Hot Wheels: Velocity X

Drive Like You’ve Never Imagined.

NA release: 12th November 2002
EU release: 13th December 2003
JP release: N/A
Developer: Beyond Games
Publisher: THQ
NGC Magazine Score: 45%
Mods Used: Widescreen Code

Velocity X is a special fuel that can be used to make Hot Wheels cars move at twice their regular speed and, when combined with cloaking technology, can be used for time travel. You play as Max Justice, son of the professor that invented the technology, as you try to stop it being used by the wrong people. Unfortunately, this means you never actually use the fuel yourself, which is a shame as if the game wasn’t so slow, it would be a lot of fun.

Hot Wheels: Velocity X has a decent campaign mode where you go through a bunch of missions that do a good job at reusing a limited number of tracks but making them seem different. The tracks have a few “open sections”. There’s a story bringing the missions together, but unfortunately not much variety. Most of it is following an arrow (which can sometimes confuse itself) to a destination, blowing some cars up, going to a new destination and racing someone. There are also various objects dotted around that will cost you time if you hit them.

The tracks are well made and you’ll have to fully explore them in joyride mode to find collectables to get more cars, and there’s also a challenge mode that sets some more unique challenges – these modes do a really good job at making the few levels seem like a lot more. It’s just a shame that the actual driving is so boring.

Fine

All very well and good, but the lack of refinement in the enemy cars and controls makes playing it rather unexciting after a few days, and seasoned gamers will grow tired of it very quickly. In comparison to something like the N64’s underrated Rush 2049 it never excels itself, and rarely nudges into anything other than mediocre territory. Simple stuff that should maybe be reserved for younger gamers – but even then, we’d advice caution.
Geraint Evans, NGC Magazine #75

Remake or remaster?

It could be turned into a fun game with better speed and handling.

Official Ways to get the game

There’s no official way to get Hot Wheels: Velocity X.