It looks like mixed reality RC cars are here to stay.
This past February, the popular toy manufacturer Mattel announced Hot Wheels: Rift Rally, a mixed reality game that combines real RC cars with digital effects and environments to immerse you in a fast-paced racing experience that turns your living room into a virtual race track.
Today, the game officially launched on the Apple App Store, Sony PlayStation 4, and Sony PlayStation 5. Each purchase comes with a physical Chameleon RC car which can transform into over 140 vehicle variations using digital overlays—like Twin Mill, Bone Shaker, Mach Speeder—four Rift Gates to design your own courses, and a dedicated charging cable.
Hot Wheels: Rift Rally features two primary game modes. The first, Campaign Mode, tasks you with designing a mixed reality race track and completing a variety of challenges set across numerous challenge maps. Then there’s Stunt Mode, where you ditch the Rift Gates and chain together tricks like drifts, wheelies, and burnouts. There are also additional mini-games and support for multiplayer.
“Velan Studios is a leader in mixed reality gaming, and with Hot Wheels: Rift Rally they’ve created a Hot Wheels experience that blends digital and physical play in an incredibly imaginative new way,” said Mike DeLaet, global head of Digital Gaming at Mattel, in an official release. “Over the past 55 years, families around the world have created cherished memories with Hot Wheels, and we’re thrilled to further that tradition in the digital space to keep the brand ahead of the curve as it continues to resonate with fans.”
“At Velan Studios, we pride ourselves on our ability to create ground-breaking game experiences through new forms of play,” added Karthik Bala, CEO at Velan Studios. “With Hot Wheels: Rift Rally, we leveled up our RC car technology to really bring the fantasy of being in the drivers’ seat of a Hot Wheels car to life. We can’t wait for players to experience it for themselves, and turn their living rooms into the ultimate Hot Wheels race tracks.”
Hot Wheels: Rift Rally is available now in the US for $129.99. There’s also a Collector’s Edition for $149.99 that includes a special edition Chameleon complete with black deco and gold accents as well as a McLaren Senna Hot Wheels die-cast supercar that comes in a display case.
For more information visit riftrally.com.
Feature Image Credit: Mattel