes of your finger, connect two iPads together to prolong each race, and use up to four iPhones as controllers so you can play with your buddies.

Remember: You need both an iPhone and an iPad to play this game.

Download PadRace

Asphalt 6: Adrenaline

Gameloft's Asphalt 6: Adrenaline boasts 42 cars and bikes from some of the world's biggest manufacturers, such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, and Ducati.

You'll find yourself taking to the streets of LA, Tokyo, and more in over 55 events and 11 different leagues, or against five of your friends in local and online multiplayer modes.

Once you've amassed a collection of luxurious cars, you can use your device's gyroscope to explore your very own 3D garage.

Download Asphalt 6: Adrenaline
Download Asphalt 6: Adrenaline HD

Shift 2: Unleashed

Shift 2: Unleashed is the second Need for Speed title to whizz onto our list. In this iteration, you can get behind the wheel of 40 top cars, which you can upgrade and personalise with spoilers, body kits, and nitrous.

If you get bored playing by yourself in the game's single-player campaign, you can use EA's Steam-esque digital distribution platform Origin to bring your friends into the fold.

We gave Shift 2: Unleashed a Pocket Gamer Gold Award on review and noted: "Shift 2: Unleashed is bigger and better than its predecessor, with a lot more variety of races and excellent single-player career mode."

Based on the movie of the same name, Fast Five the Movie: Official Game sees you step into the racing shoes of Brian O'Conner, as you attempt to construct an elite team of top racers.

You'll get to drive some of the film's most famous motors, outrun federal agents through the streets of Rio, Hong Kong, and the Dominican, and rewind time to avoid nasty accidents and obstacles. There are also Drift Contests, a Survivor mode, and multiplayer for up to ten racers to keep you busy.

And when you're not burning rubber on the streets of Brasil, you can spend your time – and cash – tuning your vehicle for improved performance.

Download Fast Five the Movie: Official Game