For generations, kids have played with Hot Wheels toy cars.  Heck, I certainly did back in the day.  Even now I’m really tempted to get those Mario Kart Hot Wheels, but I have to practice restraint and not do that.  Sucks being an adult sometimes!  Anyway, now there’s a Hot Wheels game for the younger fans called Hot Wheels Unlimited.  Build tracks and race on them in this free-to-play mobile game (reviewed on iPad here).

I was lucky enough to get a complimentary Unlimited Pass for review purposes which let me do more things than if you just downloaded the game for free.  I think the pass just lets you complete three times as many challenges a day and unlock more cars.  Anyway, there are two main modes of this game.  Puzzle and Race.  In Puzzle, you must drag and drop track pieces to make a full track, then you can race on it in 3-D!  Most of the time, these puzzles are pretty easy and straightforward.  But they did get a little trickier later on.  If you need help, you can tap on an airplane icon for a hint, and it seems you can use those hints as many times as you want if you wait long enough.

In the Race mode, you just compete against another Hot Wheels car in a race on a pre-built track.  You control your car with the touch screen, similar to how Mario Kart Tour works.  As you race, a boost meter will fill and when it’s full you can tap it for a boost of speed.  You can also collect icons on the tracks to fill the meter as well.  As long as you press the boost meter immediately when it’s full, you can usually win the race.  It’s easy because boosting also automatically steers your car as well.  I only lost once, and when I did it let me try the challenge again with no penalty, so the game is overall pretty easy and good for younger fans.

Each day you get a card and when you complete three puzzle and three race challenges, you unlock a new car to race as.  Sometimes you can unlock new track pieces, too.  But then you have to wait a whole day to play more challenges.  With the Unlimited Pass I had six chances, and that didn’t seem like enough playtime and I’d hate to have to wait a whole day if I were a little kid.  But while you wait, you can still build your own tracks and race on them, and view your unlocked cars in a garage.  Aside from having to wait to play again, the only other problem I had with the game is the announcer guy is way too enthusiastic and it gets annoying.  While I think the Hot Wheels mobile game I reviewed last year was more interesting, it’s cool to see them make a Hot Wheels game for the younger kids out there.

Kid Factor:

Nothing violent or objectionable here.  Reading skill isn’t needed, but parental supervision is recommended for the in-game purchases.  There are no in-game ads, but I think the whole thing is just a commercial for the new Hot Wheels Unlimited cars and track toys.

Tags: Game Reviews