Ever dreamt of driving a real Hot Wheels car, all from the comfort of your own La-Z-Boy couch?
Well, Mattel and Velan Studios have collaborated to make those dreams a mixed reality. Literally.
Hot Wheels: Rift Rally is a new racing game in which players design and create an epic race track that will completely transport their home into the digital world through a blend of over-the-top environments.
Velan’s patented RC mixed reality vehicle technology takes players into the driver’s seat of the Chameleon RC.
Once converted into its virtual version, players can choose from over 140 Hot Wheels variations, including legendary favourites such as Twin Mill™, Bone Shaker™, Mach Speeder™ and Gotta Go™.
There’s also a few Rift Rally originals, too.
“Our mission at Velan has always been to create breakthrough games that feel magical to players,” said Karthik Bala, CEO, Velan Studios.
“Our background combining digital and physical play taught us a lot about the mixed reality racing genre we invented, which we used to bring a transformational new experience to Hot Wheels: Rift Rally.”
Players can then drive customisable tracks, perform stunts, play a variety of mini-games and even compete against their friends via cross-platform features, all available in two unique modes.
In Campaign Mode, users set up Rift Gates to craft the ultimate mixed reality track and explore different challenge maps with multiple missions and races.
While Stunt Mode is a bit more reckless, since players can take their Chameleon RC off-roading without gates, as they chain together drifts, wheelies and burnouts. The objective is to hit high scores all while earning some cool rewards.
“Velan Studios’ innovative game design and technology introduces a breakthrough play experience for Hot Wheels fans by transforming their home into the ultimate Hot Wheels track for their digital car collection,” said Mike DeLaet, Global Head of Digital Gaming, Mattel.
“Hot Wheels: Rift Rally unlocks an exciting new kind of creative play for Hot Wheels fans by bridging physical and digital play in a way we’ve never seen before,” added Chris Down, Chief Design Officer, Mattel.
The game is now available for pre-order (Standard Edition for $129.99 SRP; Collector’s Edition $149.99 SRP via Rift Rally), with the official launch date on 14th March, 2023 via the App Store for iOS and PlayStation Store.
Purchase includes Chameleon RC car, four Rift Gates for track building and a charging cable. Game software is free to download and playable on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, as well as the Apple iPhone and iPad.
The Collector’s Edition comes with a special edition Chameleon sporting a black deco and gold accents. You’ll also receive a limited edition McLaren Senna Hot Wheels die-cast car in a display case.
Let us know your thoughts on the brand-new mixed reality racing game Hot Wheels: Rift Rally in the comments below!
