Asphalt Street Storm Racing - Gameloft

This review of Asphalt Street Storm Racing was completed by the Australian Council on Children and the Media (ACCM) on 1 February 2018.

About the app

This section contains details about the app provided by an ACCM Reviewer.

ACCM review

This review of Asphalt Street Storm Racing contains the following information:

• The level to which the game was reviewed
• App description
• Reviewers comments
• In App purchasing
• Online information
• Gambling
• Advertising and product placement
• Gender stereotypes and sexual references
• Coarse language
• Game playing behaviour which may be of concern to some parents
• Other

The level to which the game was reviewed

Played for several days

App description

Asphalt Street Storm Racing focuses on the illegal event of street drag racing. Players race against other cars in order to earn cash and prizes. Money can be used to upgrade your vehicle and repair damage and wear and tear to your engine. Diamonds are also earned through progression (and can be purchased with real money from the store). These can be used to purchase/unlock certain features (such as buying new cars) which cannot be done with virtual money.

In order to win, players must exercise good timing by appropriate reving prior to take off, well timed start against the clock and efficient gear changes. All these actions are achieved through simple taps on the relevant icons on screen. The aim of the game is to progress through cities by defeating the best resident drag racers. Players can also gamble their money on races. Due to themes of gambling, illegal practices and social media connectivity – this game is not recommended for children under 13 and parental guidance is suggested for children 13 -1 5.

Reviewers comments

There are a few areas of concern in this game, particularly for parents of younger children. From the iTunes website, the recommended age for this game is 4+. However, there is an age verification prompt at the start – which if you input any age below 13, it gives you the below message 'you must be 13 years or older to access this game'.

Despite this, all that one has to do to bypass the lockout is to go back and enter an age 13 or above and it lets you in (no birth date or email verification required). Another problem with this game is that it allows play up until a certain point and then locks you out – unless you wait for a designated time period or use real money. For example, due to engine damage the current reviewer could not continue racing without repairs. The game offers you a deal where you can skip the timer and obtain instant repairs if you spend 125 diamonds or $830 virtual dollars (at this time, the reviewer had $721). The game indicates a designated time period if you wait (in this case 12 hours) but does not show you where you currently are within that time frame. The current reviewer purchased more money in an attempt to repair the vehicle – only to discover that this only started the 12 hour timer. In order to get instant repairs, the game then offered this if 114 diamonds were also purchased. Noting this, the lowest amount of diamonds that can be purchased is 115 (at $2.99). Thus, in order to repair the engine and continue playing, 300 diamonds would need to be purchased at $7.99. Noting that in both cases to start the timer and to repair the vehicle, the currency required to do this was only just outside the budget of the current player – some children in similar circumstances would be more likely engage with the in-app purchases.  

In App purchasing

Diamonds and Cash

$2.99 – 115 Diamonds or 18,500 Cash

$7.99 – 300 Diamonds or 49,000 Cash

$14.99 – 625 Diamonds or 100,000 Cash

$30.99 – 1,400 Diamonds or 225,000 Cash

$79.99 – 3,750 Diamonds or 565,000 Cash

$159.99 – 8,200 Diamonds or 1,250,000 Cash

The game also provides special offers which are displayed in a box which has 2 buttons – one accepts the offer and the other states “Miss out”.

Online information

• Connectivity with social media

Gambling

Players can use virtual money and gamble on their potential win in drag races. Noting that money and diamonds can be purchased with real money, there is certainly risk for reward benefits – even if game wins do not convert into real money.

Advertising and product placement

There are many pop-up ads and opportunities to watch ads for certain benefits. Most of these were for other games and the movie “Paddington 2”.

Gender stereotypes and sexual references

Both males and females were equally represented in this game.

Coarse language

None noted.

Game playing behaviour which may be of concern to some parents

See reviewer’s comments.

Other

N/A.

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