When you consider the "toys that made us", amidst that recognisable list of money sinks exists an evergreen brand that has transcended "popular for the period" and simply stationed itself as a toy and mastercraft mainstay. Like LEGO, the Hot Wheels toy-line is one for all ages, all generations and all imaginations. And this year we're getting a dedicated arcade racing experience centred around its miniature world, revv'd to the nines.

Here's all the murmurings from drivers on the starting grid:

Gamers can get ready to drift, boost, jump and crash on Hot Wheels’ iconic orange tracks in various single-player game modes. Gamers can also challenge friends in multiplayer races, both online and offline, leveraging a split screen mode.

“We continue to focus on engaging consumers with our brands through gaming platforms,” said Andrew Chan, Head of Digital Gaming, Mattel, via press release. “Hot Wheels is all about encouraging the challenger spirit and Hot Wheels Unleashed brings that mission to life for gamers of all ages. Milestone’s expertise in racing game development has enabled us to transform the Hot Wheels brand into a compelling console and PC gaming experience for both current Hot Wheels fans and gamers who may be rediscovering the iconic brand.”

“Like many other team members who worked on the game, I’ve been playing with Hot Wheels since I was a child, and today I’m still a hungry Hot Wheels fan and collector,” said Michele Caletti, Executive Producer, Milestone. “This is the reason why we’re all so committed in delivering the purest and most authentic Hot Wheels gameplay experience ever in a videogame. We owe it to the Hot Wheels community and to our inner children.”

Hot Wheels Unleashed offers players the opportunity to drive the cars as if they were playing with the die-cast toys. The gameplay includes adrenaline-filled races, an extended choice of Hot Wheels vehicles with different attributes and rarity levels that players can customise with different skins, and jaw-dropping tracks set in everyday-life locations with special track pieces and interactive items. The game also features a revolutionary Track Editor enabling players to customise tracks in any game environment and share them with the game’s community.

Tearing away from that starting grid this September 30 for almost every platform under the sun: PC, PS4 and PS5, Nintendo Switch and Xbox Series S|X and One, it's safe to say the game is going to be invading many a gamer's space. Now, as long as we see the Gas Monkey Garage Hot Wheels real-life efforts as part of the game's livery, we'll be happy.

Watch the Hot Wheels Unleashed official reveal embedded below.

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