Hot Wheels Unleashed release date speeds towards us as glowing reviews park up
Hot Wheels Unleashed gameplay, cross-play and all the key details.
Out of nowhere, Hot Wheels Unleashed is careening onto the radars of gamers across the globe. The Hot Wheels Unleashed release date is speeding towards us, and the game's glowing reviews have recently parked up on the web.
A collaboration between the toy-makers from Mattel and the video game developers from Milestone, Hot Wheels Unleashed is described as "an all-new, action-packed arcade-style racing game." The game will have single-player modes and multiplayer experiences, and it's been created by a lot of very passionate fans by the sounds of it.
Executive producer Michele Caletti offered this enthusiastic statement when the game was announced: "I’ve been playing with Hot Wheels since I was a child, and today I’m still a hungry Hot Wheels fan and collector. This is the reason why we’re all so committed in delivering the purest and most authentic Hot Wheels gameplay experience ever in a videogame. We owe it to the Hot Wheels community and to our inner children."
So if the Hot Wheels Unleashed reviews have got your attention, and you want to prepare yourself for the Hot Wheels Unleashed release date with all of the essential information, read on for our handy explainer.
Hot Wheels Unleashed release date
The Hot Wheels Unleashed release date is confirmed for Thursday 30th September 2021. From that day onwards, you'll be able to strap in and race to your heart's content on the game's several toy-inspired tracks.
Hot Wheels Unleashed review round-up
You may have already noticed that the first wave of Hot Wheels Unleashed reviews have been published, and there is lots of positivity to be found in these early write-ups.
The Hot Wheels Unleashed Metacritic page is starting to come together, with both the PS5 version of the game and the PC version sitting pretty with an average rating of at 78/100 on the aggregator.
Among the reviews that skew above that average is IGN's appraisal of Hot Wheels Unleashed, which gave the game an impressive 9/10. IGN's Luke Reilly dubbed this title "an endearing arcade stunt racer that feels great and looks absolutely remarkable."
Another positive evaluation came from The Loadout, which has awarded Hot Wheels Unleashed an 8/10. The site's Joe Apsey said, "Tight controls and action-packed races make for a fun and satisfying racer that offers intense racing and a lot of ways to play."
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Which consoles and platforms can play Hot Wheels Unleashed?
Hot Wheels Unleashed has been confirmed for a launch-day release on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch and PC, with the PC release taking place on Steam and the Epic Games Store. Most gamers should have at least one console or platform on which to play it, then.
How much will Hot Wheels Unleashed cost?
The Hot Wheels Unleashed price will be £39.99 GBP – that's how much Amazon is charging for the standard 'Day One Edition' of the game. You might find a discount if you look around, though, with CD Keys currently listing the PC version at £17.99.
If you're willing to pay a bit more, there are some more fancy versions of the game which give you perks like early access and extra vehicles – on the game's official website, you can peruse all the different versions and decide which one is right for you.
Can I pre-order Hot Wheels Unleashed?
You can indeed pre-order Hot Wheels Unleashed, with a variety of retailers listing the game. You could go through Amazon or CD Keys, or you could go directly to the storefront of Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, Steam or Epic.
Does Hot Wheels Unleashed have multiplayer?
Hot Wheels Unleashed does have multiplayer, with both local and online options available. Or you can play the game in a purely single-player way if you prefer.
When the game was announced, the developers said, "Gamers can get ready to drift, boost, jump and crash on Hot Wheels’ iconic orange tracks in various single-player game modes. Gamers can also challenge friends in multiplayer races, both online and offline, leveraging a split-screen mode."
Is Hot Wheels Unleashed cross-platform?
As things stand, it doesn't look like Hot Wheels Unleashed has crossplay, but it does have cross-gen capabilities between the same console families.
This means that PS4 players can play with PS5 players, but they can't play with friends on any other platforms. Likewise, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S players can play together, but they can't mix with players on any other systems beyond that.
Will Hot Wheels Unleashed have licenced cars?
Hot Wheels Unleashed will have licenced cars, with vehicles appearing in the game from real-life manufacturers and big pop-culture franchises.
From the real world, cars like the Fiat 500 and the Mini Cooper S Challenge have been confirmed. And from the world of movies and TV, you can expect to see the Batmobile, the DeLorean from Back to the Future and many more.
Hot Wheels Unleashed gameplay
You can take a look at some Hot Wheels Unleashed gameplay in the official video below:
As the official Hot Wheels Unleashed announcement told us: "The gameplay includes adrenaline-filled races, an extended choice of Hot Wheels vehicles with different attributes and rarity levels that players can customize with different skins, and jaw-dropping tracks set in everyday-life locations with special track pieces and interactive items."
Plus, we're told that the game "also features a revolutionary Track Editor enabling players to customize tracks in any game environment and share them with the game’s community." That sounds pretty fun, right?
Hot Wheels Unleashed trailer
There have been rather a lot of Hot Wheels Unleashed trailers since the game was first announced, and the latest one is embedded for you below! This launch trailer gives a handy overview of what the game is trying to achieve, and it's the perfect thing to get you hyped ahead of that release date on 30th September.
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Authors
Rob Leane is the Gaming Editor at Radio Times, overseeing our coverage of the biggest games on PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, PC, mobile and VR. Rob works across our website, social media accounts and video channels, as well as producing our weekly gaming newsletter. He has previously worked at Den of Geek, Stealth Optional and Dennis Publishing.
