After the worldwide success of the first chapter, we are incredibly excited to have finally announced Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 – Turbocharged. And let me start with a promise to our community: we have read your comments, watched your streams, and seen your passion for the Hot Wheels brand unleashed through our game. Brace yourself because Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 – Turbocharged will expand the arcade gameplay of its predecessor, adding even more thrilling action to the pack – with a lot of new things to do.
This article cannot convey all the innovations of the game, so for now, I will focus on the three main elements that will most change your gaming experience: new gameplay mechanics, environments and terrains, and types of vehicles.
In terms of gameplay mechanics, two new features will push the boundaries even further than the first game, opening up a new range of possibilities. Jump is a completely new action that you can freely perform while racing. When you decide to jump, your vehicle will launch off the ground and enter an in-air state. It’s the perfect option to overtake opponents where there isn’t enough space inside the limits of the track. It can also be used to find new shortcuts or, in some cases, to reach new portions of the track that are otherwise inaccessible.
Combining it with the boost, one of our core actions in Hot Wheels Unleashed, your decision-making skills while racing will be enhanced, offering lots of different ways to approach the same portion of the track.
Lateral Dash is another new action that instantly moves your vehicle sideways, allowing you to bump into opponents on either side. By dashing, you will challenge other players not only by driving fast and clean but also by making them crash out of the track. It also allows you to perform unexpected saves, avoiding falls even when everything seems lost. These brand-new action-fueled maneuvers will add a completely new dimension to your races, making them more unique, unpredictable, and immersive.
Locations will also play a key role, as Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 – Turbocharged will feature 5 completely brand-new environments with a variety of surfaces to race on. This means that vehicles will behave differently depending on the terrain they are on. For example, mud will be slippery, sand will slow you down, while marble will make you go faster.
Even the types of vehicles you use will influence their behavior: rally cars will perform better on off-road tracks, while racing or utility cars will excel in different areas. Notably, some tracks will be located indoors, others will be open air, and some will take you both inside and outside a specific location. This will enhance the vertical dimension of the gameplay, opening up different scenarios and possibilities depending on the environment.
A wider range of vehicles will facilitate the full exploitation of the new game dynamics. In fact, Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 – Turbocharged will add motorbikes and ATVs to the mix, each behaving differently, with their own perks and downsides. We have also introduced a new system that classifies vehicles into five categories: Rocket, Balanced, Swift, Drifter, Off-Road, and Heavy Duty.
Rockets are the fastest in terms of pure speed, excelling on the straight sections. The Balanced category includes vehicles with a more balanced set-up, offering good performance both in the most technical parts of the tracks as well as on straights. The Swift category features the most agile, light and snappy vehicles, such as Street Cars and Bikes. The Drifter category, as the name suggests, is dedicated to vehicles that stand out in terms drifting, while the Off-Road category includes vehicles best suited for off-track terrains, like Quads or Jeeps. Finally, we have created a category for all heavyweight vehicles that rely on their size as their biggest strength, such as Vans, Monster Trucks, or Tractors.
Importantly, in Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 – Turbocharged we have also introduced a brand-new Skill System, allowing you to customize vehicles according to your racing preferences. Three branches will guide their development: the first enhances the boost level, the second increases the vehicle’s handling, and the third one improves the ability to avoid obstacles. With over 130 vehicles available at launch and a brand-new skill system, you will be able to choose your own playstyle to face all the races and new modes the game has to offer.
We still have a lot to share, so stay tuned for more news coming soon.
