Developer: Casual Brothers Limited
Publisher: Casual Brothers Limited
Platform: PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Tested on: PS5
Hot Rod Mayhem – Review
We think the last time we played a Mario Kart clone was probably back in 2022 with the release of Smurfs Kart. Peyo’s blue mythical creatures were the ideal characters for a kart racing title, but the title fell somewhat flat due to no progression system and a lack of customization options. Nonetheless, the mechanics were amusing, and the general gameplay loop was enjoyable for younger gamers. Now, a new promising contender has appeared, namely Hot Rod Mayhem. We were curious to see if this quirky-looking kart racer had all the right ingredients to become a success.
Story
Even though there is a championship mode through which you can progress, there is no story present in Hot Rod Mayhem. This is not uncommon for the genre, and we didn’t mind the absence of a narrative. The game is all about racing and unlocking new cars, tracks, and cosmetics for your characters. It’s a simple formula that just works well without too many bells and whistles.
Graphics
Even though the game didn’t push our PS5 to its limit, we were still very pleasantly surprised by Hot Rod Mayhem’s visuals. The game looks polished, the cars are nicely designed, and the different tracks are varied and feel alive thanks to their many moving parts and obstacles. We loved ‘exploring’ the different stages, and many of the tracks also had different routes, adding even more visual variety to the mix. The character designs looked a bit simplistic compared to the rest, but their cute appearances still did the trick. The animations were very fluid, and so were most of the attack animations. We did feel like the power-ups were perhaps a bit bland when looking at the rest of the game’s presentation.
Sound
The sound design was also surprisingly good. While the music didn’t blow us away, the sound effects packed a proper punch, and we really loved the announcer. While perhaps a bit cheesy, the announcer did add a lot to the game’s overall charm, and simply having some voice acting in between the races was a lot of fun. This is often overlooked in Mario Kart clones, as the sound design is often an afterthought when trying to earn a quick buck.
Gameplay
Hot Rod Mayhem is pretty much a Mario Kart clone that doesn’t bring anything new to the table. While this may sound negative, it actually isn’t. The overall gameplay loop of Hot Rod Mayhem is pleasant, even though the game only has two available modes. You can do single races, where you just pick a track and race, or you can opt to play through the championship mode, which lets you unlock new content. When finishing first, you’ll unlock new championships to play through, earning you new vehicles, tracks, and cosmetics for the characters. It’s great to have something to actually work towards, as some cheaper clones already have everything unlocked, removing the incentive to play through the game. It’s a shame, however, there are no more modes available, as the content is currently very limited. A battle mode would have already done wonders here.
All in all, the gameplay is quite enjoyable. The cars all have different stats, and you can feel the difference in handling, which is nice. The power-ups follow fairly typical tropes we see in other games, such as the bouncing ball that bounces off the walls, hopefully hitting a target, or the dart that tracks the first player and eventually makes them explode. There is also a defensive shield or a toy spinner that serves as a landmine. There aren’t that many power-ups, but they still do the trick to provide you with action-packed races. On top of that, drifting lets you refill your boost meter, but we felt drifting significantly slowed us down at times. Even so, drifting did help with certain tricky turns, especially with the starting cars that have poor handling.
The game currently has around ten available tracks, which can be played in reverse and mirrored, which adds a bit more replay value. As mentioned above, the track designs are amazing, especially for a ‘clone’ such as this. These titles often overlook track design, and everything feels flat and bland as a result. The tracks in Hot Rod Mayhem are rather dynamic, and there are quite a few obstacles and even branching routes, which is a lot of fun. Sadly, due to the lack of different modes, there is almost no replay value when you’re done with the championship mode. Luckily, you can tackle this short title with friends or family, as you can play locally with up to three other players. In the championship mode, you can still progress and unlock new content, even if other players finish in the top position. This makes this a great title to also play with younger children, as they can progress through the game with a more experienced player helping them.
Conclusion
Hot Rod Mayhem is an entertaining Mario Kart clone that manages to set itself apart thanks to its track design and the rockabilly-like announcer that pops up in between races. The mechanics are great, and it’s a bite-sized kart racing title that is fun for young and old. Sadly, the game suffers from having hardly any content, and this turns this title into something you’ll probably never play again after finishing all the championships. Nonetheless, if you’re a fan of the genre, and were looking for something to scratch that kart racing itch, then Hot Rod Mayhem might be worth looking into.
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