Arcade racers are quietly having a moment

For years mobile racing chased realism: physics simulations, tuning menus, the works. Fun, but exhausting. Lately the pendulum has swung back toward pure arcade racers, and I couldn't be happier.

Neon Drift League is the poster child. It's all about drifting — hold a slide through a corner, build a boost, chain it into the next one. There's no pretense of realism, just flow. The tilt controls click after a few laps and then it's all muscle memory.

What makes arcade racers work on mobile is that they suit short sessions. A race lasts two minutes, restarts are instant, and there's always a shortcut or line to master. It's the perfect between-things game.

They're not deep, and campaigns tend to be thin. But for sheer feel-good speed, nothing on my phone beats a good arcade racer right now.