‘Hot Wheels Unleashed’ Review: A Wheely Good Racer For All Ages

Remember when you were a kid and you dreamt up the most amazing Hot Wheels tracks which took over the entire house? But in reality you didn't have the track or parental approval to make them happen? Well, Hot Wheels Unleashed could be about to change that, and bring your childhood dreams to life in the process.

Italian studio Milestone are no stranger when it comes to racing games, having steered the Ride and MotoGP series to dizzying heights. This time, the developer has turned its attention to pieces of orange plastic track, for a game dedicated to all things Hot Wheels.

As you would expect, Hot Wheels Unleashed has racing at the heart of the game, with a single-player mode dubbed Hot Wheels City Rumble, and a multiplayer mode which pits you against other players around the globe. There's also offline split-screen play available, and a track builder which enables you to create incredible tracks and race them with your Hot Wheels car collection.

Hot Wheels City Rumble gives you a nostalgic blast from the past right away when you first see the map, resembling as it does one of those children's play mats with roads and houses strewn all over the place (if you know, you know). On the map, players can embark on various races and time trials to progress further, and by doing so you'll unlock cars, track pieces and earn gear to upgrade and buy even more cars. I found myself getting hooked on the Time Trials as they continue until you beat the Unleashed time. To beat these you must nail every corner, and boost with minimal error. There are also a few secrets hidden around the map, which can be easily unlocked by using the right car in the right race, as well as boss races which take Hot Wheels tracks to the next level.

Check out an intense Hot Wheels Unleashed boss race in the gameplay below!

Each race is completely different in terms of track, but the locales they're set in will sometimes remain the same, which is Hot Wheels Unleashed's first downfall. Whilst the environments are cool, and lend themselves to some great tracks, they do soon grow old and feel a tad repetitive. Even just a few more at launch would've broken up the monotony and made the game feel so much bigger. There are six environments in total: Garage, Skatepark, Track Room, Skyscraper, College Campus and Basement. Milestone have promised more in the post-launch content plan, so this should improve in time, but it doesn't help the base game currently.

Hot Wheels Unleashed has 66 unique vehicles at launch, including iconic Hot Wheels originals, as well as popular manufacturers such as Audi, Koenugsegg and Ford. There are also pop culture vehicles from the likes of Knight Rider, Back to the Future, Batman and more. In the early game, you start off with just three cars, which can win races easily - but you exhaust them relatively quickly. Your car collection will grow eventually, but it's a little slow at first.

Each vehicle has a different rarity, which makes collecting these vehicles much more satisfying. Collecting Hot Wheels cars was a big thing back in the day, right? Milestone have got this spot on in Hot Wheels Unleashed. You can also upgrade vehicles and customise the livery to suit you, too! It's easy to get lost upgrading and customising your toy cars here, but that's not a bad thing. You'll soon have your favourites in the Hot Wheels collection, just like you used to have in real life!

As you progress in the single-player mode, you'll unlock pieces of track which you can use to build your own custom course in the Track Builder. The builder can be a little overwhelming at first, but you'll soon get the hang of it, adding loops, traps, power ups, bends and drops. It's a welcome addition for the creatives among us, and ties in well with the single-player aspect of the game - if you have the time to grind through it, that is.

Graphically, the Hot Wheels cars look really impressive, and Milestone has really captured the scale of them perfectly against the various backdrops. The scale reminds me a lot of the Micro Machines games, which featured tiny race tracks around the house. The luminous orange track with blue clips gleams in the light as you accelerate off the start line. You'd think with brands the likes of Audi and Ford in the game, the cars would just look like something from Forza or Need for Speed, but they look exactly like toy versions! Believe me when I say die-cast cars have never looked so good.

All-in-all, Hot Wheels Unleashed is an incredibly fun racer which will get its hooks in you and have you behind the die-cast wheel for hours on end. It includes a comprehensive track builder which you can use to let your imagination run wild and an extensive car collection which will keep your eyes firmly on the plastic orange track. It's the ultimate virtual Hot Wheels experience, whether you want to create your most fantastical Hot Wheels tracks, or just race long into the night playing split screen or multiplayer with a friend. There really is something for everyone here, and Hot Wheels Unleashed is a welcome addition to Mattel's long-running Hot Wheels video game franchise.

Pros: A moreish racer filled with nostalgia, great customisation and plenty of potential

Cons: Repetitive environments, lots of content promised but not included in launch

For fans of: Micro Machines, Mashed, Wreckfest, Twisted Metal

7/10: Very Good

Hot Wheels Unleashed is available on September 30th for PS4/5 (version tested), Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Microsoft Windows (Steam & Epic Games store). Code for review was supplied by the publisher. Find a guide to GAMINGbible's review scores here.

Featured Image Credit: Hot Wheels Unleashed / Credit: Milestone

Topics: Review