Happily, Hot Wheels Unleashed’s racing is accessible, offering the kind of arcade-style racing where a podium finish is possible the first time you pick up a controller. (2017’s Gravel was their rather unremarkable exception, which focused on off-road competitions.) While Milestone can craft two-wheeled vehicular sims, their experience with creating pick-up-and-play racers is more limited. Putting the property in the hands of Milestone, the Milan-based studio behind recent entries in the Ride and MotoGP franchises was an intriguing decision. Efforts at honoring the toy line’s 53-year legacy have been uneven as well. Most titles neglected to emulate the excitement of unboxing a mail-In Mystery Car or opening up a Mystery Model. But often, the licensed games have focused predominantly on the racing, with players careering down those iconic, orange-colored tracks and through the occasional loop. Sure, there have been a multitude of attempts to bring Mattel’s die-cast cars into game form. Price: $49.99 via physical media and digital distributionĪvailability: Steam, PlayStation Store, Microsoft StoreĪlthough Forza Horizon 3’s DLC was admirable, the Hot Wheels brand hasn’t enjoyed a truly faithful interactive crossover. Platform: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Switch