Charger City Driver
Table of Contents
Charger City Driver summary
In Charger City Driver, you’ll find yourself in a bustling neon-lit nighttime metropolis where you’ll get behind the wheel of a Dodge Charger. The free-roam city playground is packed with ramps, stunt spots, bonuses, and AI traffic to drift past as you rack up points and cash for upgrades and tuning.
The drift physics are super slidey and beginner-friendly, making it easy to throw the car sideways and chain combos. You also have the option to switch between drift-based handling for point-chaining or a grippy handling setup perfect for flying off ramps or speed runs.
Cosmetic damage means you’ll pick up scratches and dents when you crash, but you won’t need to worry about totaling your ride (well, unless the cops smash into you.)
There’s plenty to do, from street drifting to three score-based game modes, as well as various challenges dotted around the map. Be careful not to hit the innocent pedestrians on the sidewalks, though, or the cops will do anything in their power to hunt you down!
Charger City Driver controls
PC/laptop/Chromebook
Driving controls
- W/Up arrow – Accelerate
- S/Down arrow – Brake/reverse
- A/Left arrow – Turn left
- D/Right arrow – Turn right
- C – Change camera
- F – Nitro
- Space – E-brake/handbrake
- On-screen buttons:
- Reset car
- Repair car
- Energy drink
Character controls (on foot)
- Arrow Keys/W, A, S, D – Move
- Mouse – Look around
- E – Enter/exit vehicle
Mobile/tablet (iOS/Android)
- Press the on-screen buttons
How to play Charger City Driver
Initial setup
When you first launch Charger City Driver, you’re given a generous option – you can either receive a 5,000 CR gift or watch an ad for 15,000 CR.
Before jumping into the action, check out the daily rewards in the top-right corner, where returning to the game each day earns you compounding bonuses:
- Day 1: 1,000 CR
- Day 2: 2,500 CR
- Day 3: 5,000 CR
- Day 4: 7,500 CR
- Day 5: 10,000 CR
From the main menu, you can access Customize (paint, rims, neon, spoilers) and Upgrade (fuel tank, nitro, drift factor, engine). We’ll cover these in detail shortly.
Getting started
At the start, you spawn on foot in the middle of the night in the city. You can walk around before going to the parked Charger and press the ‘E’ key to enter (or use the on-screen mobile controls). Before you start driving, we recommend picking your preferred handling mode (bottom right):
Drift Mode handling – Designed for drifting and point-chaining. The somewhat slippery drift physics make it easy to kick the rear out and maintain combos. You can also collect bonuses from drift triggers scattered around the map.
More experienced drift gamers will notice that the cars lack the grip and traction they’ll be used to in Drift Hunters MAX, where you have a real feel of grip from the rear tires. But despite the slippery feel, Charger City Driver’s drifting physics are still super smooth, and given that there’s so much wide-open space on the city streets, it’s a great place for those who are just getting started with drifting games to get the hang of the sideways action.
Stunt Mode handling – This is grippier and more stable, making it ideal for high-speed runs, hitting ramps, and collecting speed triggers without the car sliding out from under you.
The stunting side of the game will remind you of classic stunt games like the Madalin Stunt Cars series, but Charger City Driver offers much better drifting physics in comparison. That said, if you’ve loved throwing your Charger off the ramps, Madalin Stunt Cars 3 provides an alternative package that lets you play online with your friends, along with a much larger car list.
Once you’re ready to get behind the wheel, take a moment to check out the HUD. Bottom-left shows your speed, fuel level, and boost meter. Top-left displays your current points (combo score). The top-right shows your wallet balance.
Now, the city is yours to explore. Drift to your heart’s content, then fly your Charger off the ramps, collect the glowing circles, and get used to how the car handles. Be warned – the AI traffic is unpredictable and will often catch you out.
Pedestrians and cops – These add another layer of madness. If you hit a pedestrian (even if it’s an accident), the cops will immediately start chasing you. Get busted, and you’ll need to pay the 1,000 CR bail or watch an ad. The police-focused aspect makes it one of the best police browser games we’ve played, but City Car Driving Sim: Ultimate is a great alternative if you’ve enjoyed outrunning them and want more pursuit-style gameplay.
Fuel management – Just like the real world, your Charger’s tank drains as you drive, so you’ll need to refuel at gas stations dotted around the map. Pull up, fill the tank, and pay for what you use – typically around 100 CR for a full top-up. If you let your tank hit empty, you’ll be forced to pay 1,500 CR for an emergency refill (or watch an ad if you’re short on cash).
Triggers – You’ll see glowing neon gates scattered around the city that’ll give you additional bonuses if you meet their specific requirements:
- Drift triggers (activated with drift handling mode) require you to pass through the gate with a certain number of points in your current combo. For example, if the trigger says “3,000 points, +1,000 CR,” you need 3,000 points in your active combo (not your total score) to claim the 1,000 CR bonus.
- Speed triggers (stunt handling) are simpler – just hit the required speed shown on the gate and you’ll earn the bonus.
You’ll also see three on-screen buttons:
- Reset car (ideal for resetting your car when the stunts don’t go to plan)
- Repair car (removes the cosmetic damage)
- Energy drink (provides an increasing earning combo for a limited time, but costs 250 CR and wears off if you crash)
It’s not often you get damage in browser games, and while these are fun, you’ll only receive dents and scrapes on your Charger. If you want full-blown, realistic destruction, then other games like Car Crash Test: Abandoned City and Beam Drive Car Crash Test Simulator are the top picks among Drifted browser game fans.
Charger City Driver game modes
There’s a total of four game modes.
Free Roam
You’re thrown straight into this mode. There’s no pressure – you’re free to explore the city, drift, collect the bonuses dotted around the map, hit the giant ramps, and earn fast money with the triggers.
Drift Mode
This is a series of level-based challenges where you pay 250 CR (or watch an ad) to enter.
The goal is to hit the required points before the timer runs out. Be warned: traffic moves unpredictably and often ruins your combos, so stay sharp and try to avoid it. Each level increases the points target and rewards.
Police Mode
Like Drift Police Simulator, this game pairs drifting and cops. In this mode, you’ll need to survive for the set time without getting busted. The time target appears at the top, and the active cop count on the right, along with your current GTA-style wanted level stars. When the stars increase, the cops get increasingly aggressive. If the police hit you 5 times, it’s game over.
Kill Mode
Run over the required number of pedestrians without getting busted. Level 1 starts with 2 pedestrians, and the target increases with each level. It’s a bit unnecessarily dark and very GTA-like, but it might appeal to some!
Unfortunately, there’s no multiplayer mode where you can drift online with your friends in games like Drift King, but it’s still plenty of fun, especially if you want the full package of drifting, stunts, cops, and the GTA vibes.
Charger City Driver car selection
As you probably guessed from the name, there’s only one vehicle option in Charger City Driver – the Dodge Charger! What you see is what you get, but the upside is that upgrades and customization are available to unlock its full potential.
Tuning and upgrades
Customizations
- Body paint – 2,500 CR (full palette)
- Rim color – 2,500 CR (full palette)
- Spoilers – Multiple styles (requires ad per purchase)
- Neon light – 2,500 CR (full palette)
Upgrades
Each tier initially costs 2,500 CR, with costs increasing at higher tiers. Once you’ve upgraded from Beginner to Hobbyist, the next options are 7,500 CR each.
- Fuel tank – Increases fuel capacity, letting you last longer without refilling
- Nitro – Provides your Charger with nitrous, along with increasing boost pressure as you upgrade
- Drift factor – Improves your Charger’s drifting ability
- Engine – Increases the overall power
There are no real tuning options here, but other games, such as Drift Hunters, are great alternatives if you want to adjust your drift setup and see how your car handles with each change. Similar to what you’d expect from AAA+ console games like Forza Horizon, you get to tweak the brake balance and pressure, along with adjusting just about every suspension setting you can think of.
Charger City Driver advanced tips & tricks
Learn drift physics in free roam first
Practice in Free Roam mode before going to the level-based modes. This lets you get used to the handling, which is less grippy than in other games like Drift Hunters MAX, and also shows where the triggers are and how to unlock bonuses.
Master drift triggers for big payouts
Remember that drift triggers require points in your current combo, not your total score. So, make sure you build up your combo before going through the high-money triggers. If you can survive without crashing for long enough, you’ll be able to get all the premium triggers on a single combo.
Refuel early to avoid the emergency cost
Make sure you top up your Charger at gas stations for around 100 CR, rather than letting the tank run dry. Remember – the emergency refill will be 15x more expensive!
Take an (in-game) energy drink when you’re feeling confident
The 250 CR energy drink doubles your earnings and continues to increase if you stack up combos, but it then wears off immediately if you crash. Therefore, only use it once you’re consistently chaining your combos without hitting the traffic.
Charger City Driver FAQ
Is Charger City Driver mobile-friendly?
Yes, it’s fully optimized for mobile devices with on-screen touch controls.
Can I unlock more cars?
Charger City Driver focuses exclusively on the Dodge Charger. There are no other cars available.
What happens if I run out of fuel?
You’ll be forced to pay 1,500 CR for an emergency refill, or watch an ad if you’re short on cash. It’s much cheaper to refuel at gas stations before the tank empties.
How do drift triggers work?
You need to pass through the gate with the required points in your current combo (not total score). If the trigger says 3,000 points, your active combo must be at 3,000 or higher.
What does the energy drink do?
It provides an increasing earnings multiplier for a limited time but costs 250 CR. The effect wears off if you crash, so only use it when you’re good at maintaining clean combos.
How do I avoid the cops?
Don’t hit the pedestrians, and you won’t need to! (Unless you’re in Police mode). Once the cops start chasing, you’ll need to outrun them or pay the 1,000 CR bail cost when you get busted.
Can I save my progress?
Your progress saves automatically in your browser. But if you empty your browser cache/cookies, you risk losing your game save.
Written by:
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Bill is a writer and photographer who has been part of the Drifted team since 2015. His work extends to various print and online publications, including Wangan Warriors.
As part of the King of Nations team, he traveled extensively for several years, capturing top-tier international drift events worldwide. His hands-on experience, including rebuilding his own Nissan Silvia S15 drift car, gives him unique insights into drift car building and global drift culture.
When not behind the lens or keyboard, Bill can be found browsing classifieds for his next JDM project or shredding virtual tires on popular simulators like Assetto Corsa, CarX, and Forza.
You can learn more about Bill’s story here or follow his socials on X (formerly Twitter), Flickr, Facebook, and Instagram.
