Real Racing 3 has been around for several years on iOS, but yesterday’s update marked its debut appearance on tvOS and the fourth generation Apple TV. This isn’t the first time that the Real Racing franchise has been associated with Apple’s set top box, as previous versions allowed you to use AirPlay to stream races to the Apple TV while using an iOS device as a controller. Check out our hands-on video with the new racer below.
That was a nice nod to the future, but of course, nothing beats the experience of native code running directly on the Apple TV. Yesterday’s update of Real Racing 3 marked the beginning of a new journey and, as you might imagine given the game’s history, the graphics are impressive. Take a look at our hands-on video walkthrough for the details.
As you can see from the video, Real Racing 3 features some of the best graphics available on the Apple TV thus far. True, Apple’s fourth-gen box packs much more of a punch than previous iterations, but it’s still impressive to see such graphical prowess made possible by a small fanless puck that you can grasp in one hand.
Sadly, since EA has taken over the reigns, Real Racing 3 remains inundated with in-app purchases that look to impede progress whenever possible. It’s playable, but the artificial barriers employed can be off-putting to say the least.
More concerning, though, is the presence of frequent frame rate dips, especially when more than a few cars are on screen at once. At first, I thought that might be the result of resources downloading in the background, but the frame rate problems persisted throughout my entire test drive.
Still, Real Racing 3 can be fun to play, and it even features the ability to enjoy true local split-screen multiplayer with up to four participants. The nice thing about the multiplayer is that you can use spare iPhones and iPads as controllers, in addition to the Siri Remote and third-party controllers. I found that I preferred the motion controls made possible by the Siri Remote, but it’s nice to have the option of going the traditional route as well.
Gamers can also save progress to the cloud, and pick up where they left off on an iOS device. That’s pretty handy, especially if you plan on venturing through the title’s new Daytona 500 features, which includes the Daytona International Speedway and racing legends like Matt Kenseth and Kevin Harvick.
You can download Real Racing 3 for free and begin playing on your Apple TV, iPhone, or iPad today.
