Childhood dreams come to life in the first gameplay trailer for Hot Wheels Unleashed. Initially introduced in 1968, Mattel's Hot Wheels are among the most well-known toy brands in the world. The brand is a core part of Mattel's toy division but has expanded beyond customizable toy tracks and collectible model cars. With several TV series, video games, car brand collaborations, and a movie adaptation in development, Hot Wheels has cemented itself in pop culture for over 50 years.
Hot Wheels Unleashed continues the line of games developed for the brand stretching back before the Commodore 64 system. Hot Wheels games have both realistic and fantastical vehicles to drive and complex tracks to race on to emulate real-life toy sets. Other franchises have collaborated with the brand as well, like Forza, Rocket League, and even World of Tanks. These collaborations feature the signature bright orange tracks or over-the-top designs synonymous with Hot Wheels. This new game is developed by RIDE series creator Milestone.
In a new trailer posted on PlayStation's YouTube channel, pre-alpha footage showcases what players can expect in Hot Wheels Unleashed. Standard arcade racing hallmarks like boosting and shortcuts are on display as vehicles race on the iconic orange track. The cars in the trailer all look like cars that someone could go and pick up in a toy store today, with shiny plastic car bodies gleaming and blue toy wheels skidding around corners. The trailer's highlight comes when a shark-shaped car boosts off a section of track, only to land on a lower section below.
The official website teases that more information is coming, including more maps, car designs, and the track editor. According to the site, the map in the trailer is the Garage. Like its name infers, the map is an abandoned auto garage retrofitted to become a giant Hot Wheels set. Based on the gameplay shown, Trackmania immediately comes to mind for comparison. However, an advantage Hot Wheels Unleashed may have over Trackmania is a more creative track editor.
Hot Wheels tracks are famously over-the-top, matching the imagination of the children who play with the toy cars. If Hot Wheels Unleashed’s track editor allows players to add obstacles to custom tracks, Trackmania may have some serious competition. As for the rest of the game, more information is needed before assumptions can be drawn. Nevertheless, the trailer shows that players can expect to make their childhood fantasies come true when the game releases on September 30.
Hot Wheels Unleashed releases September 30, 2021, for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
Source: PlayStation/YouTube