Hot Wheels Velocity X (2013 video game)

Hot Wheels Velocity X is a racing video game developed by Heavy Iron Studios and published by Sega. The game is based on the Hot Wheels toy automobiles. It was released worldwide on 15 February 2013 on Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. The game was later released on the Wii U and PlayStation Vita on March 12 & 14. It is a reboot of the 2002 video game of the same name, developed by Beyond Games and published by THQ.

The game follows the story of the characters from; SpongeBob SquarePants, The Fairly OddParents, The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, Pokemon, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Tomb Raider as they face off against an alien planet bent on world domination. The game features 11 different gadgets and 7 different worlds. Pre-production of the game began in 2009. In the wake of THQ's shut down, Heavy Iron Studios became an independent company, and approached Sega as the publisher of the game. The development team hoped the game would appeal to both newcomers and players of the original game.

After a delayed release from late 2012 to February 2013, Velocity X received much anticipation and hype. Upon release, the game was well received. Critics praised the gameplay, style, graphics, art direction, artificial intelligence, online multiplayer and the co-operative mode, but the game's story was criticized. Hot Wheels Velocity X was commercial success and sold one million copies within 48 hours of its release. The game's budget was smaller than typical AAA games.

Gameplay
Velocity X is a racing game. The game has 4 stats that are measured:
 * Speed: how fast the vehicle can go.
 * Armor: how resistant the vehicle is to damage.
 * Grip: how capable the vehicle is of making sharp turns.
 * Stunt: the car's stunting capability.

The game also features the ability to do stunts (Side Spins, Rolls, and "Breakdancing" which involves flipping side over front). These stunts earn points, ranked by (from worst to best) Good, Great, Amazing, Incredible, and Ultra Cool. If the player fails the stunt, they will get a "Stunt Failed" message. Players can pick up gadgets to disable enemy cars (see the list below).

Cooperative gameplay
The game has an online two-player drop-in/drop-out cooperative mode for the campaign.

Multiplayer
Alongside the single-player mode is an online multiplayer mode, which allows players to compete in several maps. In each multiplayer match, there are two enemy teams: Velcro-cities vs. Scrappers, and there are four types of race games for multiplayer to compete in, played in five different maps: Sprint Race, Circuit Race, Drag Race, and Rescue.

Development
A sequel to the 2002 video game Hot Wheels: Velocity X was announced in September 2009.

Critical response
Hot Wheels Velocity X was positively received. In a 'world exclusive' review, GamesMaster magazine gave the game a score of 92%, as well as the "GamesMaster Gold award" (awarded to games that manage a score of 92% or above). The editor regarded the quality of the visuals, the length and depth of the gameplay, and the "spectacular" last third of the game as the highlights.

GameRankings and Metacritic gave it 93.22% and 87 out of 100 for the PlayStation 3 version; 92.12% and 86 out of 100 for the Xbox 360 version; 91.08% and 86 out of 100 for the PC version; 89.67% and 81 out of 100 for the PlayStation Vita version; and 75.42% and 72 out of 100 for the Wii U version.