Hot Wheels Let's Race: Ultimate Speed Reviews
There's a lot of content in Hot Wheels Let's Race: Ultimate Speed, and there's no doubt that young fans of the Netflix show it's based on will enjoy the package here. But considering the poor handling and a number of other frustrations, it's hard to fully recommend this game, particularly when the excellent Hot Wheels Unleashed series exists.
Hot Wheels Let's Race: Ultimate Speed is a great arcade racer that is friendly for anyone to play, no matter the skill level. Seeing the classic vehicles made me so happy!
Hot Wheels Let's Race: Ultimate Speed isn't a complex or difficult racing simulation, but it doesn't have to be. Its accessibility and outrageous songs are what make it so appealing. It is a lighthearted homage to the Netflix series and the Hot Wheels brand.
With four-player co-op, a competent track builder, and a great feel to its gameplay, Hot Wheels Let's Race Ultimate Speed is a solid racer with a “Kart Racer” feel. Fans of the show, or the genre in general, will find a lot to like here. That said, one question still remains: who gave these kids their driver's license?
The target audience here is clearly kids. The game’s generous physics, forgiving tracks and generally chilled AI all make it very approachable. There’s almost no punishment for mistakes miss a jump or hit a wall, and you’re instantly back in the action. That makes it perfect for younger gamers who just want to have fun, but it also means older players might find it lacking in challenge very quickly. If you’re looking for a real skill-testing racer, this probably isn’t it. If you’re looking for something colourful, fast, and stress-free and something for you to unwind and the kids to get stuck into some nostalgia and share memories about Hot Wheels and childhood then this is definitely a great shout.
So, here’s the deal: Hot Wheels Let’s Race: Ultimate Speed is not deep, it’s not overly technical, but it’s a blast. It’s more than what you’d hope for from a Hot Wheels game based on a kids’ show: fast, colourful, silly, and full of energy. If you’re a hardcore racing fan, you might be surprised by how much fun it is to just kick back and enjoy something that doesn’t take itself too seriously. And if you’re a parent? This might just be the perfect excuse to grab a couple of controllers and spend an afternoon looping, drifting, and boosting your way to victory with your kids. At around $39.99 (or £34.99 / €39.99), it’s priced reasonably for what it offers. Think of it as a cheerful little racer that’s more about grins than wins. Hot Wheels fans, young or old, will find plenty to love here. A surprisingly solid, delightfully silly racer that puts fun first, and that’s exactly how it should be.
Ultimate Speed delivers on chaos and colour, but its repetitive backdrops and clunky controls keep it from crossing the finish line first.
All in all, Hot Wheels Let’s Race: Ultimate Speed is a fast-paced, yet accessible racer, based on Netflix’s show and the Hot Wheels toys. It certainly fails to live to some of its full potential due to a variety of reasons. These include an oddly twitchy handling, lack of online, a lack of real challenge and limited variety.
Hot Wheels Let’s Race: Ultimate Speed might not reinvent the racing genre, but it doesn’t have to. Its mission is clear: take the spirit of Hot Wheels: creativity, spectacle, and joy, and make it playable. In that, it succeeds with flying colors.