Milestone’s racing title based on the legendary Hot Wheels has been pretty successful, so a sequel seemed a given. However, Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged is going above and beyond the original by delivering more content, overhauling its customization and progression, adding new environments and features, and much more. It releases on October 19th for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, PC and Nintendo Switch. Here are 15 things you should know before buying it.
Over 130 Vehicles
While the first game launched with 66 vehicles, Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged is bigger. It has more than 130 vehicles available at launch, nearly double that of its predecessor. A full list is pending, but some are returning from the first game along with new additions, like the Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody from the Fast and Furious saga. There are also new types like all-terrain vehicles and bikes for even more racing options.
Vehicle Categories
All vehicles are divided into six categories based on their role and how good they are in given terrain and tracks. Rocket is for vehicles that specialize in high-speed straights, like race cars. Streetcars and bikes fall under the Swift category, which are light vehicles offering strong agility and acceleration. Drifters are your muscle cars for, well, driving. Off-Roads are strong across different terrain types and encompass jeeps, quads and whatnot. The monster trucks and vans fall under Heavy Duty, providing some weight when needed. Finally, there’s Balanced, the middle of Rocket and Swift, with equally good speed and handling.
New Abilities
Drift and Boost return, allowing players to drift through corners and hit the NOS for some added speed. However, two new abilities have been added with Turbocharged – Lateral Dash and Jump. The former lets you dash out of the oncoming obstacles or even bump into other vehicles, potentially running them off the road. Jump is pretty straightforward for leaping over obstacles, other cars, etc. The best part is that double Jump is also a thing for even more height, which is nice.
Rarity System Changes
The first game’s Rarity system tied directly into a car’s stats. Legendary vehicles typically had higher base stats than other rarities, and upgrading to Legendary was key for continued success. In Hot Wheels Unleashed 2, the Rarity system remains, but it won’t affect a vehicle’s stats but their chance to appear in the new shop.
The Store
Blind Boxes are seemingly gone in Hot Wheels Unleashed 2. Instead, players will purchase new vehicles from the shop. Every 30 minutes, the shop’s selection will refresh, and a fresh assortment of six to 25 vehicles (based on one’s level) will appear. If you don’t like your choices, they can be refreshed again by spending coins. Not a bad alternative, though you’ll still be rolling dice and relying on RNG for higher-rarity vehicles to appear.
Overhauled Customization
The first game’s Skill System was considered restrictive, leading to the sequel completely revamping car customization. When starting, you have only one perk slot, which you can freely interchange. Upon upgrading your vehicle’s category from Stock to Powered, the second and third perk slots become available to add more perks. Upgrading it again to Ultimate unlocks the fourth, fifth and sixth slots for six perks. Use four of the same type, and a seventh unique perk becomes available.
There are three perk types – Handling, Boost and Obstacles. Handling is all about speed, acceleration and handling. Boost focuses on your boost speed, charge and capacity, while Obstacles will make you invulnerable to different obstacle types. The latter sounds good when you’re new to the game, but it’s better to replace an Obstacles perk with more boost or speed. Regardless of the perks chosen, each has pros and cons, so weighing these is essential while racing.
Five New Environments
There are five new environments to race in, each unique in different ways. There’s Arcade, set in an arcade with escalators, air hockey and more. Backyard is your typical backyard with a ladder and porch. Mini Golf Course, despite its name, offers a Wild West motif, while Diner takes place in a restaurant/gas station with a nearby van. Finally, there’s also Museum with massive models of dinosaurs. The Track Room, where custom tracks are built, can also be raced in. Each environment offers an array of track types, from jumps to loops, for players to race through.
Terrain Types
Even more interesting is the variety of terrain since they can affect your vehicle’s performance. When racing through the Mini Golf Course, you’ll have to contend with sand and dirt, which Offroad vehicles could excel at. Take a bike through the grass in the Backyard, and you’ll have to manage understeer. Overall, each environment offers opportunities to try different vehicles or modify your racing strategy.
New Campaign
A story-driven campaign probably isn’t something you’d associate with a Hot Wheels racing game, but Turbocharged has one, complete with cutscenes and characters. It seemingly concerns saving the city from monsters, with the two leads accompanied by a professor and robot. It may or may not be to your test – time will tell. Given the lack of information surrounding the mode, we’ll have to wait and find out.
Elimination, Drift Master and Waypoint Modes
Other modes include the new Waypoint, Elimination and Drift Master modes for fun new challenges. Waypoint is about crossing checkpoints by discovering the fastest route – you’re not bound to a specific path, so go crazy. Elimination sees the car in last place knocked out periodically, turning the race into a fight for the last player standing. Finally, Drift Master, to the surprise of no one, is all about drifting and racking up the most number of points.
Cross-Platform Multiplayer
Players can look forward to cross-platform multiplayer (except on the Nintendo Switch) when playing online in the sequel. You can also create a party before jumping into races, thus allowing players to group up. It’s a small change, but still highly appreciated. Split-screen multiplayer also returns for those who prefer racing with friends locally.
Livery and Sticker Editors
Those who enjoyed customizing the look of their vehicles should be happy to hear that the Livery Editor is returning. There’s also a new Sticker Editor to create decals, which can be shared online.
Track Builder
It wouldn’t be Hot Wheels without the option to make tracks. The Track Builder thus returns, allowing you to snap together various modules for a custom race track. New modules and features are included, and you can share tracks online and download other players’ creations.
PC Requirements
In terms of PC requirements, you’ll need Windows 10 64-bit, 30 GB of installation space and DirectX 11, regardless of everything else. Minimum requirements include an Intel Core i5-4590, AMD FX-4350 or equivalent, 8 GB of RAM and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 or Radeon RX 460. A Core i9-9900k, Ryzen 7 2700X or equivalent, 16 GB of RAM and a GeForce RTX 2070 Super or Radeon RX 6800 XT make up the recommended hardware. Overall, not the most demanding, but still higher than the first game.
Post-Launch Content
Like the first game, Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged has an extensive post-launch roadmap with not one but two Season Passes detailed. Season Pass Vol. 1 kicks off at launch with the Twin Mill Unleashed Edition and Acceleracers All-Star Pack, followed by the Speed and Style Pack on November 9th. The Fast X Pack debuts on December 14th, followed by the Acceleracers Expansion Pack on December 21st. Kicking off the new year is the Honda Modern Classics Pack on February 1st, followed by the Made In Italy Expansion Pack. Overall, that’s a whopping 25 vehicles and two new environments.
In Season Pass Vol. 2, there’s the Highway 35 World Race Pack on March 21 2024, followed by the Monster Trucks Pack on April 4th, and the Fast and Furious Expansion Pack on April 18th. May 16th sees the arrival of the Old But Gold Pack, while the Alien Encounters Pack arrives on May 23rd. The year ends with the Mercedes-Benz Pack on June 20th for 24 additional vehicles and two more environments. Milestone also says there will be free DLC for all base game owners.
