Hot Wheels Let’s Race: Ultimate Speed | PS5 Review

I grew up with Hot Wheels cars scattered across my bedroom floor, racing them down makeshift ramps without giving much thought to the brand beyond the commercials. It wasn’t until years later, when I played and reviewed Hot Wheels Unleashed, that I realized just how much fun those cars could translate into a video game. Hot Wheels Let’s Race: Ultimate Speed, developed by Bamtang Games and published by GameMill Entertainment, brings that toy-driven experience to the screen, this time inspired by the Netflix series of the same name. With that said, this is in a different category than Hot Wheels Unleashed. This game is made squarely for kids who actually open the packaging and play with their cars, Unleashed was made for the kids-at-heart who keep them in near mint condition.

Vehicular Academics

Hot Wheels Let’s Race: Ultimate Speed follows the Netflix series almost exactly, acting as an interactive extension of the show. Players can choose to play as any of the kid characters from the series, each with their own stats and profiles, racing through the Hot Wheels Racing Academy (think of it as a child-centric racing version of Top Gun). Rivalries, playful trash talk, and over-the-top stunts mirror the competitive energy of the series, and familiar characters and settings make the world immediately recognizable to fans. The narrative is straightforward and easy to follow, with each race framed as part of the academy’s challenges, giving context to the gameplay.

While each character has different stats, the wonky driving physics and simplistic race design make those differences largely meaningless, reducing selections to little more than window dressing. Beyond the racing premise and character rivalries, there’s little development or emotional stakes, and older players will find the plot thin. Fans will enjoy the faithful adaptation and nods to the series’ style, but the story primarily exists to string together races, making it charming but ultimately forgettable.

Physics Need Not Apply

Hot Wheels Let’s Race: Ultimate Speed is a straightforward arcade-style racer built around those iconic bright orange, looping tracks and exaggerated stunts. Players choose from a roster of cars pulled directly from the Hot Wheels brand, from classics like the Roger Dodger to newer fan favorites, and select from kid characters from the Netflix series, each with their own stats and profiles. Races feature simple objectives; finish first, collect items, or perform stunts. The game also includes occasional boss battles against the show’s villain, Professor Rearview, who dispatches minions like giant sharks and dinosaurs. These segments are played on straight tracks, requiring players to dodge attacks and use items offensively. They are very scripted and never truly challenging, but add a little variety to the racing. Additionally, there’s a track designer mode, where players can build their own circuits using unlocked pieces. Being kid-focused, it’s more forgiving and easier to grasp, unlike the more complex track creation found in Hot Wheels Unleashed.

Where the game falters is in depth and control. Character and car stats are largely meaningless, making selections mostly cosmetic. Despite my best efforts, I constantly found myself slamming into walls and skidding across tracks due to lackluster handling and inconsistent physics. Also unlike Hot Wheels Unleashed, which included fantasy cars and licensed vehicles from older pop culture IPs like Knight Rider and Back to the Future, Let’s Race: Ultimate Speed sticks strictly to Hot Wheels-branded vehicles that are instantly recognizable to kids today. The imaginative tracks and stunts can still be fun for children, but older gamers will likely spend more time fighting the controls than enjoying the races.

Worldbuilding & Trackbuilding

The presentation of Hot Wheels Let’s Race: Ultimate Speed is surprisingly strong for a kid-focused racing game. On the PlayStation 5, the graphics are sharp and vibrant, bringing the world of Hot Wheels City to life with a futuristic aesthetic. The skyline features sharp, angular skyscrapers, and the environments feel alive without ever being overwhelming. The city has a vibe reminiscent of The Grid from the Tron universe, but with daylight that gives the world a bright, inviting look. Animations for the cars and stunts are smooth, and while the tracks are full of twists and loops, the visuals never feel cluttered or hard to read.

Because this is a racing game for kids with recognizable characters from the show, their personalities tend to slip in once in awhile…in the worst way. Your character will often shout the same motivational lines over and over. So after hitting a boost pad on a track for the 50th time, it quickly becomes irritating. The voice acting is energetic, but repetitive delivery combined with constant in-race commentary makes it grating for older players and distracts from the gameplay.

Verdict

Before I fired up the game, I checked out a couple episodes of the Netflix series to get some context. It’s exactly what you’d expect: charming, colorful, and energetic, perfectly tailored to a 7-year-old’s attention span. The game captures that same spirit, bringing the world, characters, and racing academy to life in a bright, approachable way. It’s the kind of experience designed to hold a child’s attention, and not be glued to mommy’s iPad for at least 22 minutes. For older players, though, the lack of challenge, repetitive audio, and wonky physics make the races frustrating rather than fun. It’s a game made for kids, and that clarity of purpose is both its strength and its biggest limitation.

To hear me talk more about Hot Wheels Let’s Race: Ultimate Speed, be sure to listen to our November 4th, 2025 episode of The Gaming Outsider Podcast around the 1:10:34 timestamp.

This review is based on a PlayStation 5 copy of Hot Wheels Let’s Race: Ultimate Speed provided by Sandbox Strategies for coverage purposes. It is also available on Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam & Epic Game Store.