Add Flame Decals for More Speed
In February, Mattel and Milestone announced a new Hot Wheels game. The announcement trailer showed us some exciting cinematics, but not actual gameplay. A new trailer was recently released that gives us a better look at what the game has to offer. It’s short, but the Hot Wheels Unleashed gameplay trailer shows the perfect blend of arcade racing and a reflection of their real life toy counterparts. The game is still several months out from its release date, so hopefully we will get a more detailed look at the gameplay between now and then.
The great thing about this gameplay trailer is that as much of a racing game as it is, Milestone does not forget that Hot Wheels are toys. Sure, sparks fly when they collide and flames shoot out the back of them, but the details on the cars and tracks are wonderfully plastic. The plastic tracks show tiny scratches and marks that would be made in mass production of toys. The races also appear to take place inside a family’s garage. Parts of the course can be made up of improvised tracks, like vents. Still, these details don’t make the game look cartoony.
The footage shown in the trailer is pre-alpha, so the HUD looks pretty bare. We see a mini-map, lap time, position, and a boost gauge. The racing itself also looks pretty basic. There are zones that give cars speed boosts and great opportunities for drifting, but we maybe should not expect power-ups and weapons like in Mario Kart. It’s pure speed; pure skill, but there are also hazards like spiderwebs (that for some reason shoot out of its mouth?). Hot Wheels Unleashed is expected to come out on September 30th for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch.
How does Hot Wheels Unleashed look to you? Let us know in the comments below.