This simple approach to control doesn't allow children to gain access to the new tracks but does permit even the youngest to enjoy the game. For instance, if a child simply presses the up arrow, the car will maneuver around the track, although it'll veer off a few times and be much slower than if the user was trying to handle corners correctly. Graphics are well done and control of the vehicles is simplified dramatically to accommodate young hands. Once completed, tracks can be tested immediately and saved for later use or tweaking. The track pieces consist of jumps, corners, straight-aways, loops and tunnels, just to name a few, and the overall process is intuitive and easy to use. You steer, accelerate and decelerate through these areas with the mouse or arrow keys while attempting to dodge items like a cat's tail or a barking dog.Īlthough only a limited number of tracks come with the game, you can design your own from a set of pre-made parts - simply point-and-click on the pieces to place them together in a new arrangement. Like the cars, every track is unique and will appeal to children, being set in common household areas such as a living room, attic, greenhouse or bedroom. Only four tracks are available at the start of the game but the number increases when you finish them with fast enough times.
Your choice of vehicle greatly affects how it handles the corners, loops and straight-aways you'll encounter on the included tracks.
For instance, one car might perform excellent stunts but is very slow, while another may have great speed but very little acceleration. The Hot Wheels vehicles are meticulously designed to resemble their real world counterparts and each has strengths and weaknesses that may affect your selection when beginning play. Gameplay is designed so as to eliminate the need for adult supervision with simple game screens and menu options displayed in such a way that children who can't read yet will be able to navigate with little difficulty. Although the game lacks varying levels of difficulty or the ability to race against human opponents, the lack of those features does not hurt playability, as the excellent graphics and sound effects will keep kids glued to the computer for hours. Everything in the game is designed to appeal to the intended 5-year old and up age group. Hot Wheels Stunt Track Driver CD-ROM can be summed up in a single word: simple.