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For the longest time, players were suffering from a dearth of arcade racers that are easy to get into. Gamers without a Nintendo Switch would have to stay content with other kart racers that were clearly inferior to the superiority of Mario Kart. However, after a long lull period, both console and PC players finally had their prayers answered with the release of Hot Wheels Unleashed.
Milestone has clearly put in a ton of work into the driving mechanics of Hot Wheels Unleashed, making them extremely accessible yet quite deep at the same time. However, while new players can easily get into Hot Wheels Unleashed, there's no denying the fact that mistakes can easily be made in the game that will be severely punished by the intelligent AI. Keeping this in mind, here are some of the most common mistakes made by players in Hot Wheels Unleashed.
10 Missing A Checkpoint
One of the most frustrating mistakes in Hot Wheels Unleashed is definitely missing a crucial checkpoint. This doesn't happen often, but can annoy the player to no end when it does.
Players should be extra mindful of following the track when the racing space opens up and keeping an eye out for checkpoints. Once they trigger this checkpoint, they can proceed to take an alternate path in the limited time that they have.
9 Boosting On A Downward Incline
Boosting is one of the most important mechanics in Hot Wheels Unleashed that can be key to securing victory. However, players should be aware that this mechanic is extremely risky as well.
After all, the player is still controlling a light toy car at the end of the day. Triggering a boost right before a downward incline might propel this car so quickly that it might leave the entire track.
8 Employing The Same Technique For Every Car While Drifting
Drifting is one of the most integral mechanics that players should make an effort to master in Hot Wheels Unleashed. It also differs for every car on the basis of their handling, braking speed, weight, aerodynamics, and a bunch of other factors.
A drifting technique that works for one car might not necessarily work for another. Players need to be malleable and adjust their style of play for each car instead of sticking to one strategy, especially when it comes to drifting.
7 Boosting While Nearing A Jump
There are several jumps present across the tracks of Hot Wheels Unleashed. Players who want to ace these jumps might try and boost to increase the ground they gain here.
However, players should keep in mind that boosting right before a jump can have unforeseen consequences, generally resulting in their car flying off the course. So, players should resist the urge of boosting before a jump and trigger this after sticking the landing instead.
6 Failing To Respawn Almost Instantly After Making A Critical Mistake
Accidents can definitely happen in Hot Wheels Unleashed, with the player's car being prone to flipping over or veering off-course quite drastically. However, players can easily respawn to get back on track after these mistakes by holding down Triangle or Y.
Unfortunately, some players still try to salvage their position from a hopeless situation, which eats up extra seconds and can potentially cost them the race. In the event of any problems, it's better to just respawn as soon as possible when the chances of a quick recovery are slim.
5 Activating A Boost Right Before Re-entering The Race Track
There are times in Hot Wheels Unleashed when players will race on the environment itself as opposed to a pre-made track. These moments add a level of variety to the race but come with a fair share of risks too.
Re-entering the track is imperative during these moments, and some people might jump the gun by boosting right before they enter the track again. This can have dire consequences, with the player's car flying off if the angle is not correct. So, it's better that players calmly get back on the race track before speeding away without a care in the world.
4 Spending Coins On Level Cosmetics
The economy of Hot Wheels Unleashed is extremely stingy, with players getting only a handful of coins for every race and that too in just the Campaign mode. So, it's imperative to save these coins to get more cars or unlock new tracks.
However, there's another place that players can spend these coins on which is nothing more than a waste — cosmetic decorative in the Basement portion of the game. While spicing up the play area is well and good, players should opt for this only when they have surplus coins, and definitely stray away from such wasteful expenses when they don't even have a good car to rely on yet.
3 Speeding Up Right Before A Sharp Turn
The turns of Hot Wheels Unleashed are extremely sharp at times, mandating the need to drift. However, some players might underestimate the severity of these turns and try going forward at full speed, sometimes even with a boost.
This foolhardy strategy is almost certainly going to lead to the player bumping into the track wall and losing precious speed. So, it's better to just drift and build up the boost meter instead of trying to be clever.
2 Losing Speed Right Before A Loop
There are various loops that players will have to tackle in the courses of Hot Wheels Unleashed. There's a critical mistake that players can make while crossing these loops, and that's losing speed right before hitting this obstacle.
A lack of speed coupled with low acceleration will lead to players falling from this loop and losing precious seconds. To avoid this, players are recommended to hit this loop dead-on and keep a boost handing to increase the speed of clearing this obstacle as well.
1 Underestimating The AI
The AI of Hot Wheels Unleashed is extremely smart and will waste no time in showing players just how badly their mistakes can be punished. Even the most skillful racing game aficionados might find the AI to be challenging on Normal as well.
There's no shame in keeping the AI on Easy and getting acquainted with the mechanics of the game. After learning the ins and outs of this game, players can ramp up the difficulty and challenge themselves.