For anyone who lives life a quarter-mile at a time, Nitro Nation is the free drag racing fix. Developed by Creative Mobile, it started on phones and made its way to PC, bringing 150-plus real licensed cars, deep tuning, and real-time online races. Build a machine from a stock shell into a nitro-breathing monster, then line up at the strip and nail the perfect shift.
It’s part drag racer, part car-builder. Between races you’re wrenching: upgrading engines, swapping parts, dialing in gear ratios, and even trading components with other players in real time. There’s a drift mode too, but drag racing is the heart of it. Join a team, enter tournaments, and climb the online ranks.
It rounds out our list of the best free racing games for PC as the drag-racing pick. Fair warning up front: it’s a mobile-style free-to-play game, so expect a grind. More on that next.
Is Nitro Nation Free?
Yes. Nitro Nation is free to play. On PC it’s available through the Microsoft Store (note that it’s not on Steam), and it’s on Android and iOS too.
Here’s the honest part. This is a mobile-style free-to-play game, which means a grind. Cars, parts, and upgrades are earned with in-game credits and gold, and you can buy that currency with real money to progress faster. It can lean pay-to-progress, and top-tier online play favors those who’ve invested heavily. You can absolutely play and enjoy it for free with patience, but go in knowing the economy is built to nudge your wallet, the same trade-off as most free-to-play racers on this list.
Gameplay & Features
Nitro Nation is drag racing at its core: launch cleanly, hit each gear shift at the perfect moment, and cross the line first over a quarter mile. Simple to grasp, tough to master. The depth is in the garage, where tuning and upgrading your car is half the game. It runs on the CarX physics engine, so the cars feel weighty and distinct.
- Over 150 real licensed cars to collect, tune, and race.
- Deep upgrade and tuning systems, plus real-time car-part trading with other players.
- Real-time online drag races, team play, and tournaments.
- A drift mode alongside the main quarter-mile drag racing.
If car culture and tuning are your thing, Night-Runners Prologue nails the atmosphere, and Asphalt Legends is the flashier arcade option.
PC System Requirements
With its mobile roots, Nitro Nation is light on PC. Any reasonably modern Windows machine runs it comfortably. The Microsoft Store doesn’t publish detailed specs, so the figures below are a practical guide.
| Component | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10 (64-bit) | Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit) |
| Processor | Intel Core i3 or equivalent | Intel Core i5 or equivalent |
| Memory | 4 GB RAM | 8 GB RAM |
| Graphics | DirectX 11 compatible | Dedicated GPU (e.g. NVIDIA GTX 1050) |
| Storage | 2 GB available space | 2 GB available space |
| Network | Broadband internet connection | Broadband internet connection |
How to Download & Play Nitro Nation for Free
On PC, Nitro Nation lives on the Microsoft Store rather than Steam. Grab it from an official, safe source and you’re set. Here’s how:
- Open the Microsoft Store on your Windows 10 or 11 PC.
- Search for Nitro Nation, or open its official Microsoft Store page.
- Click Get, then Install. It’s free.
- Launch it, start with your first car, and hit the strip.
It’s also free on Android and iOS if you’d rather race on your phone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nitro Nation free?
Yes, free to play on PC (Microsoft Store), Android, and iOS, with optional in-app purchases to speed up progression.
Is Nitro Nation on Steam?
Not the main game. On PC it’s the Microsoft Store version. The only Steam listing is a separate, unreleased Nitro Nation VR.
Is Nitro Nation pay-to-win?
It’s grindy, and spending real money speeds up unlocking and upgrading cars, which gives an edge in high-level online play. Casual play is fine for free if you’re patient.
What platforms is it on?
PC via the Microsoft Store, plus Android and iOS.
