![]() ![]() “When it comes to any field of collecting, there’s always that pinnacle ‘Holy Grail’ item where it’s just that the supply that’s out there can no way meet the demand and that causes the price to go through the roof,” said Travis Landry, an appraiser with Bruneau & Co. Pascal, a Washington DC-area commercial real estate executive, is the owner of what is believed to be the most valuable Hot Wheels car in the world: a 1969 version of the “Beach Bomb” Volkswagen bus estimated to be worth as much as $150,000.Ĭollectibles experts say the appraisal of the tiny car is entirely believable based on its extreme rarity and its nearly perfect condition. But for Bruce Pascal, a nearly lifelong obsession with the tiny cars has turned into a collection of mind-boggling value. This digital version is interesting, but it’s not much more than that.You can buy most Hot Wheels cars for about a dollar at Target, Wal-Mart or pretty much any local drugstore. I’ll be honest, I’ve never played with any Hot Wheels toys, but I’m pretty sure that if the physical game was this annoying then it wouldn’t have done as well as it has. Until the next peak that hurts you, then you’ll go back to the same grind. But then you’ll get the upgrades that you need, and things will start flowing and you’ll smash through the tracks with a smile on your face. It’s sort of like smashing your face into orange plastic over and over. You’ll be grinding your teeth over and over as you try and get up that slope that keeps foiling you. There’s fun to be had here, but it’s fun that’s tempered a little too harshly with frustration. ![]() The tracks are well designed, and the game looks surprisingly slick, with your races weaving through a city that seems to be made up of enticing and far away loops and jumps. Just getting to the end of a track opens up the next though, so if you don’t want to chase the best time you can focus on the next track that you’ve unlocked. Some of them won’t get all the way through the level, and others will get to the end long before you do, meaning if you want to top the leaderboard you’re going to have to go back with a souped up car and try all over again. There’s a twist here in that you’re racing against the best run of some real-life players. It’s unlikely that you’re going to finish even the first level without upgrading your attributes a good few times. And you’re going to need to be spending regularly. There are fuel cans spread out over the levels, but if you mess up too much then you’re going to struggle to grab them before the game ends your run ignominiously.Īs you drive through the game you’ll earn coins, and you need to spend these to make your vehicle better. If it runs out, you won’t be able to finish a level. You’ve also got a fuel gauge that you need to keep an eye on. And you’ll need to, because the leaps you’re performing are going to end in catastrophic crashes if you don’t. When you’re in the air you can tap the brake to tilt one way and the accelerator to tilt the other way. Tap one pedal to accelerate, tap the other to brake or reverse. And to get through them you’ve only got two controls. There are jumps, there are lumps and there are loops. The game sees you driving a toy car down a toy track. And that means the push to keep going is sometimes overwhelmed by the frustration of watching your best laid plans end in an upside down explosion or a bland running out of fuel. But Hot Wheels Race Off doesn’t quite manage to entangle you in the same way as that classic Trials experience. This is by no means a walk in the park, and while the crashes and tragedies are intriguing, you’re going to see them a lot in your first hour of play. Interestingly though, one thing the game does take to heart from its inspiration is its difficulty. Sharing the same creators, it’s largely the same experience as MMX Hill Climb - but with the fun of plastic tracks and a familiar brand. Rather than bikes you’re driving Hot Wheels cars, and rather than just chasing the end of the track you’re competing against an opponent, but those differences are mainly just skin deep. For all intents and purposes, Hot Wheels: Race Off is a simplified Trials game. ![]()
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