Verithiathe honest score on any app
Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
The verdict on

CSR Racing

55
User verdict / 100 High confidence Divided

CSR Racing offers nostalgic drag racing with good graphics and car selection, but it is plagued by frequent crashes on newer iOS devices, removed multiplayer, and a 'pay-to-win' progression system, leading to a recent negative trajectory despite its high lifetime rating.

4.6★ lifetime (84,891) Free + in-app purchases since 2012 by NaturalMotion Games Limited updated 7.1 mo ago recent negative 38% 120 reviews across 3 regions
Crashes & Compatibility Monetization & Grind Missing Features Data Loss & Bugs Nostalgia & Gameplay
5★288
4★70
3★46
2★39
1★207
recent reviews across 3 regions, vs the 4.6★ lifetime average

CSR Racing is a classic drag racing game praised for its nostalgic value, graphics, and car selection, but recent reviews highlight significant issues including app crashes on modern iOS devices, the removal of multiplayer mode, and a perceived 'pay-to-win' monetization strategy.

What users like

  • Offers nostalgic gameplay for long-time players.R2R28R31R40
  • Features high-quality graphics for a mobile game.R17R45R466
  • Provides a wide selection of cars for customization and racing.R17R13R34
  • Can be played offline and is free of intrusive ads.R31

What users complain about

  • The app frequently crashes or fails to open on newer iOS devices.R48R90R98R120
  • Multiplayer mode has been removed, diminishing the competitive experience.R62R83R117R170
  • Progression is slow and often requires in-app purchases, leading to a 'pay-to-win' experience.R17R44R59R64
  • Users report losing game progress, cars, and in-game currency, with no clear way to recover them.R15R60R71R82
  • Daily battles are often bugged, displaying a 'Check your clock' error and preventing players from earning critical gold coins.R113R131R170R269
  • Buttons for shifting and NOS are too small, leading to frustrating gameplay errors.R1R56
  • The game forces players to buy unwanted cars for events and does not allow selling cars.R75

Latest update · v5.1.5

What the developer says changed (the verdict above weighs this against what reviewers report):

Minor bug fixes and improvements.

Recurring themes

Crashes & Compatibility negative
Many recent reviews indicate the game frequently crashes on startup or during gameplay, especially on newer iPhone models and iOS versions, making it unplayable for some users. This contradicts the developer's 'minor bug fixes' note.R48R90R98R120
Monetization & Grind negative
Players feel the game is 'pay-to-win' due to expensive upgrades, hard-to-earn in-game currency, and the necessity of spending real money to progress or unlock content. Some report being charged incorrectly or losing paid items.R17R44R59R64
Missing Features negative
A significant number of users lament the removal of multiplayer mode, which they consider a core part of the game's appeal. Other missing features include the ability to sell unwanted cars and better account backup/transfer options.R62R75R83R85
Data Loss & Bugs negative
Many users report losing their game progress, cars, money, or gold, often after reinstalling the app or getting a new device. The 'Check your clock' bug for daily battles is also a frequent complaint, preventing gold coin earnings.R15R26R60R71
Nostalgia & Gameplay positive
Despite the issues, many players express strong affection for the game, calling it a 'childhood game' or 'classic' and appreciating its simple drag racing mechanics, car selection, and graphics.R2R3R4R5

Who it's for

CSR Racing is for players who enjoy classic drag racing games with a focus on car customization and progression, especially those seeking a nostalgic experience from earlier mobile gaming eras R2R31R40. It is NOT for users with newer iOS devices expecting a bug-free experience R232R120, those who prefer multiplayer online racing R62R83R117, or players unwilling to grind extensively or make in-app purchases for progression R17R59.

Evidence note: The sample of recent reviews skews heavily towards negative experiences, particularly regarding app stability on newer devices and the removal of multiplayer. While positive reviews praise nostalgia and core gameplay, they are less frequent in the recent sample. The developer's notes of 'minor bug fixes' are directly contradicted by widespread reports of crashes.

Frequently asked

Does CSR Racing work on new iPhones or iOS versions?
Many recent reviews indicate that CSR Racing frequently crashes or fails to open on newer iPhones and iOS versions, such as iPhone X, iPhone 12, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max, and iOS 14.0.1 or iOS 16.6 R98R120R232R292.
Is there a multiplayer mode in CSR Racing?
No, multiplayer mode has been removed from CSR Racing, which is a common complaint among recent reviewers who miss the competitive online aspect R62R83R117R170.
Is CSR Racing a 'pay-to-win' game?
Many players describe CSR Racing as 'pay-to-win' due to the high cost of upgrades, difficulty earning in-game currency, and the perceived necessity of spending real money to progress efficiently through the game R17R44R59R64.
Can I recover my game progress if I reinstall the app or get a new phone?
Many users report losing all their game progress, cars, and in-game currency when reinstalling the app or switching to a new device, with no clear or reliable way to recover their accounts R26R60R71R82.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R2] 5/5 · US Game of my childhood: Glad it's still in app store :)
  2. [R28] 5/5 · US Nostalgia ❤️‍🩹: I played this game in 2016 and it was on 🔥
  3. [R31] 5/5 · US Best mobile racing game to exist: I don’t ever review mobile games but CSR is an acceptation. I played this game when I was in elementary, specifically around 2-3rd grade, now I’m 18. I have revisited this game years after years after years and it always hits the exact same. People say it needs updates n allat, no it doesn’t. This game is seriously perfect and far far better than the second one. N
  4. [R40] 5/5 · US Childhood memories: Childhood memories came flooding back in when I was this game in the App Store on my new iPad. I got had to revisit the good ole days.
  5. [R17] 1/5 · US Only for car nerds: Pros: 1. The game has high quality graphics for mobile 2. The best part is the wide car selection. Cons: 1. Extremely slow-pace game 2. Forced to learn shift patterns from YouTube to win the World Tour and Internationals High Stakes Challenges 3. Heavy costs for upgrades (Tier 1 and Tier 5 are the most torturous because of a lot of grinding) 4. Incoherent storyline in the In
  6. [R45] 5/5 · US Graphics are great and the cost is realistic and you get a good amount of money from races: Very good
  7. [R466] 3/5 · AU It’s alright: So this game is AWESOME believe it or not but just sometimes gets a little how do I say this like serious sometimes but really good game makes it feel u are in real life not just playing the game so yeah OH AND AMAZING DETAIL WITH THE GAME LOVE IT!!!
  8. [R13] 5/5 · US Enjoying the game!: Old game,but been playing quite awhile. Still love it,love collecting the cars and racing.just like to see some offers and upgrades to make for more interesting gameplay,thanks for your wonderful work!
  9. [R34] 5/5 · US Very Fun!: I Love the Cars and Everything In CSR Racing. Just like CSR Classics as Well, But I’m trying to get mine to work. For some reason. For not loading up my stuff, like my cars, my progress through TIER 1-5 to The International. I dunno how to fix it.
  10. [R48] 1/5 · US It’s not working for me: I’m using an iPad Air from 2013 and these are one of my favorite games but when I try to download and play it it does crashes can you fix the game and work for old iPads
  11. [R90] 1/5 · US Can’t open the game: You guys did you updated the game and now I can’t open for no reason, update this thing to fix this bug
  12. [R98] 1/5 · US Crashed on iPhone X and 12: It crashed at later levels of the game. All my modified cars and garage has gone. Never rcovered back. I asked a refund for recent purchase of the latest car, no answer. Apple should ban this from App Store.
  13. [R120] 1/5 · US Crashes when open on iOS 16.6: It has been crashing when I open it, three for times in a row, on iPhone 14 pro max
  14. [R62] 3/5 · US Bring Back Multiplayer Mode!: CSR Racing is a beautifully designed drag racing game that has been loved by fans for its stunning graphics, simple mechanics, and engaging gameplay. It’s perfect for those who want a quick yet exciting racing experience. The ability to upgrade and customize cars has always been a major draw, creating a rewarding progression system. However, the game has felt a bit l
  15. [R83] 1/5 · US MULTIPLAYER !!!!!: PLEASEEE BRING MULTIPLAYER BACKK 😒!!!!!
  16. [R117] 3/5 · US Bring back the joy of multiplayer!: There is no joy playing this game of line. Bring back the heart racing on line!
  17. [R170] 1/5 · US Check your clock? Really?: First of all I agree with all the other reviews. Bring back multiplayer, it was an essential part of this game. Another reason I gave this game 1 star is because of the faulty daily races. I’m only on my third day of daily races and as soon as I’m able to receive a golden coin from the race, it reads “check your clock, race again tomorrow?” Well yeah I would race again t
  18. [R44] 1/5 · US Change your prices!!!: Money is hard to earn, things are super expensive, that’s why people stop playing or delete the game, over priced if everything is cheaper to buy including parts, gold, and money more people will play
  19. [R59] 1/5 · US Parents Debit Card Aquired: Way Too Grindy
  20. [R64] 2/5 · US Pay to play people are posers: Game tries to nickel and dime you for anything and everything
  21. [R15] 1/5 · US Money: I was on world tour and somehow lost all my money now I have no sand can’t get any money no matter how many races win. WTH?
  22. [R60] 3/5 · US Lost all cars and wind??: Did anyone else lose all of their cars and wins? My profile is basically back to nothing. (Yes, I am signed in)
  23. [R71] 1/5 · US Don’t spend money: Game itself is awesome but theirs no way too back up your game and if you spend any money on it the game starts too crash and they don’t refund your money at all or reimburse the money value in game which is all I wanted I. The first place I didn’t even get a chance too use my gold coins that I paid for because as soon as I spent money the game crashed and then wouldn’t get past
  24. [R82] 1/5 · US Ridiculous: You deleted my account and I have to start over forget that horrible.
  25. [R113] 3/5 · US Check your clock,: Bro seriously when i see this, im like WHAT THE HECK I SAW THIS YESTERDAY! Then when I finally daily battle, bruhh I start over again, CSR is a nice game but if it weren’t of daily battles, I would’ve given this drag racing game a 4 star
  26. [R131] 3/5 · US Daily battles: I lost 3 gold when it wouldn’t let me do my daily battle. Usually if you race 3 times it will give you a pop-up about the daily battles, therefore you were able to race them. But sometimes that pop-up wouldn’t show up and won’t let me do my daily battle, and the “Check Your Clock” sign is straight up useless, Really pisses me off. Other thing: This game is fun once you start playing
  27. [R269] 3/5 · GB Bugs: Game is great and fun to play, but daily battles no longer work, they keep saying "CHECK YOUR CLOCK" which is annoying because the coins gained from them are CRITICAL for the last part of the game!
  28. [R1] 3/5 · US Buttons too small: Nothing more frustrating than losing a race only because I missed the tiny NOS or upshift button. Those two buttons should consume one entire side of the screen.
  29. [R56] 3/5 · US Cool: Hard to shift gears but cool
  30. [R75] 1/5 · US Makes you buy cars you don’t want: It makes you purchase cars you can’t get rid of later in order to win the cars that you want. I don’t want certain cars in my garage because I don’t like them. So why are you making me buy it to complete events instead of using my own cars that I like? Stupid. Also you can’t sell cars in this game to clear out the junk and leave the cars you care about. Also ther
  31. [R85] 1/5 · US Complaint: Can’t share profile on all devices. Sure I know about CSR 2. I still want to complete the first one without starting over.
  32. [R26] 5/5 · US Previous game rank: I wonder why you can’t backup your last game rank after you delete and reinstall game. Crazy stupid.!!!
  33. [R3] 5/5 · US Mi favorite game!: Good!!
  34. [R4] 5/5 · US This game is amazing: This game is so fun to play and I also like how it tells you how to play the game
  35. [R5] 5/5 · US Fun: Nice game
  36. [R232] 3/5 · US Game Crashes: I gave it three stars because I know the game is no longer updated, and CSR2 is where it’s at. I never got to actually play this game. Tried playing on iPhone X and it crashes at startup. Downloaded it for a little nostalgia. Don’t bother downloading on newer devices. Stick to CSR2. Which is awesome. Love to give this one a try if it’s ever updated for newer devices or iOS update
  37. [R292] 3/5 · GB Cool concept: Great looking game. But don’t get why it lags on a iPhone 13pro. Seems slow. This is a top of the range phone. Mad eh

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store