Switching away from the genre's typical in-car or behind-the-bumper view doesn't suck the thrills out of Reckless Racing 2, which uses a top-down camera to spotlight the action across muddy trails and cracked asphalt alike. Despite the zoomed-out look, the races are plenty speedy and strategic, requiring you to anticipate turns and jostle for position to have any chance of a stellar finish, and you can pick from left and right steering buttons, a virtual wheel, or even tilt controls to compete.
While not quite as fresh or revelatory an App Store entry as the original, Reckless Racing 2 is a hearty upgrade, thanks to a heap of new tracks and customizable vehicles, not to mention single-player cups and a slick visual overhaul that looks great on both iPad and iPhone. Sadly, finding online matches against like-skilled foes is a hassle; too often I was matched up against foes with significantly tweaked vehicles that left me no chance to compete. Luckily, it's a rare knock against an otherwise very sharp racer.
The bottom line. Reckless Racing 2 offers up a fast, frantic, and content-rich alternative to the average iOS race experience.
iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch running iOS 4.0 or later
Great sequel to one of the top App Store racers around, with plenty of fresh tracks and play options in the mix. Sharp visual upgrade within universal app.
Tough to find online matches against similarly-equipped players. Not quite as bold or original a release as its predecessor.
