First Impressions: HOT WHEELS UNLEASHED Is an Absolute Blast Right Now
On September 30, Mattel and Milestone will be releasing Hot Wheels Unleashed. This arcade racing game lets you sit behind the wheel of really cool Hot Wheels cars and race around on incredible tracks in different locations like a College Campus or a Skyscraper. The game will be available on Nintendo Switch, PC (via Steam), PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. The team was kind enough to let me try out a preview build of the game, and I’ve included my thoughts below.
If you’re a fan of arcade racing games, this is going to be a lot of fun for you. If you prefer racing simulators, you’re out of luck. As you race on the tracks, there are panels that give you a boost or even charge your car’s boost. The game is all about high-octane racing, so don’t be afraid of that boost button except when it could cause you to just slam into the wall or off the track. Maybe be afraid in those instances.
The cars look like a lot of fun and handle fairly well. I only had access to 28 of the 60+ vehicles that will be available on launch day, but it was fun to see the different stats and looks and just go out and race with cars that wouldn’t exist in the real world. It’s a lot of fun. One thing I appreciate is that there are a couple of different styles of boost. Some cars boost as long as the boost gauge is filled and you hold the button down. Other cars just require one press and then it’ll do a boost for a set amount of time. It adds a different element to the cars and playstyles of the different racers.
Sadly, in the preview build I was only able to access the Quick Race and Split Screen modes (yes, you can play split screen on PC), so I can’t talk about building tracks, customizing cars, or even the career mode. As it stands though, this game is looking to be a downright joy to play. I cannot wait to check out the other features and even play with friends online. Hot Wheels Unleashed has a lot of potential, and I think it’s going to be able to rise to it.