Reckless Racing may well be the best iPhone racing game ever made. Not only are gamers given the freedom to steer their cars anyway they want, they also can savor in a top-down racing view filled with destructible environment pieces. The view is topped off with superb particle systems that really immerse gamers in the feel of the open country road. Pristine graphics combined with ridiculously fun-fast paced gameplay and multiple modes make for an exceptionally good, adrenaline infused racing experience on the iPhone. The Multiplayer option and leaderboards ensure that gaming never gets stale as you race around leaving the competition in the dust.

Gamers can begin getting Reckless as soon as they enter the app. The load time is minimal, even though what lies ahead would be worth the wait. Let's give it to EA and the developers at Pixelbite for thinking about the end user. The game allows you to play in a Beginner or Advanced mode. The Advanced mode may seem intimidating at first. The option states that this mode is "the real deal - slip, slide and rock 'n' roll." However, with some fine-tuning, any player, regardless of gaming experience, can have a blast in Advanced mode.

The controls allow for five different steering types: Standard, Tank, Tilt, Half Wheel, and Full Wheel. It's like Pixelbite went through every racing game on the app store and decided that instead of just doing one steering type with a tilt control option, to do every steering type they could imagine. Standard mode is driven by left and right directional touch controls for steering, while Half and Full Wheel is more about keeping your left thumb on the wheel. Every steering control also has a gas pedal and break on the lower right corner of the screen, except Tank mode (which defaults to auto gas). In single player mode, you can pause and change your steering choice at any time. No matter what mode you choose to go with, be sure to adjust your sensitivity. The controls are hypersensitive by default. Tap your steering wheel or hold down your directional turn button too long and you'll slip right off the road or cliff time and time again. The game should probably call attention to the sensitivity controls right away in the tutorial. Newcomers can get easily frustrated if they don't know where to look or simply are not familiar with how sensitivity affects the gameplay.

Reckless Racing has three modes: Dirt Rally, Hot Lap and Delivery. There are five tracks available when you start: Bubba's Yard, Milky Road, Blesser's Bend, Trasher Hill and Tarmac Lot. Another six stages can be unlock by winning medals in the Dirt Rally mode or gold medals in the Hotlap mode. Dirt Rally is your standard competitive race. Gamers go up against five other cars. There are six cartoony racers to choose from, each of which look like a stereotypical country bumpkin. The drivers have names like Cletus, Bubba and Lurlene. The country style is bolstered by folksy, campfire tunes that are quaint, but playful. You'll feel like you're getting ready to go to the rodeo or a banjo party.

Races are fast paced and you can knock other racers off the cliff to gain an advantage. If you get stuck off track or fall into river or ravine, you can quickly respawn at any time by tapping the right corner of the screen. In single player mode, respawning doesn't affect your position in the race much. The game more or less maintains state so you'll reappear back on course and the other cars will not have gained any additional ground. Gamers will only lose a few fractions of a second as you start to accelerate. You can also play in multiplayer mode, which allows 4 players to race via Wifi or 3G.

The top down display is beautiful to play through. You'll see barrels and cones fly off the track as you bang into them. What's even better is the great use of dust particles in the game. As you take off on the dirt roads, you'll see tons of dust fly through the air. This is great to watch on the iPhone's retina display.

In Hot Lap mode, gamers can compete against their best score. With each subsequent lap, they will see a ghost version of their car driving around the track at the same time. What's really nice is the Delivery mode. This is a totally different gaming experience. IN this mode you race against the clock making pickups and deliveries. You can play for 3, 5 or 8 minutes. Scores for all modes register with online leaderboards.

If there's one racing game worth checking out on the iPhone, Reckless Racing is that game. If you're a fan of wild car games like Twisted Metal, then this is Twisted Metal without the superpowers. Superb visuals, a lag free multiplayer option and break-your-neck wild driving will keep you entertained while you're on the go.

Final Score: A