When people ask you what you're doing on your iPhone, they'll have no doubts as to what the title involves if you tell them that you're playing Fastlane Street Racing. Suffice to say, this game promises a lot by it's title, but does it live up to it's name? Yes, if you'll forgive the initial headaches, it's a polished game with a load of content to sink your teeth into.

We'll just take a minute to state the obvious; racing games are a natural fit for the iPhone's accelerometer. Indeed, that's why so many racers have been released to the App Store, because tilting the iPhone left and right feels like an actual steering wheel. It feels good. In addition to the accelerometer based steering, you've also got the accelerator and brake pedals, although there's an option to auto accelerate if you'd prefer. You will need to make judicious use of the brake in this game to stop yourself ramming into walls and costing precious speed - and also to assist with drifting (which can be initiated with hard tilting left or right). You will need to learn how to make use of this driving technique in the game, and every car handles drift slightly differently - so practice makes perfect.

The game incorporates three modes of play - arcade, challenge and time trial. The challenge mode takes place on several specially designed tracks, where you will have to overcome tests such as overtaking another car, or passing through a required number of checkpoints. The other two modes are pretty much identical, with arcade having the main meat of the game, and time trial having you trying to set new lap times for courses. Even on easy mode, the game provides a good enough challenge so that you can make some mistakes, but you'll still need to drive hard and fast to clinch first place, or the challenge award. Later on, you'll find the tracks getting harder and drifting becomes a more common requirement, especially against the AI. It's especially important to maintain your speed because most of the time you'll be racing against a clock as well as your opponents.

A lot of care and attention to detail has gone into the presentation, and it shows. The courses are greatly varied, with high speed racing tracks, beach runs and industrial routes with all kinds of scenery zipping by you at any given time. It's amazing that there's virtually no lag (there is some in tunneled sections) given the amount of objects onscreen. What's even more impressive is the ability to view and save replays for any race in the game - so you can show off your best laps to your mates. The menu system is flawless, minimal and does it's job very well. Plus, you can fire up your iPod and have that running alongside the realistic engine and car slamming noises, instead of the game's dance soundtrack - which in itself is not too bad, but many of the tracks are short and transitions between them are very noticeable.

This is a very well polished package overall - there is a steep learning curve on the hard difficulty setting, but on easy it doesn't ramp up so quickly and gives you time to learn the game. There's plenty of cars and tracks to pick, and the various challenges, trials and races that you have to do will keep you playing. Fastlane Street Racing delivers speed, style and accessibility to the racing genre, and if you'll accept the tough nature of it's later levels, it'll be a winner in your book too.

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