Hot Wheels Infinite Rush feels like the kind of game that was almost destined to happen. Taking the crazy world of Hot Wheels and pushing it into a fast, colourful open-world arcade racer that is all about speed, drifting, causing as much chaos as possible and, most importantly, having fun.
Rather than trying to deliver a serious racing experience, the team at Milestone have taken the foundation of their Hot Wheels Unleashed series and gone fully open world.
An Infinite Rush
Infinite Rush is a fun pick-up-and-play arcade racer where you can jump into a race, boost your way around the world, and have a lot of fun while doing it in some of your all-time favourite die-cast cars.
The world, or more specifically the islands, is easily one of the biggest highlights. There are four good-sized islands to explore, each with its own theme and tone. The familiar orange Hot Wheels track pieces have been twisted and turned into some seriously over-the-top action across them.
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You’ll be jumping gaps, flying around loops, drifting through corners, and trying to keep your boost going for as long as possible, which makes every race feel fast and frantic.
There is also a really good selection of cars here, with plenty of familiar Hot Wheels designs to unlock. From fantasy castings like Bad to the Blade, Bone Shaker and Duck N’ Roll to more real-world offerings such as the Koenigsegg Gemera, Lancia Stratos and Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, to name but a few.
Each one has its own feel, as there are four main classes that cars fall into: speeders, drifters, titans and versatiles. Part of the fun is finding the cars that suit your particular driving style and the challenge you face.
There are also lots of boost effects and dash sounds to unlock. You can upgrade your ride too, but this side of the game is a bit too slow and also a little meaningless, as it never truly changes your car.
Welcome Boost
The progression system gives you plenty of reasons to keep playing. Completing races and challenges allows you to unlock more content and build up your collection. It has that “just one more race” feeling that makes it all too easy to lose yourself in.
Beyond racing, there is a livery editor that is good but overly fiddly and complicated. This also bleeds into the track editor, which should be a blast and a massive hook for the game. However, the whole thing feels built around planning rather than spur-of-the-moment play.
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The white elephant in the Infinite Rush room, however, is the difficulty. It’s very easy, even when you dial it up to the highest setting. This is a huge plus for the game because, let’s be honest, it’s a title aimed at younger players. I feel the level of challenge it delivers is spot on for that audience.
Beyond that, my main issue is that the handling can take a little getting used to. The game is clearly designed around drifting and boosting rather than kissing apex. But, there are times when the controls feel a little too loose, especially when you’re trying to corner at speed.
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Hot Wheels Infinite Rush is a game that fully understands who it’s aiming at and, in part, nails it perfectly. Fans, or those simply looking for a fun arcade racer that doesn’t take itself too seriously, will find plenty here to enjoy.
The game captures playing with Hot Wheels cars as a kid, and turns it into something that makes me smile. Hot Wheels Infinite Rush delivers enough fast-paced fun, ridiculous tracks and charm to make it worth taking for a spin.
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