Asphalt 5

Gameloft

Industry	Video games
Founded	1999
Headquarters	Paris , France
Products	Asphalt 5

Asphalt 5 is a 2009 racing video game created and distributed by Gameloft, marking the fifth primary entry in the Asphalt franchise. It initially debuted on iOS on November 2, 2009, with subsequent launches on webOS (January 8, 2010), Android (March 18, 2010), Symbian^3 and Bada platforms (December 2010), and later on Windows Phone 7 (July 16, 2012).

Gameplay

The gameplay of Asphalt 5 bears strong similarities to Asphalt 4: Elite Racing and Ferrari GT: Evolution, providing control options such as tilting the device, tapping the screen, or using a virtual steering wheel displayed onscreen. On the iPhone, steering is implemented in landscape orientation. The title supports multiplayer gaming both locally—via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth—and online through internet connectivity.

Players can choose from a roster of 30 officially licensed cars and compete across 17 different racing tracks.

Reception

Critical response to Asphalt 5 was mostly positive. The iOS edition earned an average score of 82/100 on Metacritic and 87% on GameRankings, each based on six critiques.

IGN's Levi Buchanan gave it an 8/10 rating, commending its arcade-style racing that blends aspects reminiscent of Burnout and Ridge Racer. He pointed out that it does not aim to be a precise driving simulator like Real Racing, recommending it instead for those seeking an energetic and entertaining experience.

TouchArcade rated the game 4.5 out of 5 stars, praising the detailed visuals across varied settings including snowy routes and nighttime races. TouchGen awarded a score of 4/5, noting the high-quality graphics of more than 30 vehicles and a dozen cities, along with subtle touches like snow melting effects.

Slide to Play assigned a score of 3 out of 4, appreciating the arcade feel but criticizing the game's physics for lacking realism in weight and power. They also found the "Elimination" mode challenging and disapproved of purchasable female characters that grant race advantages, considering this feature immature.

Andrew Bares from WMPowerUser rated the Windows Phone version poorly at 2/5, highlighting inadequate multitasking support which caused progress loss when gameplay was interrupted.

Although a Sony PSP 'Minis' edition was announced, it never reached release; only an icon remains as evidence of this planned version.