4x4 Jam for iOS

4x4 Jam is an off-road racer that lets you drive wherever you want--an ongoing and changing landscape continues in every direction. This game is from the early days of the iTunes App Store, and while the gameplay is still pretty fun, it's easy to tell the graphics haven't been updated for the latest iOS devices.

Even so, 4x4 Jam still manages to be fun and worthy of a download if you've never tried it. Steer by tilting your iPhone left and right and you have several options for control sets depending on how much control over gas and brakes you want. You can choose between a VW-bug-like off-road racer or a 4x4 truck, with four skin options for each. You can participate in a few different race types with computer-controlled players including an Off Road Race (try to beat your opponents to each gate) and a Jam (collect points by passing through more gates than your opponents). Sadly there is no career mode, so there is little to keep you interested if you don't like the race types offered. But there are three difficulty levels to keep things somewhat interesting.

One of the first things we noticed when we initially played this game was the well-implemented physics. Even now, 4x4 Jam has a better overall feel than a lot of the racing games you'll find today. As you make turns you really notice the centrifugal force and stopping to turn on a dime is pretty much impossible. This only adds to the fun as you and your opponents jockey for position and you even have opportunities to force them away from gates to get an advantage.

Overall, 4x4 Jam is an excellent if somewhat dated game, with fun and challenging racing action. If the developers optimized the game for the Retina Display and added a career mode, it would be even better.