Hot Wheels Turbo Racing

Hot Wheels: Turbo Racing

Cover art

European Nintendo 64 cover art
Developer(s) Stormfront Studios
Publisher(s) Electronic Arts
Series Hot Wheels
Platform(s) Nintendo 64
PlayStation
Release date(s)
  • EU May 11, 1999 (N64)
  • NA August 31, 1999
  • EU 1999 (PS)
Genre(s) Racing
Mode(s) Single-player
Multiplayer

Hot Wheels: Turbo Racing is a racing video game for Nintendo 64 and PlayStation released in 1999. It features 40 cars based on the Hot Wheels series of toys. It also features Kyle Petty's 1999 NASCAR stock car, as it was sponsored by Hot Wheels. It also features music from artists like Primus, Metallica, The Reverend Horton Heat and Mix Master Mike.

Gameplay

A screenshot of Hot Wheels Turbo Racing gameplay on PlayStation and Nintendo 64.

The focus of the game is racing one of a selection of cars through various themed tracks. Secret tracks can be unlocked by winning and new cars can be used by finding 'Mystery Car' bonuses hidden in each track. Stunts can be executed by holding the directional pad or analog stick in certain directions while in mid-air to add to the turbo meter for increased speed.

As seen in the hint screens, using the controller to perform various stunts from jumping-off points gains 'Turbos' which allow short bursts of speed. The car in use will take damage based on running into obstacles or other cars. Powerup icons found around the track give various performance enhancements.

The PlayStation version of the game requires a memory card to save progress, while the Nintendo 64 version requires a Controller Pak to save progress.

Version differences

The PlayStation version features a full-length video for the introduction sequence and thirteen full-length, CD quality songs including "Fuel" by Metallica thanks to its CD-based media having a much larger amount of memory space than the N64 cartridge. However, due to the systems' limitations for 3-D visuals, the graphics in the PS1 version are noticeably pixellated and have a lot of polygon tearing (a.k.a., jagged edges). Environment pop-up and draw-in distance (fog) is slightly more noticeable than the Nintendo 64 version. There are eleven race tracks total in the PlayStation version.

The Nintendo 64 version includes seven songs, though each of them have been reduced in length and are almost entirely without vocals. The sound quality for these music tracks have also been downgraded and are slightly muffled. This version is also missing the song from Metallica. This version does include the many voice clips that are played when executing a stunt, although the voice clips for announcing the name of each car, a feature which was present in the PlayStation version, have been removed. This version uses Anti-Aliasing so the graphics are smooth and most of the polygon tearing has been eliminated. In addition, this version has slightly less pop-up and a slightly improved draw-in distance, and so the player will able to see a bit more in the distance. Eight tracks are present in Nintendo 64 version (Exhaust Pipes, Serpent Sprint, and Volcano Blowout! have been removed from this version).

Soundtrack

No. TitleArtist Length
1. "Fuel"  Metallica  
2. "Avenue X"  Alex Skolnick  
3. "Eclectic People"  Meat Beat Manifesto  
4. "Pride of San Jacinto"  Reverend Horton Heat  
5. "Bat Car"  Link Wray  
6. "Outee 360"  Mix Master Mike  
7. "Mandragora"  Medicine Drum  
8. "Cheater Slick"  Mark Pistel  
9. "Hamster Style"  Primus  
10. "Hotracer"  Androyd  
11. "Here Kitty Kitty"  Kelp  
12. "Smell My Favorite"  Bill ft. DJ Spooky  
13. "The Yellow Flag"  The Grassy Knoll  

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
N64PS
AllGame[1][2]
EGM7.37/10[3]7.5/10[4]
GameFan70%[5]N/A
Game Informer7/10[6]6.25/10[7]
GamePro[8][9]
Game RevolutionN/AB[10]
GameSpot7.9/10[11]8/10[12]
IGN7.7/10[13]6.8/10[14]
Nintendo Power7.3/10[15]N/A
OPM (US)N/A[16]
Aggregate score
GameRankings71%[17]73%[18]

The game received above average reviews on both platforms according to video game review aggregator GameRankings.[18][17]

References

  1. ↑ McCall, Scott. "Hot Wheels: Turbo Racing (N64) - Review". AllGame. Archived from the original on November 14, 2014. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  2. ↑ Ottoson, Joe. "Hot Wheels: Turbo Racing (PS) - Review". AllGame. Archived from the original on November 14, 2014. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Hot Wheels Turbo Racing (N64)". Electronic Gaming Monthly. 1999.
  4. ↑ "Hot Wheels Turbo Racing (PS)". Electronic Gaming Monthly. 1999.
  5. ↑ Buchanan, Levi "Angus" (September 22, 1999). "REVIEW for Hot Wheels Turbo Racing (N64)". GameFan. Archived from the original on March 5, 2000. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  6. ↑ McNamara, Andy; Anderson, Paul; Reiner, Andrew (October 1999). "Hot Wheels Turbo Racing (N64)". Game Informer (78). Archived from the original on May 22, 2000. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  7. ↑ Reppen, Erik (October 27, 1999). "Hot Wheels Turbo Racing (PS)". Game Informer. Archived from the original on May 22, 2000. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  8. ↑ Uncle Dust (1999). "Hot Wheels Turbo Racing Review for N64 on GamePro.com (score mislabeled as "4.5/5")". GamePro. Archived from the original on January 13, 2005. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  9. ↑ Uncle Dust (1999). "Hot Wheels Turbo Racing Review for PlayStation on GamePro.com". GamePro. Archived from the original on February 20, 2005. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  10. ↑ Clint (October 1999). "Hot Wheels Turbo Racing Review (PS)". Game Revolution. Archived from the original on October 22, 2007. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  11. ↑ Gerstmann, Jeff (September 20, 1999). "Hot Wheels Turbo Racing Review (N64)". GameSpot. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  12. ↑ Gerstmann, Jeff (September 17, 1999). "Hot Wheels Turbo Racing Review (PS)". GameSpot. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  13. ↑ Casamassina, Matt (October 15, 1999). "Hot Wheels Turbo Racing (N64)". IGN. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  14. ↑ Everingham, Max (September 7, 1999). "Hot Wheels Turbo Racing (PS)". IGN. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  15. ↑ "Hot Wheels Turbo Racing". Nintendo Power 125: 124. October 1999.
  16. ↑ "Hot Wheels Turbo Racing". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. October 1999.
  17. 1 2 "Hot Wheels Turbo Racing for Nintendo 64". GameRankings. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  18. 1 2 "Hot Wheels Turbo Racing for PlayStation". GameRankings. Retrieved December 26, 2014.

External links

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