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Hot Wheels Unleashed

Hot Wheels Unleashed is an almost painfully “fine” game, in the same way that WWE Battlegrounds was. Good ideas that were never fully fleshed out, and ultimately make the whole package feel rushed and unfinished.
77%Game Brain Score
Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, graphics
Most mentioned negative aspects:monetization, story
77% User Score Based on 5,489 reviews
Critic Score 77%Based on 52 reviews

Platforms

Nintendo SwitchXbox Series X|SEpic GamesPlaystation 5Xbox OneXboxWindowsPlayStation
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About Hot Wheels Unleashed

Hot Wheels Unleashed is a single player and multiplayer racing game with a kids theme. It was developed by Milestone S.r.l. and was released on September 30, 2021. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

Collect the best vehicles in the Hot Wheels universe, build spectacular tracks and dive into breathtaking races. COLLECTOR OR ARTIST? BOTHThe most iconic and sought after Hot Wheels™ vehicles are waiting for you. Get ready to make them race at full speed!Stand out in the crowd by setting off your personality with the exclusive livery editor. ALWAYS RUNNING Prove your skills by competing in awesome…

Genres & Tags
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Reviews

77%Audience ScoreBased on 5,489 reviews
gameplay262 positive mentions
monetization82 negative mentions
  • Fun and fast-paced gameplay that captures the excitement of racing Hot Wheels cars.
  • Great graphics and attention to detail, making the cars and tracks visually appealing.
  • A large variety of cars and customizable options, including a track editor and livery customization.
  • Heavy reliance on DLC and microtransactions, with much of the content locked behind paywalls.
  • Inconsistent AI difficulty, with rubber-banding making races feel unfair at times.
  • Repetitive track design and gameplay, leading to a lack of variety and engagement over time.

  • gameplay

    643 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    41% positive mentions, 53% neutral mentions, 6% negative mentions

    The gameplay of "Hot Wheels Unleashed" is characterized by fast-paced, arcade-style racing mechanics that are easy to learn but can become repetitive due to similar track designs and a lack of diverse gameplay modes. While the driving mechanics, particularly drifting and boosting, are generally well-received, many players express frustration with the game's reliance on loot boxes for unlocking cars and the imbalanced AI difficulty, which can detract from the overall experience. Despite these issues, the game is praised for its graphics, customization options, and nostalgic appeal, making it enjoyable for fans of the franchise.

    • “But this game goes above and beyond with gorgeous real-time graphics, a huge amount of content even without DLC, an amazingly flexible track editor that puts Stunt Track Driver's to shame, and incredibly fun arcade racing gameplay with 'easy to learn, hard to master' controls.”
    • “The gameplay is fast, competitive, and frantic.”
    • “The gameplay is incredibly fun and challenging; I personally only care for the real licensed cars they have.”
    • “The core gameplay and track design are nothing special at all.”
    • “The gameplay feels repetitive, and the tracks all seem very similar.”
    • “Bare-bones gameplay, no story, dumb AI, incredibly hard time trials that don't even reward anything, grinding is abysmal and on top of it you need to open 'blind boxes' in order to get cars.”

  • graphics

    509 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    60% positive mentions, 38% neutral mentions, 2% negative mentions

    The graphics in "Hot Wheels Unleashed" have received widespread acclaim for their vibrant, detailed aesthetic that effectively captures the essence of the iconic toy cars. Players appreciate the game's stunning visuals, which include realistic car models and imaginative track designs, creating a nostalgic experience reminiscent of childhood play. While some critiques mention minor graphical issues and a lack of depth in gameplay, the overall consensus is that the graphics are a standout feature, enhancing the enjoyment of the racing experience.

    • “The graphics are stunning, immersing you into the world of Hot Wheels.”
    • “The visuals are outstanding, showing off the littlest of details like plastic seams and fingerprints.”
    • “The graphics are fantastic, the cars look great, you can create your own liveries and there's a lot of these cars to collect.”
    • “Graphics look like plastic, wacky sense of scale and stupid looking car designs.”
    • “Looks like crap graphics on Unreal Engine, and not really optimized, so it takes too much resources of PC for nothing. 29GB space on hard drive is for nothing too.”
    • “The graphics are the worst I have ever seen on a game that uses this engine.”

  • music

    327 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    26% positive mentions, 62% neutral mentions, 12% negative mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it bland, repetitive, and often drowned out by car sounds, leading to frustration over audio mixing. While some appreciate the upbeat electronic tracks and funky menu music, others criticize the lack of variety and memorable themes, suggesting that the soundtrack fails to capture the spirit of previous Hot Wheels titles. Overall, the consensus indicates that while the sound design is decent, the music could benefit from more variety and better integration into the gameplay experience.

    • “The menu music is bass-heavy funk that serves as an excellent backdrop for looking through your collection of cars.”
    • “On the other hand, races are accompanied by upbeat electronic music that sets the ideal tone for high speeds, jumps, and drifting.”
    • “The funky soundtrack won me over immediately and I never thought I'd say that about funk in a racing game!”
    • “The soundtrack is so bland that it actually stands out.”
    • “The music in the game is awful.”
    • “The only downside for me was the soundtrack, it is incredibly generic sounding.”

  • monetization

    230 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    8% positive mentions, 56% neutral mentions, 36% negative mentions

    The monetization model of the game has drawn significant criticism, with many players labeling it a blatant cash grab that detracts from an otherwise enjoyable experience. While some assert that there are no direct microtransactions, the presence of loot boxes and aggressive DLC practices has led to frustrations over perceived predatory monetization tactics. Overall, players recommend caution, suggesting that the game is only worth purchasing at a discounted price due to its heavy reliance on additional monetization.

    • “Just to be clear, there aren't microtransactions, in that you don't buy blind boxes or in-game currency with real money.”
    • “This game is child friendly, besides the DLCs there are no microtransactions, all in-game currency must be earned.”
    • “There are also no microtransactions at the time I am typing this, all items are unlocked through gameplay.”
    • “It's a cynical corporate cash grab featuring a beloved children's toy, and also a game about making your car go fast.”
    • “The game is a cash grabber: paid game, racing season, DLC, and they even put achievements based on DLC, so you will never complete the game if they continue to release expansions.”
    • “Unfortunately, the game also utterly ruined by the unspeakably scummy DLC and monetization choices the devs went with.”

  • story

    206 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    12% positive mentions, 70% neutral mentions, 18% negative mentions

    The game's "story" mode is widely criticized for lacking a meaningful narrative, with many players describing it as a series of disconnected races and time trials rather than a cohesive campaign. Reviewers note that there are no championships, cutscenes, or substantial plot elements, making the story feel tacked on and unfulfilling. While some appreciate the gameplay mechanics and unlockable content, the overall consensus is that the story aspect is virtually nonexistent and does not enhance the racing experience.

    • “The single player/story mode is solid as well, especially with the DLCs.”
    • “And I did quite enjoy the game's 'story mode' for the single player experience, which was something that most recent racing games have really lacked for.”
    • “That amount of choice, challenge, and story-message is just right for a racing game.”
    • “The game has a 'story' mode which is really just a means to serve the player the races in a slightly more interesting way than a simple list.”
    • “There are no championships, no tournaments, no story; you have a list of single races and time trials that you can complete one after the other, while new cars are unlocked randomly.”
    • “The story is basically non-existent and it's clear that they didn't have anyone to write it, so they slapped together a few sentences and left it at that.”

  • grinding

    188 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    2% positive mentions, 3% neutral mentions, 95% negative mentions

    The game features a heavily grindy progression system, primarily driven by gacha mechanics for unlocking cars through blind boxes, which can lead to tedious gameplay and a reliance on repetitive races to earn in-game currency. Players often express frustration over the time-consuming nature of grinding for coins and the frequent occurrence of duplicate cars, making the overall experience feel more like a chore than enjoyable gameplay. While some players find fun in the game, the excessive grinding and poor design choices detract significantly from its appeal.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “A lot of grinding.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “The in-game way to purchase cars refreshes every 90 minutes, but only counts time spent in-game and does not change in real time, making car collecting very tedious and results in people having to idle the game.”
    • “Bare-bones gameplay, no story, dumb AI, incredibly hard time trials that don't even reward anything, grinding is abysmal and on top of it you need to open 'blind boxes' in order to get cars.”
    • “The amount of grinding required is ridiculous.”

  • optimization

    60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    30% positive mentions, 60% neutral mentions, 10% negative mentions

    The game's optimization receives mixed reviews; while many players praise its high-quality graphics and smooth performance, especially on older hardware, others criticize it for being poorly optimized, particularly in multiplayer and certain features like the livery and track editors. Some users report significant resource demands and performance issues, suggesting that rushed development and over-monetization have negatively impacted the overall experience. Despite these concerns, many appreciate the variability in car performance and the attention to visual detail.

    • “Also, it has really good optimization for its graphics. I have a PC that hasn't gotten any upgrades in years, and I can still easily get 144+ fps.”
    • “As far as optimization goes, I am very impressed at how smoothly this game runs while also looking downright photo-realistic.”
    • “You can tell this dev team put a lot of care into the visuals and performance.”
    • “Looks like crap graphics on Unreal Engine, and not really optimized, so it takes too much resources of the PC for nothing. 29GB space on hard drive is for nothing too.”
    • “I can't believe that this unoptimized game costs so much.”
    • “Rushed development and over-monetization has hindered the game's performance.”

  • replayability

    60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    37% positive mentions, 43% neutral mentions, 20% negative mentions

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players praising its extensive features like a track builder, customizable elements, and numerous challenges that encourage repeated play. However, others criticize the base game for feeling short and lacking replay value after completing the main content. Overall, while many find it fun and engaging, opinions vary significantly on its long-term replayability.

    • “Lots of replayability with 50+ mission mode challenges, a customizable personal basement, and a gazillion cars and basement decors to unlock.”
    • “This provides a lot of variety and replayability, ensuring that you'll be able to come back to the game again and again.”
    • “Races are fun, drifting feels extremely satisfying, the custom tracks are very creative, and overall the replay value of this game is just...outstanding.”
    • “There is no replayability.”
    • “I beat the whole game in 20 hours and it has zero replay value.”
    • “If they figure out the end game this would be a fantastic title, but for now it's an above average racing game with not much replay value.”

  • stability

    48 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    21% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 79% negative mentions

    The game's stability is a mixed bag, with some players reporting frequent glitches and crashes that require restarts, while others praise its smooth performance and lack of bugs. The livery and track builders are noted to be somewhat buggy, but still enjoyable. Overall, while many enjoy the game, the presence of bugs and stability issues has led to a recommendation to wait for updates or sales before purchasing.

    • “The details are amazing and the game runs great.”
    • “Game runs great, didn't witness any crashes or bugs, which is quite impressive.”
    • “Its a great game, the specs are not challenging so many old school rigs will play happily, I play at 2160p ultra and it looks great, controls are simple and it runs great.”
    • “Unfortunately, it's a buggy game full of scummy sales tactics and lootboxes that I can't recommend and probably won't be playing more of.”
    • “It's buggy, needs more updates, and feels unfinished.”
    • “The game is somewhat buggy, and I've experienced multiple crashes.”

  • humor

    44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The humor in the game is a standout feature, with players enjoying the wacky cars, outrageous crashes, and cheeky stunts that lead to non-stop laughter, especially in multiplayer settings. Custom maps and visually funny vehicles evoke nostalgia and add to the overall goofiness, making it a fun experience, particularly when shared with friends. However, some players criticize the game's monetization strategy and technical issues, which detract from the overall enjoyment.

    • “From the cheeky stunts to the outrageous crashes, you'll be laughing non-stop.”
    • “It's a funny and goofy game.”
    • “The custom maps are hilarious and the handling is just pure arcade fun.”

  • emotional

    22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    Players express a mix of nostalgia and frustration with the game's emotional impact. While the nostalgic car designs and expansions evoke strong feelings, the gameplay mechanics, such as frequent glitches and the challenge of unlocking content, lead to feelings of annoyance and disappointment. Overall, the emotional experience is a blend of fond memories and the harsh realities of gameplay challenges.

    • “Seeing several of the car designs made me feel a bit nostalgic.”
    • “The last time I played a Hot Wheels game was on the Xbox; it's emotional, entertaining, and the expansions are very good.”
    • “The downloadable Acceleracers content, for example, almost made me cry by showing me the old Deora II from Highway 35 World Race.”

  • atmosphere

    9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    33% positive mentions, 34% neutral mentions, 33% negative mentions

    The game successfully creates an immersive atmosphere, featuring vibrant environments reminiscent of a mid-2000s Hot Wheels commercial, complete with crowd sounds, dugouts, and floodlights. Despite being set in only six rooms, the variety of over 60 maps keeps the experience fresh and engaging. The visuals and flavor text further enhance the overall ambiance, making it feel lively and dynamic.

    • “Overall, the game sets an immersive atmosphere from the visuals to the flavor text of certain game modes.”
    • “Overall, the track design is very fun with different environments creating fun atmospheres that feel like a mid-2000s Hot Wheels commercial for the big track pieces.”
    • “While there are only six rooms that the tracks take place on, there are over 60 maps in those rooms, which keeps everything fresh despite the same atmosphere.”
    • “For the graphics, it looks like a real-life toy for the cars; the same goes for the track and the scenery of the bedroom atmosphere.”
    • “It had all the accessories required for that big-match atmosphere: the crowd, the dugout, and the floodlights, too.”
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Critic Reviews

77%Critics’ scoreBased on 5 critic reviews
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Play Times

5h Median play time
16h Average play time
3-14h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 30 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Hot Wheels Unleashed is a racing game with kids theme. Common tags for Hot Wheels Unleashed include epic.

Hot Wheels Unleashed is available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and others.

On average players spend around 16 hours playing Hot Wheels Unleashed.

Hot Wheels Unleashed was released on September 30, 2021.

Hot Wheels Unleashed was developed by Milestone S.r.l..

Hot Wheels Unleashed has received mostly positive reviews from both players and critics. Most players liked Hot Wheels Unleashed for its gameplay but disliked it for its monetization.

Hot Wheels Unleashed is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.