Hot Wheels Unleashed Reveals First Gameplay Trailer

Hot Wheels Unleashed revealed its latest trailer today. The new footage gives Hot Wheels fans a first look at the in-game graphics and fast-paced gameplay of the upcoming title, which is set to release this fall.

The action-packed racing game based on the Mattel toys of the same name was first revealed with an intense cinematic trailer a couple of months ago. The first Hot Wheels Unleashed trailer showcases plenty of boosting, bashing, and crashing action, but this latest one gives players an idea of what playing the game will look like.

The roughly two-minute-long gameplay trailer takes place in the Garage, one of six massive and "beautifully detailed" environments players will get to pick from. Players will find it features many of the familiar aspects of Hot Wheels, such as fantastical racing vehicles and a complex and winding orange track with some bizarre loops and turns, all of which can be seen on the detailed mini-map.

Firmly asserting itself as an arcade racer, games will notice the presence of a boost gauge that appears to refill over time, along with arrowed speed strips which increase top speed. However, staying on the track may prove difficult, as the gameplay shows plenty of cars crashing into each other and numerous track hazards.

Hot Wheels Unleashed looks like it has the potential to be a lot of fun. While the IP's last video game presence was Forza Horizon 3's nostalgia-inducing Hot Wheels expansion, Unleashed is a standalone title. The game has some experienced racing developers at the wheel in the form of Milestone, developers of the MotoGP, Monster Energy Supercross, and Ride series, which should bode well for the racer.

In a time where any news on The Batman is gobbled up with glee, it seems Hot Wheels has found their time to shine. While fans wait for any more information on the DC film, a leaked image of the toy car company's movie tie-in product looks a little different than some may have expected. Apparently, the Dark Knight transitions well to toy versions.

Reddit user ThaddeusJP took to the site to post some pre-production images of Hot Wheels' take on the Batmobile from Robert Pattinson's The Batman. At 1:64 scale, it's obviously not going to have the detail of a full-sized vehicle, but without its trademark dark color scheme, it kind of just looks like a regular tiny muscle car. Of course, that's to be expected since this is a pre-production image. The silver and blue colors are simply those of the parts themselves.

It's no tank-like monster like the Christopher Nolan version of the Batmobile or carnival-ride-on-wheels as seen in the Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher films, that's for sure. The latter design may be the iconic sort of Batmobile that gets its own TV series, but there's something to be said for being different. Hot Wheels nailed the shape of the bulky-looking vehicle and once it gets the final touches, it's sure to be a quality piece of merchandise, as to be expected from the company. Even little details like the line up the side indicating the door seem to be in place.