GENRE
	Racing
	DEVELOPER
	Twofivesix
	PUBLISHER
	DSI Games
	NUMBER OF PLAYERS
	1
	CONNECTIVITY
	No
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Hot Wheels cars were a kid collector's favorite, and the brand still carries some weight today. Maybe those over the age of 12 could care less about the miniature hot rods, but those of us a little older still get a smile out of the little metal cars and trucks hiding in a dusty box in our basements. So a simple game of Hot Wheels racing doesn't sound too bad, if it would take advantage of using Hot Wheels cars.

visuals

Levels are limited to the Metroid-esque themes of fire, ice, jungle and city. A few of the special effects, particularly snow, are a little dizzying and distracting. For the most part, however, the tracks are clear and the environments are detailed. What's missing most from Hot Wheels are the Hot Wheels.

audio

Hot Wheels sound sports a little quality, but it's one of those Game Boy titles that is best served with the volume turned off. Besides some generic background music and a few tire screeches, there is no audio.

gameplay

Hot Wheels advertises seven types of races, but the number is closer to three. Versus, Eliminator and Beat the Clock are all essentially standard races with slight variations. Two are simply mixes of the race modes. The final two -- Collector and Pursuit -- add a little variety to an otherwise feature-limited affair.

The overhead viewpoint feels dated, and the camera is a bit too far away from the action. With those problems, Hot Wheels fails to take advantage of what should be its greatest strength -- the Hot Wheels license. Seventeen different cars offer some variety, but the cars are so small that aside from the varying colors, little distinguishes one car from the next. Since each car performs the same, the visual differences are all that's left, and there's just not enough difference to spur the little kid in all of us. The environments are equally repetitive, and the four generic settings make the different tracks feel identical.

Despite the flaws, the core gameplay in Hot Wheels is at least passable. The action is relatively quick and the controls are tight. Cars have a turbo boost, which gives some added speed, and a slow motion button for sharp turns. Each track is filled with pits, bridges, jumps and other obstacles that keep things interesting. Opponent vehicles also need to be dodged to avoid a massive speed loss. None of it may be revolutionary, but for the right audience it's at least diversionary.

multiplayer

N/A

overall

The little toy cars can still initiate nostalgia in the older crowd, but Hot Wheels All Out misses that quality. Without it, it fails as a purely entertaining racer and gaming veterans will not like it. But as a budget title for young kids in the minivan ride to grandma's house, it has some tread.

6.0/10