Hotshot Racing

Even with these minor complaints, Hotshot Racing is an excellent example of nailing the 90’s arcade experience. Both in graphics, gameplay, and even sound.

If you miss the days of insane drifts, loud announcers and time-extending checkpoints then Hotshot Racing fills that gap nicely. While this arcade racing competitor certainly has a few dings in it, Hotshot Racing manages to nail the truly important areas. It handles well, feels fast and has that ‘one-more-go’ feel you want from games of this genre. Veteran or newcomer, Hotshot Racing is an exhilarating time.

Hotshot Racing is a title that fans of racing games will love. Its technical section may not be the most modern, but its good controls, its large number of unlockables and its gameplay make it an accessible proposal that is worth playing if you like the genre.

Hotshot Racing is a window back into the 1990s, not only in looks but how it plays with some old some fashioned rubber banding. The look and gameplay might not be for everyone, but it's authentic and it's a tonne of fun. I just wish there was more of it. You don't need to be an arcade fan of old to enjoy this, but you'll enjoy it even more if you are.

Hotshot Racing is a high-octane racing treat for the Switch. Whilst self-aware of its 90s inspirations, these never get in the way of providing a solid arcade racer – something any current console will benefit from.

Multiplayer options will naturally add longevity if you want to explore them with pals - but as an arcade racer in 2020, this is absolutely best in class.

If the look of Hotshot Racing appeals to you and you can appreciate the aesthetic delights of something that looks deliberately low-fi and polygonal, the action it offers on the track does an excellent job of backing up the game's style with substance. It may have its quirks and it may turn you into a paranoid conspiracy theorist ready to tell tales of rubber-banding to anyone who’ll listen to you, but hey: that just adds to the authenticity of the era it’s based on. This is a fine racing title that truly nails its driving mechanics and delivers an exhilarating experience that will captivate newcomers and veterans alike.

Racing down memory lane has never felt so good. With that being said, it’s unlikely you’ll stay there for too long as there isn’t too much to see. [Issue #2, p.60]

I have to admit, I found Hotshot Racing to be quite enamoring. I don’t have much nostalgia for the early days of 3D racing games, but I do appreciate a good arcade racer, and that’s exactly what this is. Its cheery sound design and visuals are endlessly charming and the driving feels exactly as it should. If you feel the need to go back to the simpler days of racing games, this certainly fits the bill. This likely won’t be the last time I take it for a lap around the track.

If Hotshot Racing were just a little more balanced, it would’ve been something special, but as it stands, it feels more like a missed opportunity.

Once I got the hang of drifting, I really started enjoying Hotshot Racing, but it will not sustain me as a solo player for long. Its utility (for me) will be multiplayer shenanigans, which is just fine.

It all results in a game that is enjoyable enough while you’re playing it, but it doesn’t leave a massive or lasting impression.

Hotshot Racing looks like a dream come true to those who lived the golden age of the arcade racing games of early '90, but shallow gameplay and bland track design are keeping it far away from those glorious milestones.

High on speed and low on polygons, Hotshot Racing is a super-saturated, old-school ode to the golden era of early ’90s 3D racers. Drawing oodles of inspiration from acclaimed coin-op kings like Virtua Racing, Daytona USA, and Ridge Racer, Hotshot Racing is confident, quick, and boasts a cracking arcade handling model, although its tracks are mostly simple and cause it to quickly lose a bit of steam as a single-player experience.