Can a racing game feel great with no buttons?

I used to be skeptical that a racing game could feel right without physical buttons. Then I spent a week with Neon Drift Rush and changed my mind, at least for arcade racers.

The trick is simplicity. Hold to accelerate, tap to drift, and build boost by chaining slides. Once that muscle memory sets in, the lack of buttons stops mattering because the inputs are so few and so clear.

Sim-style racers are a harder sell on touch, since they need precise throttle and brake control. But arcade racers lean into the limitation instead of fighting it, and that's why they work so well on a phone.

My tip for any new racer: spend ten minutes just getting a feel for the drift before you chase leaderboard times. The sliding is the whole game, and it clicks faster than you'd think.