HIGH Ricocheting through the last 20% of “Weave” with sparks flying en route to a record time.

LOW The overly technical and slow “Palm” track.

WTF It is insanely goofy that the sharpest turns are the easiest.

The simplest kind of racing comes in the form of the slot car. There’s no drafting, no steering, no brakes — just a grooved track and a way to go faster. Little Laps leans into this simplicity. There’s no story, no characters, and little customization, just 18 tracks (all accessible immediately) and 15 cars (unlocked by getting achievements) run by two buttons, one to go faster and the other to restart.

Most of those tracks are attractive, if somewhat lacking in background detail. The colors occasionally grate on the eyes, however, especially in the track labeled “Night”. The various cars amount to being just skins, as there are no differences in handling — it’s a slot racer — or acceleration, which is universally sluggish.

The key quirk of Little Laps is that velocity entering the curve doesn’t matter. As my parents know well, a slot car will take off into the air if it hits a hairpin too fast, but in Little Laps any curve can be passed safely as long as the accelerator isn’t touched while the car is turning.

An amusing consequence of this feature is that it inverts expectations about handling. Gentler curves become dangerous places where it’s easy to keep the accelerator down a fraction of a second too long. Hairpins become prime opportunities to gain speed, since they can tolerate the pedal hitting the metal almost up to the last instant.

When this gets going it looks great. Cars throw off sparks as they drift through absurdly sharp corners and weave automatically through wild S-curves with their tires squealing. An available “best time” shadow provided a yardstick against my own performance and global leaderboards let me see my progress against other gamers.

I enjoyed playing Little Laps in small bites, and it’s well-suited to the rhythm of making a few quick attempts at a record time, possibly shaving a few tenths of a second off this lap. In case of a wipeout, I can just hit the reset button and get right back in it.

Or, that’s what one would hope.

The sluggish acceleration rate has another consequence, in that the key to a record lap is entering it with momentum. The first lap, starting from a dead stop, will never produce a record time after the first attempt. As I continued to optimize play, I sometimes found that I needed a second lap to get up enough entry speed to have a chance at a record.

This means that a player isn’t really right back in the action after a wreck. Each restart entails a sluggish first lap before there’s any chance at improving time. Sometimes that lap helped me calm down after a stupid mistake, but mostly it felt like a waste.

Worse, that slow initial run doesn’t offer the opportunity to learn anything about timing acceleration for record-lap tries. As I played, I often noticed myself being more conservative than was reasonable (even when I was trying for a record) simply because I wanted to avoid those wasted laps.

That dead start ends up being a real drag on the whole experience, which is a shame. Little Laps is a charming and zippy single-button racer, but in a stripped-down, minimalist experience everything has to be just right and here a major element isn’t.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10

Disclosures: This game is developed and published by Conradical Games. It is currently available on PC. This copy of the game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on a home built Windows 11 PC with a single GeForce RTX 5080 graphics card, a Ryzen 7 processor, and 64 GB of RAM. Approximately 6 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode, and the game was completed. There is no multiplayer mode.

Parents: As of press time this game has not been rated by the ESRB. It contains nothing worse than a car flying off a racetrack (with no visible wreck damage) and should logically be rated E.

Colorblind Modes: There are no colorblind modes available.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: This game has no dialogue or story text. I found that the sound of tire squeals was helpful in judging when to let go of the accelerator, and accordingly found it somewhat more difficult to improve my times when I turned off sound.

Remappable Controls: No, this game’s controls are not remappable. By default the space bar serves as the accelerator and R resets the race. Menus require the mouse. On an Xbox controller the A button is the accelerator and Y resets. Note: I found that when using a controller to move through the menus the cursor sometimes got “lost” and I had to back out with the B button.

The post Little Laps Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH An actual story mode and some solid arcade racing.

LOW Why can’t I just buy a specific car whenever I want?

WTF Checking Amazon for a Hot Wheels model of a Toyota Supra. 

Back in 2021, I reviewed Hot Wheels Unleashed and enjoyed it. I was a bit cold on some minor things — namely the way it dished out car unlocks and a lackluster “story” mode — but even with those flaws, the act of racing as the titular die-cast cars across different toy-inspired courses showed promise. Unleashed set a solid foundation, and as an arcade racing fan, I couldn’t wait to see what its successor would do to iron out the rough spots. 

Fast forward two years and developer Milestone drops Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged. This sequel is an arcade racer played from a third-person perspective, in which players control a wide-range of vehicles from Mattel’s Hot Wheels toy line and compete in different races and events. Options range from standard cars based on real-world manufacturers like Dodge or Chevrolet, all the way to some truly bizarre designs that resemble toasters, dragons and rocket ships. New to the mix are motorcycles and off-road vehicles, like ATVs and rally cars. 

The variety in the garage at launch is impressive and distinct, as vehicles are now broken up into six different categories — Rocket, Balanced, Swift, Drifter, Off-Road, and Heavy Duty. Each has different strengths in various races, such as the “rocket” class being effective in straight lines while the “heavy duty” vehicles can overtake other cars easily and won’t be troubled by roadblocks. 

Like the previous Hot Wheels, the attention to detail in the cars is incredible. Committing to the idea that these are toy cars, every vehicle is modeled exactly like their die-cast counterparts. For example, there are no drivers in the cars, while stickers, smudges and different material types are all rendered with care. Going into the photo mode highlights these touches, and I appreciated how the undercarriage of every car kept the copyright text that’s etched into every one of the real-world toys.

Keeping with the toy theme, players will race in different environments that seem giant, thanks to the fact that these are supposed to be tiny cars. Locations range from an arcade that’s filled to the brim with games like air hockey and a nice bar, to a family’s backyard littered with children’s toys. While much of this is consistent with the last installment, one of the biggest changes is the way cars are acquired.

While the in-game story still offers a rotating selection of cars that can be bought with in-game currency (coins), the loot boxes of the first game are gone completely. This is a great change, as nothing bummed me out more than getting loot crates that awarded duplicates of cars I already had. Although I would’ve preferred a more static and stable store to pick out any car I wanted, I have to admit that there’s a special feeling in browsing the store and stumbling upon a beautifully-rendered 2023 Nissan Z. Also, I’m glad to say that the cars are also affordable and coins are generously dished out after completing races, so grind is nonexistent. 

There are also some great gameplay tweaks and additions that make this a much better package than the last. The main mode is a story called Creature Rampage, now with actual cutscenes and context for why players are racing. It’s a simple tale about young racers and a scientist trying to stop classic Hot Wheels playset monsters from taking over a city, but I appreciated how much it added to the experience. Sure, the cutscenes are just animated stills and some of the dialogue is corny, but I liked how it felt like a Saturday morning cartoon or toy commercial, and it fits the vibe here.  

New race and event types have also been added, like a drift challenge that sees players trying to achieve a set score while drifting around corners. Also new are the elimination races, which required me to move up in position during a race to avoid getting eliminated. The variety here is a nice touch, and it’s all complemented by excellent driving mechanics — every vehicle type feels distinct enough to have its strengths and weaknesses in every event and track. Also included is an upgrade system that allows players to add attributes such as improved handling, better boost and even resistance to track hazards. 

Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged is the right way to follow up on a good idea. Expanding on the great things the first one did, this sequel adds more vehicles, more events and a story to make it one of the most unique arcade racers on the market. For those who haven’t had enough of toy-based racing this year, they should look no further than this one. 

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Disclosures: This game is published and developed by Milestone. It is available on PS4/5, XBO/S/X, Switch and PC. This copy was obtained via publisher and was reviewed on PS5. Approximately 10 hours were spent in single-player and the game was not completed (still playing). No time was spent in the game’s multiplayer. 

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated E. The official description reads: This is a racing game in which players drive toy vehicles through classic Hot Wheels tracks. Players can drift and boost their way around opponents, looping various tracks and whimsical obstacles. 

Colorblind Modes: Colorblind modes are not present in the options menu.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Gamers: Cutscene subtitle size cannot be adjusted. During my time with it, I did not find that any audio cues were necessary for successful play. This game is fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: The controls can be remapped and there is a diagram.

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HIGH A solid and accessible arcade racer.

LOW Bizarre unlock system for new cars.  

WTF The look on my partner’s face as I peruse the Hot Wheels section at my local Target. 

Very rarely have I played a licensed game and thought “Wow, this genuinely feels like I’m in the world of the existing property.”

It’s hard to capture that feeling if a game is trying to adapt a TV show or movie, but toys are more reliable when it comes to transporting players to their world. In this way, Hot Wheels Unleashed offers one of the better licensed experiences I’ve had thanks to capturing the spirit of what made its titular die-cast vehicles a hallmark of my family’s Christmases.

This arcade racer is, of course, based on Mattel’s Hot Wheels brand of car toys and sees players driving different vehicles around a variety of tracks in a third-person perspective. What struck me about this was the attention to detail in making things as authentic as possible.

For example, the rendering of the material that makes up the ‘toy’ cars is similar to their real-life counterparts, even down to different types of plastic and metals. There are also no drivers in the seats, further suggesting that the concept is kids racing toy cars. The courses are made of the iconic plastic orange tracks that came in the building kits. The authenticity and presentation here are nostalgically incredible.

The environments are varied, ranging from a college dorm room to a skyscraper under construction, and of course, each level does an incredible job of showing just how small the player cars are supposed to be in relation to the ‘real’ world they’re in — it’s a rarity for a title to successfully instill this sense of scale.

The racing itself is enjoyable thanks to some pleasantly loose handling and a great sense of speed. I also appreciated how accessible it felt due to the ease with which players can perform drifts around tight corners. Every drift also fills a boost meter that gives a burst of acceleration. While it’s nowhere near as complex as a racing sim, it does what it does well. It was fast, and dare I say, a bit furious?

In the single-player mode, City Rumble, players select different events on what looks like the rug of a child’s bedroom. Each one is straightforward — race here, get the best time there, and beat a boss to unlock certain items. Ultimately, each event boils down to a standard race, which is fine because the core gameplay is solid.

Certain events on the map (like boss races) trigger a dialogue box that offers a small bit of story. It’s laughably bad and feels tacked-on, as if the devs really needed to give narrative motivation for a game about racing die-cast cars. From what I gathered, players are trying to save Hot Wheels City from supernatural forces like giant plastic spiders or dinosaurs, though it never feels significant.

Naturally, the story isn’t the reason to play through the singleplayer mode. No, it’s really about the rewards that unlock after each race, like gold coins to buy cars, gears to upgrade them, and the occasional blind box that offers new rides. Unlocking vehicles can be done in one of two ways — buying them via in-game store that offers a rotating mix available for a limited time, or acquiring loot boxes. players getting duplicate cars have the option to sell for upgrade parts or gold.

While this is a fairly common setup, I did find the inability to purchase whatever car I want to be a bit upsetting. A game like Hot Wheels Unleashed should be the ultimate car collection title, considering its origins in real toys. The publishers have promised free (and paid) DLC down the road based on existing properties like DC Comics, Street Fighter, and even Peanuts and I’m excited to see what’s in store, but the fact that the collection aspect incentivizes grinding and/or buying a season pass kind of bums me out.

At least there’s the track creator, which made me feel like I was crafting my own incredible and personalized toy room. Parts can be unlocked through singleplayer, such as giant plastic monsters that act as stage hazards. Tracks can be shared and raced online, as well as locally in split-screen. Players can also add cool designs to each car with elements they either unlock racing or buy with coins. The sense of creativity and community does a great job of recreating the Hot Wheels experience.

Overall, I can look past the grind of obtaining new cars thanks to everything else Hot Wheels Unleashed does. I loved its commitment to the memory of racing around my bedroom floor, and for those looking for an accessible arcade-style racer full of personality and flair, look no further.

Disclosures: This game is published by and developed by Milestone. It is available on PS4/5, XBX/S/O, Switch, and PC. This copy of the game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on the XBS. Approximately 10 hours were spent in the single-player and the game was not completed. No time was spent in the multiplayer.

Parents: According to the ESRB this game is rated E. It’s just racing. Nothing objectionable for young kids here.

Colorblind Modes: There are no colorblind modes available. 

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: Subtitles and on-screen instructions cannot be adjusted but audio is not needed to enjoy this game, thanks to the abundance of visual cues. This game is fully accessible. 

Remappable Controls: Yes, the controls are remappable.

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