Gaming Target - GameCube: Hot Wheels: World Race

Written by D'Marcus Beatty on December 18, 2003

Full Review: Out of the toybox and onto your GameCube.

Hot Wheels is probably the most popular brand of toy cars, with a name that has been recognizable for decades. Hot Wheels has been making and simulating car races since before some of today's game playrs were even conceived. Now, they take their racing simulation to the video game arena with Hot Wheels: World Race. Gamers should immediately be warned that, obviously, Hot Wheels: World Race is not the game for you if you're addicted to the depth of Gran Turismo. Hot Wheels is aimed at younger racers, utilizing simple, arcade-style racing and eschewing most of the complexity inherent in most racing sims.

World Race offers a number of different modes for play. There is Challenge mode, a sort of hands-on tutorial that allows you to simultaneously learn and test your skills. Quick Race allows gamers to jump right into a race. Time Trial allows players to race against the clock and no one else in a rush to get the best time possible. There is also a multiplayer mode that allows players to race against friends. However, League mode is where you will spend the majority of your time as it allows you to race and to advance in the racing circuit. You'll choose from a cast of relatively personality-less characters and their cars, all of which will have different speeds, handling, acceleration, or grip. The further you progress, the more cars and race classes you'll unlock.

The graphics are fairly good, with bright, colorful visuals and a fairly good approximation of speed. The sound is functional, but doesn't really do anything to stand out. Sound effects, such as the engine or an air whir during a nitrox boost, are all well implemented. Hot Wheels also boasts a track, УHot,Ф by the group Smashmouth.

The controls are very simple, offering none of the rich complexity that the best racing simulations generally have. Basically, there is the acceleration, the braking, and the powerslide. The handling is tighter, and therefore less realistic than most gamers would expect from a racing game. You can also perform stunts after soaring through the air, but these are performed by simply pressing and holding a direction on the control pad. Press left and your car will spin to the left, and all you must do is time your landing, which makes a fairly simplistic stunt system.

Hot Wheels is set in a futuristic environment, following closely (and a little suspiciously) in the vein of F-Zero. Each stage has a specific theme, such as an Egyptian motif. Racers also encounter nitro boosters and УHot WheelsФ on the track that increase your nitro meter or unlock shortcuts respectively. Nitro bursts are used by pressing the R button, although Nitro is used up quickly and usually must be conserved more for jump stunts than for boosts to your standings in the race.