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Hot Wheels Burnin' Rubber

Score: 90%
ESRB: Everyone
Publisher: THQ
Developer: THQ
Media: Cart/1
Players: 1 - 2
Genre: Racing

Graphics & Sound:

I have played other Hot Wheels games and to tell you the truth, I was never really blown away with what I saw, but Burnin' Rubber actually surprised me. The cars look good, and even though they can look a little blurry at times, there is not much to complain about. Each of the tracks are a little flat, but considering this is the GBA, they are passable. Sound is decent, but could have used a little tweaking, especially the music - which after awhile can begin to work on your nerves.

Gameplay:

The best way to describe Hot Wheels Burnin' Rubber is to call it GT Advance with toys. Players can choose from 25 different Hot Wheels, all with their own unique look and feel. Some are a little faster, others take turns better, and some just look cool (like the twin engine car). After selecting your car, you can enter the Grand Prix and race on some unique tracks like the piano or bathtub. The tracks are not only fun to see, but add a bit of nostalgia to older gamers, since you know you raced Hot Wheels on at least one of these tracks when you were little. After completing races, you can win money and customize your car, adding a little more depth to the game. If the Grand Prix is not your thing, you can also compete in a Free Race, Time Trial, or challenge a friend in the two-player mode.

Difficulty:

As with most racing games, Hot Wheels Burnin' Rubber is hard when you first start off, but as you soup up your car, it becomes easier. Most of the difficulty I had came with the menu system. It is not unusable by any means, but it's also not very user friendly either - which usually resulted in me having to picking random things, hoping it would be what I was looking for.

Game Mechanics:

While it does have some simulation roots, Hot Wheels Burnin' Rubber is an arcade racer at heart. The controls are the standard setup for any racing game. Despite being fun to play, I did have a few problems. I was a little disappointed that you could not perform any tricks like you could in other Hot Wheels games. The Car Selection menu also annoyed me. While this does stem from the menu problem I mentioned earlier, I found it so annoying that I felt it deserved its own section. I would have preferred to have the cars listed, but instead they are all in their own sections. Sure this is not a big deal, but half the classifications of the cars are all wrong - again leading to a menu hunt for the right car. I loved the tracks, but could not help to think how cool it would have been if some of the Hot Wheels tracks you can buy in the store were included. Regardless, if you are looking for a good racer, or a bit of nostalgia it is hard not to recommend Hot Wheels: Burnin' Rubber.

-Starscream, GameVortex Communications
AKA Ricky Tucker

Nintendo GameBoy Advance High Heat Major League Baseball 2002 Nintendo GameBoy Advance Inspector Gadget

 
Game Vortex :: PSIllustrated