This really must be a happy holidays for the racing fans out there given the quality of the recent releases out on the App Store and Gameloft, never one to be left behind, has also brought out Asphalt 6, the third installment of their racing series for iDevices.

By now the series has started to gain some legs of its own, slowly spreading its wings as it steps out from shadow of titles like Need for Speed and Burnout. However it seems there was a bit of a misstep and Asphalt 6 has crossed over in to the Ridge Racer territory with a dash of Split/Second to bolster things up. What this means for players is a whole lot of speed, a lack of respect for physics in general and crazy tracks that make you wonder what the local council was thinking when they designed their highways.

Each of the tracks feature a handful of shortcuts, rewarding players with the obligatory jump ahead of the pack, but also cash bonuses and some interesting alternative routes (not the least of which cuts directly over a series rooftops). The handling of the vehicles is appropriately ape-like and as long as you can tilt your iDevice in the direction you want to go while occasionally jabbing the brake you can spend a quarter of the map in a solid drift. As you make your way through the a11 leagues available to players, you'll unlock a rather eclectic series of vehicles, ranging from typical super-cars to lowly electric cars and even motorcycles.

The graphics follow the signature style of the series with slick environments, sharp looking vehicles and more than enough neon effects to make you wonder if you've stepped in to a twin-stick shooter. The overall effect is very pretty and absolutely gorgeous on Retina displays, though much like the physics, the realism is in short order and you can blithely slam in to cars and barricades without scratching that minty-fresh paint-job.

In short, Asphalt 6 may not be for serious gear-heads, but blasting your way at hyper-speeds while causing collisions and using your wins to purchase new super-cars has an appeal of its own. A good pickup for those who feel the need for speed.