Hotshot Racing

 Xbox One
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 23 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 23
  3. Negative: 3 out of 23

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  1. Xbox_Alive
    Sep 14, 2020
    9
    Hotshot Racing is a blisteringly fast arcade-style racing game fusing drift handling, razor-sharp retro visuals and an incredible sense of speed to create an exhilarating driving experience. There’s a style of racing game that disappeared a while ago; striking colours, upbeat soundtracks, simple car handling and exotic looking landscapes. This relates to Sega’s golden years, withHotshot Racing is a blisteringly fast arcade-style racing game fusing drift handling, razor-sharp retro visuals and an incredible sense of speed to create an exhilarating driving experience. There’s a style of racing game that disappeared a while ago; striking colours, upbeat soundtracks, simple car handling and exotic looking landscapes. This relates to Sega’s golden years, with pioneering 3D graphics with the likes of Daytona USA and Sega Rally. Thankfully, the developers have taken aim at this under-served section of the racing crowd and really hit the pedal with Hotshot Racing. It’s the sort of game that is everything a fan of arcade racers could want, especially if you had fond memories of those classics i mentioned. It truly captures a style of racing that is rarely seen these days. It’s fast-paced, easy to pick up and play and most importantly, it’s really fun to play. It may have its certain quirks like rubber-banding, but that just adds to the authenticity of the era it’s based around. This is a great racing title that nails the driving mechanics and delivers an experience for both newcomers and veterans alike. Get this game, it’s worth every penny! Daytoooooooonnnnnsaaaaa so far away!… Expand
  2. musicmaniac1965
    Sep 11, 2020
    8
    A great arcade racer from the people that brought us OutRun 2 and for instance the latest Sonic racing game, Sumo Digital.

    If you like games like Daytona USA, Ridge Racer, and OutRun 2, where you drift trough corners to keep the most speed, this is the game for you. This is a trip down memory lane, even while the game is new! Graphics: This could be the big brother of Virtua Racing    A great arcade racer from the people that brought us OutRun 2 and for instance the latest Sonic racing game, Sumo Digital.

    If you like games like Daytona USA, Ridge Racer, and OutRun 2, where you drift trough corners to keep the most speed, this is the game for you. This is a trip down memory lane, even while the game is new!

    Graphics: This could be the big brother of Virtua Racing (recently released on Nintendo Switch)! Its looks great thanks to those plain polygons, with cool track themes witch gives a Sega feel to it. No, it won't push the hardware, but those eye popping collors, smooth frame rate, and no pop in that i could notice, makes this one a looker!

    Sound: The cars sound like the looks, like a arcade racer. The music is upbeat and fast to give you extra adrenaline. The selected song speeds up in the final lap. No bells and whistles, but good sound FX and cheesy music helps giving this game that oldschool vibe!

    Gameplay: I haven't tried shifting myself, but on automatic, the drifting works the same as Burnout/Team Sonic Racing. Just apply the brakes while you keep the hammer down, and you will drift, earning boost (also like Burnout). Also drafting/slipstreaming fills up the boost meter, and gain you boost if you stay in the zone long enough. The hard rubberbanding effect makes it so that you always have a exiting race. Just save one or two boost blocks for when you're in the final lap closing in on the finish, and you can pass 2 or more cars before you finish! Yes, it's simple, but the speed and responsive controlls makes this one a winner!

    Lastabillity: It has more than 3 tracks (with each having a variation or two), has adictive gameplay, and that happy feel you get from the game keeps you comming back for more. I don't know if this will become a true classic that will be played years after its release, but i think i will keep comming back to it, just like i do with Virtua Racing, Out Run, and Daytona USA!

    Conclusion: for the cheap price, this is a winner! I would even pay more and still would have got my moneys worth out of the fun thrills the game gives. If you like arcade racers like i do, give this one a chance! On Xbox it's also in Game Pass, so try it out!    … Expand
  3. GamergodsFail
    Sep 27, 2020
    7
    Hotshot Racing is a hit-or-miss for me. It's a nice, classic-feeling throwback to 90s arcade racing games like Virtua Racing and Daytona USA. I find myself enjoying the standard arcade mode most, and the Drive or Explode mode is also very exciting to play. Cops and Robbers I can't get into, and it doesn't help that you can't choose whose side you're on when it starts. The AI in Grand PrixHotshot Racing is a hit-or-miss for me. It's a nice, classic-feeling throwback to 90s arcade racing games like Virtua Racing and Daytona USA. I find myself enjoying the standard arcade mode most, and the Drive or Explode mode is also very exciting to play. Cops and Robbers I can't get into, and it doesn't help that you can't choose whose side you're on when it starts. The AI in Grand Prix mode is a bit too aggressive to the player that it can feel cheap and unfair at times. It's a decent novelty arcade style racer that even includes an over-the-top ecstatic announcer voice in there, but that's the only major appeal.… Expand
  4. Prizm
    Aug 17, 2021
    3
    Halfway through the first track, I started getting bored. It was a snorefest. Is that all this game is? Going around in circles with no strategy other than turning a corner and gOiNg FasTar? I must've gotten the wrong impression from the trailers, because I thought this game had some more depth to it.

    On top of that, the graphics are just too dated, and not in a good way. I appreciate a    Halfway through the first track, I started getting bored. It was a snorefest. Is that all this game is? Going around in circles with no strategy other than turning a corner and gOiNg FasTar? I must've gotten the wrong impression from the trailers, because I thought this game had some more depth to it.

    On top of that, the graphics are just too dated, and not in a good way. I appreciate a simple aesthetic when executed well, but some games just take it too far and it becomes embarrassing rather than cool.

    The only good thing was the smooth menu UI and a couple nice visual/audio touches that reminded me of Sonic All-Stars Transformed, which was also made by Sumo Digital. I'd much rather be playing Transformed right now.    … Expand
  5. GamerGuysNGals
    Sep 12, 2020
    9
    Hotshot Racing caught my eye from the announcement of it’s upcoming release. In my teen years I spent a lot of time with “Daytona Racing” at the Arcades and on the Sega Saturn. I loved everything about it from it’s art style, to it’s incredible music. “Hotshot Racing” really captured everything I loved about it, and a heck of a lot more. So many more game modes, vehicles, and charactersHotshot Racing caught my eye from the announcement of it’s upcoming release. In my teen years I spent a lot of time with “Daytona Racing” at the Arcades and on the Sega Saturn. I loved everything about it from it’s art style, to it’s incredible music. “Hotshot Racing” really captured everything I loved about it, and a heck of a lot more. So many more game modes, vehicles, and characters that i really don’t know where to start. That isn’t my only struggle though, I don’t want to work on this review because that means I’m not playing it. It’s that hard to step away from especially if you have people to play it with you. There are a ton of modes, and it’s just a blast to play with friends. It’s even fun playing with people you don’t even know. The game has couch and online multiplayer so the best of both worlds. Let’s just start with the modes I guess. Sounds a good a place as any.

    My favorite mode of course is the standard Grand Prix where you can choose from one of the 8 Hotshots and one of their four vehicles. Keiko, Xing, Mike, Alexa, Aston, Toshiro, Marcus and Viktor all have four different cars , and lifestyles. When you win a cup with one of them it delivers a little story cut scene about them and why they are trying to be the best racer in the world. It’s a blast to listen to so make sure you don’t skip it. Each character has their own sayings and stuff while racing. Some really funny and enjoyable lines that are hard to forget. You can also upgrade their cars with money you get for winning. So you can make the cars and drivers look a ton of different ways. You don’t have to be greedy it’s easy to make money so spend away. My second favorite mode would have to be Cops and Robbers. Yous tart the race with the cops chasing you, and as they catch each racer they are converted to Cops as well until there is just one. It makes for some really intense action.This mode is a multiplayer’s dream as the fun just never ends, and winning feels so good. There is also a Drive or Explode mode where you have a set speed you can’t drop below or you explode. Reminds me of the movie speed or the vehicle missions on GTA 5. There is also Quick races, Drifting, and boosting modes to help improve those skills. When you drift in this game your boost goes up, you can pocket up to 5 and then you stop gaining them so best to use them wisely. All these modes make the game really addicting, and it never feels repetitive at all. Each mode is available in single-player, four-player split-screen and eight-player online, while Time Trial is single-player only. Single-player modes run at a blistering 60FPS to deliver one of the fastest depictions of racing possible. There are also online Leaderboards for you people who like to compare times against other racers and friends. I’m sure you will find me there.

    The looks and sounds really give you that 90’s Arcade racer feel. It looks and feels a lot like “Daytona” but a lot more in depth. There are a lot more bright and colorful areas. Take in coastal, jungle, alpine and Las Vegas desert environments, with each course modeled with the most vivid colors and blue skies for miles. It is just beautiful to look, and I love how much the environments change race by race. The music is top quality as well. I really enjoyed a lot of the songs that played along the way. I just enjoyed everything about this game from start to finish, and have a hard time finding anything negative to say about it. If you love racing games like I do I’ll find it hard to believe if you don’t enjoy this one as well. It just does everything right. The way it looks and sounds, to all the different choices of environments, racers, and cars. All the really unique and different modes, as well as ability to play with who you want to either at home or online. It’s hard to not enjoy all that.

    I really hope to hear from some of you on this one, and maybe throw together some races. Would be a lot of fun to actually find more people to enjoy this one. I always love “Curve Digital” games, but this might actually be my new favorite of their releases. So grab it , and give me a shout in the comments, and maybe we can make a lobby. Or if you see me on the track give me a holla in the messages either way will be fun to see others enjoying it as much as I have. This might be the most fun racer I’ve played in 2020. There is just so much to do on it, and everything was thrown together just perfectly.    … Expand
  6. JoaleJG
    Sep 13, 2020
    10
    The game is exceptional , has the right amount of fun , channel and charm.
    The cheaters are fun and interesting as strange it sound
  7. adejong
    Sep 14, 2020
    10
    I can finally beat "AAA"'s best time on this arcade racing game without putting a coin in the machine every 3 races.
  8. YzicK
    Jan 31, 2021
    9
    Довольно не плохая гонка, довольно веселенькая, есть много карт и 4 режима игры. Самое хорошее это то что можно играть с другом на одном экране, все как раньше
  9. OpperMeneer
    Mar 21, 2021
    10
    As an experienced racing veteran I was immediately attracted to both this game's style, as a reminder to early 3D racing games, and its developer, Sumo Digital, also experienced in porting big arcade racers like OutRun2 to console.

    I was not immediately blown away during my first attempt, however this game truly comes to life on the higher difficulty settings, which make the game    As an experienced racing veteran I was immediately attracted to both this game's style, as a reminder to early 3D racing games, and its developer, Sumo Digital, also experienced in porting big arcade racers like OutRun2 to console.

    I was not immediately blown away during my first attempt, however this game truly comes to life on the higher difficulty settings, which make the game blistering fast as well. The drifting mechanic is challenging and gorgeous. Technically it's also a beautifull perfect 60fps blast.

    Beware: it's not an easy racegame and certainly not for everyone, and 99,95% of it's players can only dream of unlocking all achievements. But if you're looking for a fast-paced, challening arcade racer that is both vintage and modern, this is it.    … Expand
  10. eternalpasta
    Dec 11, 2022
    8
    classic retro-style arcade racer. would work as a good introduction to racing games in general and i like the way the game feels. my main complaint is that the characters can get annoying pretty quick. hope to see more games from the devs in the future

Awards & Rankings

37
#37 Best Xbox One Game of 2020
65
#65 Most Discussed Xbox One Game of 2020

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 9 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 9
  3. Negative: 0 out of 9
  1. MondoXbox
    Oct 4, 2020
    86
    Hotshot Racing follows the lead of classic arcade racers like Out Run and Daytona USA, with a colorful and detailed low-poly look and highly enjoyable gameplay. Lots of modes, including 4 player split-screen and online play, make it a very satisfying experience. A game every racing games lover should try, at least via Xbox Game Pass.
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  2. GameGrin
    Sep 28, 2020
    90
    Beautiful looking, challenging racing game that recreates all the things you love about arcade racers. Great single and multiplayer experiences to be had here.
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  3. ZTGD
    Sep 17, 2020
    80
    The visuals are absolutely incredible. As mentioned, the stages really pop, and the thick defined polygons really capture that 90s feel. The game runs at a wonderful clip and the colors simply pop off the screen. The music is fun, and the characters all have unique attitudes, even if they wear out their welcome quickly. Hotshot Racing is an incredible nostalgia trip that I cannot recommend enough. Game Pass owners should note that the game is included in Microsoft’s service, so there is no excuse not to give it a try. This is the most fun I have had with a racing game in quite some time.
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