Hot Wheels: Rift Rally

Hot Wheels: Rift Rally is a racing game making use of Augmented Reality. It was developed by Velan Studios, also responsible for Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit using the same kind of technology.

Mechanics

Hot Wheels: Rift Rally is played with the use of a real, remote-controlled toy which can move in a chosen area (like a room or a frontyard) serving as a track. The car, Chameleon, comes with an installed camera, letting us view it from behind (TPP) as we play.

During the game there are virtual elements overlaid onto the track, such as turns, additonal obstacles and decorations, boosters and other power-ups. Chameleon itself represents one of over 140 available machines, including brand new cars and cars already known to Hot Wheels fans. The player can also customize their colors to suit their preferences.

Game modes

Hot Wheels: Rift Rally offers two primary gameplay modes. The first is the campaign, during which we must set up special checkpoints (Rift Gates) around the area to create a track before participating in various racing challenges (as well as more unusual challenges, such as fighting monsters or destroying robots wandering around the track). The second mode is the stunt module, letting us freely drive around the area performing various stunts, such as one-wheel driving, drifting or burnout. During subsequent challenges we can show off our skills and unlock better cars.

The game suppors singleplayer, co-op (with players taking turns behind the virtual steering wheel) or competitive racing for up to four people (each of whom must own their own Chameleon).

Technical aspects

Hot Wheels: Rift Rally uses AR technology; the virtual elements shown on the screen are colorful, cartoonish and appealing.

Last updated on 14 March 2023