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Hot Wheels: Rift Rally

Hot Wheels: Rift Rally

Velan Studios · released Mar 14, 2023

Auto RacingPlayStation 5, PlayStation 4iOS (iPhone/iPad)

Hot Wheels: Rift Rally puts players behind the wheel of their favorite Hot Wheels vehicles using the Chameleon RC car, which can digitally transform into more than 140 vehicle variations. This includes iconic Hot Wheels such as Twin Mill™, Bone Shaker™, Mach Speeder™, Gotta Go™, and more fan favorites, as well as several Rift Rally original vehicles. In Hot Wheels: Rift Rally, players have two ways to play. In Campaign mode, players set up Rift Gates to create the ultimate mixed reality track and explore different challenge maps where there are multiple challenges to complete and races to race. In Stunt mode, players drive and stunt the Chameleon without gates as they chain together drifts, wheelies, and burnouts to hit high scores and earn rewards.

43
VGC Score
·No trend datamedium confidence
78%
Press
40%
Player sentiment
40%
PS store
13,449
Ratings

Screenshots & trailers

How this score was computed

The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.

ComponentPositiveQuality (0-100)Weight (pseudo-reviews)
Press reviews (Metacritic)7823
All-time Steam reviews0
Metacritic user ratings0
PlayStation store ratings40750
Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted)0
Calibration prior (typical game)7250

Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 0 reviews sampled · 0 total reviews in window · weighted 0 up / 0 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →

Press & Creators reviews (7)

Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.

  • 70
    trust 68Apr 13, 2023

    I love a lot of what Rift Rally is offering. There is a healthy amount of content and the setup is fairly painless. It is worth mentioning though this is not a cheap entry. The standard edition clocks in at $130 which feels steep for those only mildly interested. There is also a Collector’s Edition that comes with a special RC car, a Hot Wheels Die-Cast car, and a special unlockable car in the game for $150. The price is fair, but be sure you have the interest and more importantly the space before diving in.

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  • 60
    trust 63Apr 5, 2023

    I loved the novelty of seeing my living room through the eyes of the game's more creative challenges, but the unstable courses tried my patience and I can't recommend Rift Rally to anyone with young children, even though it looks like the ideal toy

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  • 80
    trust 61Apr 2, 2023

    At a $129.99 price point - or $149.99 for the Deluxe edition - Hot Wheels: Rift Rally may not be worth the investment for those without ample course space, particularly because making varied track layouts is a big component of keeping the game interesting long-term. However, the title's incredibly varied campaign and diverse environments pull a lot of weight in this regard as well, and the way it manages to transform a room is truly impressive. For any long-time fans of the toy brand or players looking for a new kind of racing experience, Hot Wheels: Rift Rally is a perfect fit.

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  • 85
    trust 58Mar 31, 2023

    Hot Wheels: Rift Rally uses everything the team learned from their prior project to keep you playing a bit longer; which is something you want from a game that costs $100+ and requires a toy to function.

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  • 80
    trust 56Apr 13, 2023

    Hot Wheels: Rift Rally is a bit pricey, but it offers a really creative experience that should garner the attention of a wide variety of gamers. It is built on a gimmick, so those who don’t find that cool will not be as entranced as others. However, Velan Studios has put together an experience that works well and delivers exactly what one would expect. Hot Wheels: Rift Rally is a racing game that plays out right in the living room.

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  • 80
    trust 54Apr 5, 2023

    It's an expensive toy that has specific flooring and space requirements. But if you have the right place for it, I can't recommend Rift Rally enough. It's the first full-fledged AR experience that doesn't feel like an experimental tech-demo, and it inspires so many more possibilities for the future. Velan Studios understands the appeal and nostalgia of Hot Wheels, and has filled this game with so much variety and so many great ideas. I haven't been this impressed by a game in a long time, and it fills my jaded gamer heart with hope.

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  • 80
    trust 45Apr 4, 2023

    I'm delighted with what Hot Wheels Rift Rally has to offer and it's by far the most enjoyable mixed reality gaming experience that I've played yet. Whether you're a fan of Hot Wheels or just want to build race courses around your home, you'll have a great time with it.

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