Back in 2021, when Hot Wheels Unleashed was released, it proved to be a fun, if not repetitive, jaunt with a nonexistent storyline. Its campaign comprised different race modes as you moved through its Monopoly-style map. In Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged, there are some crucial changes to push it above the original.
The most significant change out the gate is Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged story mode, unlike the previous entry of just baseless races strung together by nothing other than placement on its map. In Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged, we are introduced to a scientist and his two younger racing friends. The scientist accidentally used Wayne Szalinskis’s creation from Honey I Blew Up The Baby and blew up five distinct animal toys. It is now the racers’ job to race around the world map and beat these toys to return them to their original size.
This does lead to some of the more interesting races, as you will need to put all your skill and knowledge to the test to take them down. These rare races have you driving around the track attempting to hit these targets that will pop up around the track to lower this gauge that builds up until you lose.
During this, the animal in question you are tackling will be a staple on the track to give you a good sense of the danger present if you don’t manage to hit all your targets. Realistically, it’s a different UI layout for a time trial, but it is made in such a way that it conveys a sense of urgency as you race around.
Mostly, the story is set dressing to get you to these new races and give you a reason to have to go around the map. It doesn’t help that the characters talk enough about past events so much that it feels alienating as an outsider to their conversations. While I did enjoy the attempted addition of a more storied campaign, it came across as too over the top and not focused enough to really take anything away from it.
The other most notable change in Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged is the addition of my favourite race mode, Elimination. As the race begins with twelve racers, every few seconds, racers will be eliminated, eventually, two at a time until only one remains. These were some of the most ferocious races I played, and when playing multiplayer, it was when the most hooting and hollering was happening.
“The detailing in the vehicles in Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged is still stunning.”
Along with Elimination, Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged also adds in a Drift-focused race, in which as you drift, you rack up points and a waypoint time trial mode. The waypoint time trial generally does away with the actual track itself, and you are free to drive around the small map to hit the checkpoints in a specific order, but how you get there is up to you. While not overly expansive, it gives off a nice sense of exploration.
The soundtrack in Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged is horrendous. While its fun techno babble is almost really good, hearing the same loop of about a minute constantly with weird timing in the music itself makes it quite off-putting, especially if you play for a few hours on end. It’s hard even to compare, especially when you look at more recent racing games and their soundtracks being full of great licensed songs.
“In Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged, there are one hundred and thirty vehicles to unlock.”
In Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged, there are one hundred and thirty vehicles to unlock. Some returning and some newer vehicles. But, on top of the latest cars, they have also added in motorcycles, which all look odd when racing next to the other vehicles because of the size, not the look. The detailing in the vehicles in Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged is still stunning. Each car, truck, and motorcycle are lovingly crafted, and the finer details are exquisite. I found myself just looking at the models for minutes at a time, remembering when I used to collect Hot Wheels.
The process of gaining new vehicles is relatively straightforward. As you win races, you earn coins, and new vehicles ranging from one thousand to three thousand five hundred was the most expensive I saw during my time. You can also pay in-game currency to refresh the lineup of cars available to buy in Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged. This is a great way to steer away from just buying every single one while you wait for it to refresh every so often, and it helps the more casual players like myself only collect the cars they want.
Overall, Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged has a few changes in it that help it build on the originals, even if some of it doesn’t work. Specifically, the story isn’t very good or memorable, but the gameplay is still solid, and with the addition of the different race types, it makes for an overall good time.
