Hot Wheels became to signify the very concept of miniature cars that can be collected, but also used to battle out and measure the size of egos, on crazy tracks with gravity defying loops and larger than life traps.
They are fun, they press heavy on our nostalgia for our childhood, and after guest appearances in famous franchises like Forza Horizon, now they have their own video game series. But can Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged improve on the shortcomings of the first part and be as fun as playing with the real-life toys?
The developers from Milestone seem to have understood that they have nailed down the basic formula and they need to tweak the various elements until they get to the winning recipe. As a result, Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged feels like the first game released in 2021, with numerous upgrades and tunings under its hood.
The attention to details and quality of life improvements finally turns this title into a serious competitor among arcade racing games. And all the focus went into creating a fun gameplay experience, the story being there just as an excuse to jump behind the driving wheel or to entertain really junior players, who are still watching kiddy cartoons.
Photo: autoevolution
The characters and the story are more of an excuse – and not a good one – to justify the presence of giant octopuses on the treacherous plastic highways. Getting past this background noise you will discover an improved gameplay that focuses on crazy tracks, but also on the ability to pull off jumps, pirouettes and side attacks in order to claim the 1st position of the podium. Both in single player and multiplayer, this formula proves to be fun, at least for a while.
As one would expect, next to the crazy moves and tracks there are the matchbox sized cars, which players can collect and drive around. The variety ranges from street cars like the Ford Mustang to legendary creations such as the Boneshaker or the Street Creeper. They were split into different classes emphasizing speed, drifting, off-roading abilities or a mix of the well-rounded favorites.
Beyond the common statistics such as speed, acceleration, breaking or boost, there are also some natural differences like the monster trucks being better at squashing your opponents into the siderails, while the lighter vehicles having an advantage when it comes to skidding. Also, there is a categorization by rarity going from common to ultra-rare.
All of the base vehicles can be purchased by earning in-game currency. This is good news for all those fed-up with microtransactions: although there is a season pass and some unique vehicles that can be purchased separately from the base game, Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged is not plagued by the possibility of acquiring micro racers with real money.
Photo: autoevolution
The races themselves are filled with adrenaline and some frustrating moments until you figure out when to jump and how to handle your car mid-air and after landing. The best way to describe the driving experience is by comparing it to racing karts, only with highly exaggerated speeds and out of this world nitro boosts.
The control itself is purely arcade and requires players to learn as soon as possible the art of drifting in Hot Wheels fashion. Knowing how to tackle curves by skidding makes the difference between victory and defeat. It is an easy to learn, hard to master formula that is extremely satisfying.
There are also races that task you with finding the shortest routes between checkpoints with no other indication than an arrow showing the approximate direction, boss battles where you race against the clock, trying to avoid the special attacks of a giant octopus or pterodactyl. All this in the middle of the whackiest settings such as the nature museum or the backyard.
There are four levels of difficulty, and there are major differences among them, and some of them are not caused by the AI. Even on the easiest difficulty settings some levels can prove challenging due to the lack of clear signaling of the track or the need to figure out when to jump in order to avoid falling into a chasm.
Photo: autoevolution
On the other hand, while harder difficulties offer much of a challenge when it comes to the aggressivity of the AI, once the game mechanics have been mastered, you will have a comfortable advantage over your competition. The visual style is colorful and wacky and gives you an extremely satisfying feeling of not driving virtual cars but playing with toys.
This feeling is enhanced by the fact that although there are characters in the game’s story, the cars themselves are lacking any pilot, the driver’s seat being empty all the time. It is like a trip back in time to the commercials of the early 2000s that promises uncompromising fun for those with a deep enough wallet.
Conclusion
Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged does not take itself seriously but offers serious fun. Despite its shortcomings, it is a serious improvement over its predecessor, and it is very fun, both in single and couch coop.
From the adrenaline filled races, to collecting and upgrading the cars, whacky boss battles, the ability of designing and building your own tracks it is a dream come true for those who could not afford playing with Hot Wheels when they were kids or those who want to relive those memories.
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