The 10 BEST Hot Wheels Video Games

10 Best Hot Wheels Games

Welcome to MojoPlays, and today, we’re taking a look at the 10 most exhilarating Hot Wheels video games ever made!

“Hot Wheels Unleashed” (2021)

A new Hot Wheels game for next-gen consoles? Who asked for this? That is exactly what we thought back when “Hot Wheels Unleashed was announced. Well…we needed it. “Hot Wheels Unleashed” turned out to be one of the biggest surprises of 2021. In addition to usual cars you’d want to drive like Bone Shaker and Twin Mill, you had oddball cars to unlock like Tricera-truck, Street Weiner, and even a handful of licensed vehicles like Snoopy and the TMNT Party Wagon. On top of that, the courses allowed you to pull off incredibly satisfying drifts and stunts with their clever design, which was taken a step further by the community through track editors and expansions.

“Hot Wheels: Beat That!” (2007)

Before you jump down to the comments, no, the console versions of “Beat That” were unacceptable. The real game was in the DS version! Is it the most visually impressive? Not exactly, but the polygonal models add to the game’s visual charm. After all, this was the first Hot Wheels game we had in a while that focused on the famed vehicles as the toy cars they are. And even if the tracks feel same-y at times, “Beat That” still gave us some casual racing fun perfect for short car rides.

“Hot Wheels Ultimate Racing” (2007)

The only real downside to “Ultimate Racing” was that it was only ever released on PSP. But that’s really the only complaint about this game because if you just so happened to have a PSP, it was one of the best racing games you could play on the handheld! “Ultimate Racing” managed to deliver a speedy and enjoyable experience for Hot Wheels fans with its excellent track design, detailed visuals, and frenetic music. It wasn’t enough to be the fastest either; you also had to know how to avoid every stage hazard in the game and know the best spots to unleash your boost. Simply put, the critics got this one wrong - “Ultimate Racing” slapped.

“Hot Wheels: World Race” (2003)

Many Hot Wheels fans swear by this game, and we can totally see why. This was a game that went harder than it needed to. While most of the Hot Wheels titles keep things somewhat grounded with realistic environments, “World Race” had you speeding through space stations, mystical ruins, futuristic cities, and freakin’ volcanoes! Stunts also played a part in managing your boost meter, demanding you hone in on air control to land stunts perfectly in order to get as much boost as possible. There was a lot more strategy and skill required here than we expected, and it's why so many love “World Race” to this day.

“Hot Wheels Extreme Racing” (2001)

Compared to the laundry list of Hot Wheels video games, “Extreme Racing” was perhaps the most unique of the bunch. See, you didn’t have just the usual roaring metal beasts you’ve come to expect. Now, you had to race them across all kinds of terrain, each course causing you to transform into all four forms of your car. Of course, there was also the inclusion of power-ups, forcing players to be much more aggressive with their racing than in other titles. With twenty-four stages to conquer, “Extreme Racing” gave us plenty of reasons to play whether it was by ourselves or with friends.

“Hot Wheels: Stunt Track Challenge” (2004)

Whereas “Extreme Racing” was ambitious in visuals and mechanics, “Stunt Track Challenge” was wonderfully unusual in how it focused on a different aspect of Hot Wheels: stunts! Though you were still required to compete in races, much of the gameplay was built around pulling off stunts. It didn’t do anything mechanically than look cool, but Hot Wheels is all about style anyways. On top of that, the hokey commentator kind of brought a “Ridge Racer” vibe to the whole experience. Look, if you didn’t play this as a kid, you wouldn’t understand. We all liked weird stuff so long as it was simple and entertaining.

“Hot Wheels: Velocity X” (2002)

In all honesty, “Velocity X” didn’t fare well with critics and we can sort of understand why. But for a Hot Wheels fan, “Velocity X” was a title we didn’t even know we wanted! Yes, the difficulty wasn’t all that challenging (not even close), but the controls and visuals were remarkable in how they made the cars look realistic. Plus, the mix of both standard racing and vehicular combat gave the game a good amount of replay value not to mention the free-roam mode, Joyride. It was a game that didn’t ask a lot from you and still offered up plenty of modes to have a fun afternoon or evening.

“Hot Wheels: Burnin’ Rubber” (2001)

This GBA title is sorely underappreciated. Sure, it didn’t boast as many courses and vehicles as home console games could. Even so, twenty-five vehicles and sixteen courses was plenty to keep us busy. On the gameplay side, “Burnin’ Rubber” was an immensely fun racer for Nintendo’s littlest handheld with its surprisingly tight controls and impressive visuals. The only thing that might put off some players is the messy UI…and the occasional spikes in difficulty. So long as you didn’t let that put you off entirely, many GBA owners found this a nice break from a certain kart racing title.

“Hot Wheels Turbo Racing” (1999)

When looking back at the older Hot Wheels games, “Turbo Racing” is always the first that comes to mind. Of course, it was an N64/PS1 game. Many of us were playing this when we were kids! But at the time, we all thought this was the best Hot Wheels game ever. You had more than forty cars at your disposal and a meaty selection of courses that made this an incredibly fun arcade racer. Plus, the soundtrack and audio design managed to evoke that furious attitude Hot Wheels brought…even if some of the environments can look a little whack at times.

“Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged” (2023)

Though it may not feel like a step forward for some, “Turbocharged” is still an excellent sequel that is just as fun to play as its predecessor. A lot of vehicles return from the first “Unleashed”, but a lot of new ones were added in, too. You had the AcceleRacers line, a handful of monster trucks, and now, scaled-up versions of ATVs and bikes. As for the tracks, you were given brand new settings to race in as well as a handful of modules from popular eras of Hot Wheels. It was the ultimate Hot Wheels dream that “Unleashed” brought, but with a slight expansion and some refinement in the controls. Much like the previous game, “Turbocharged” is worth every penny.


What’s the best Hot Wheels game you’ve played? Did it make the list? Let us know down in the comments, and don’t forget to subscribe to MojoPlays for more great videos everyday!