Hot Wheels Infinite Rush arrives as Milestone’s open-world take on the Hot Wheels racing formula, running on platforms including a tested Nintendo Switch 2 build.
As a sequel in the Hot Wheels Unleashed line, Infinite Rush trades the tightly designed miniature circuits of earlier entries for four fully explorable islands populated with races, challenges and collectibles.
Background and context
Milestone, known for its work on racing series including past Hot Wheels titles, has positioned Infinite Rush as a departure from the no-nonsense circuit racing of Hot Wheels Unleashed.
The new title emphasizes free-roam gameplay across themed islands — a modern metropolis, a dusty canyon, a tropical area and an East Asian–inspired isle — while retaining arcade-style handling and a broad car roster.
Gameplay and structure
The core driving experience remains an arcade-first affair: vehicles feel light and responsive, drifting is a reliable boost mechanic, and a clear sense of speed is present across the board.
Cars are categorized into four classes — versatile, drifter, speeder and titan — each tailored to different driving styles and event types.
Titans are heavier and build momentum at speed; drifters excel at cornering for boost; speeders reward sustained velocity; versatile cars serve as all-rounders.
The game includes well over 100 cars to unlock, with a mix that leans more toward licensed, realistic designs than the wackier roster of previous titles.
Open world design and progression
Events and challenges are scattered across each island and are activated by driving to their locations.
Main events are the primary source of progression points required to challenge each island’s Rushers, the game’s boss races, while smaller challenges award currency and cosmetic rewards.
The open-world approach offers freedom to explore, collect and stunt, but the shift away from oversized, toy-sized track set pieces means Infinite Rush sometimes loses the distinct ‘‘miniature world’’ feel that defined the first Unleashed games.
Features and modes
Players can customize vehicles using a detailed livery editor and adjust performance with a perk system.
Multiplayer options include online racing and local split-screen for up to four players.
The reviewer noted disappointment that free-roam multiplayer wasn’t available for local co-op — families wanting to casually explore islands together must instead enter races.
Technical notes and verdict
On Nintendo Switch 2 the build tested runs smoothly with generally clean visuals, including playable split-screen performance, though load times between activities can be lengthy and interrupt pacing.
The overall assessment awarded Infinite Rush a 7/10, praising its core arcade driving and content depth while noting the trade-offs of the open-world direction and technical slowdowns.
Version tested: Nintendo Switch 2.
Review copy provided by Milestone.
As a sequel in the Hot Wheels Unleashed line, Infinite Rush trades the tightly designed miniature circuits of earlier entries for four fully explorable islands populated with races, challenges and collectibles.
Background and context
Milestone, known for its work on racing series including past Hot Wheels titles, has positioned Infinite Rush as a departure from the no-nonsense circuit racing of Hot Wheels Unleashed.
The new title emphasizes free-roam gameplay across themed islands — a modern metropolis, a dusty canyon, a tropical area and an East Asian–inspired isle — while retaining arcade-style handling and a broad car roster.
Gameplay and structure
The core driving experience remains an arcade-first affair: vehicles feel light and responsive, drifting is a reliable boost mechanic, and a clear sense of speed is present across the board.
Cars are categorized into four classes — versatile, drifter, speeder and titan — each tailored to different driving styles and event types.
Titans are heavier and build momentum at speed; drifters excel at cornering for boost; speeders reward sustained velocity; versatile cars serve as all-rounders.
The game includes well over 100 cars to unlock, with a mix that leans more toward licensed, realistic designs than the wackier roster of previous titles.
Open world design and progression
Events and challenges are scattered across each island and are activated by driving to their locations.
Main events are the primary source of progression points required to challenge each island’s Rushers, the game’s boss races, while smaller challenges award currency and cosmetic rewards.
The open-world approach offers freedom to explore, collect and stunt, but the shift away from oversized, toy-sized track set pieces means Infinite Rush sometimes loses the distinct ‘‘miniature world’’ feel that defined the first Unleashed games.
Features and modes
Players can customize vehicles using a detailed livery editor and adjust performance with a perk system.
Multiplayer options include online racing and local split-screen for up to four players.
The reviewer noted disappointment that free-roam multiplayer wasn’t available for local co-op — families wanting to casually explore islands together must instead enter races.
Technical notes and verdict
On Nintendo Switch 2 the build tested runs smoothly with generally clean visuals, including playable split-screen performance, though load times between activities can be lengthy and interrupt pacing.
The overall assessment awarded Infinite Rush a 7/10, praising its core arcade driving and content depth while noting the trade-offs of the open-world direction and technical slowdowns.
Version tested: Nintendo Switch 2.
Review copy provided by Milestone.
