Upon hearing about Hot Wheels Monster Trucks: Stunt Mayhem, my initial thought was to ask myself why there is yet another Hot Wheels game being released by another publisher, right after the magnificent Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged. What else would anyone be able to come up with? Granted, some of my doubts were cleared upon booting Stunt Mayhem up and realizing it is not exactly a racing game, but more of a monster truck stunt simulator, akin to the Monster Jam games. Then I started asking myself… if Monster Jam already exists, and it’s good enough as is, who is Hot Wheels Monster Trucks: Stunt Mayhem for?

Hot Wheels Monster Trucks: Stunt Mayhem might be repetitive as hell, but its controls are actually great.

The short answer: kids. Think of Hot Wheels Monster Trucks: Stunt Mayhem as the entry-level, kid-friendly (or friendlier, as monster trucks aren’t as violent as they look) alternative to the recently released (and totally decent) Monster Jam Showdown. Also, a much more limited alternative, at least in terms of gameplay, modes, and overall amount of content. This game is pretty much focused on stunts, destruction events, and tricks. That results in a very accessible and fast-paced game, perfect for younger audiences, but that also means it’s a lot shallower than its already somewhat shallow counterparts.

I will say that the controls are actually pretty good. It’s very easy to pull off tricks and stunts. Controls are responsive, and the trick system can be learned in, like, ten minutes. Once you master these tricks, you’ll be performing near-infinite stunts with ease. It is not exactly rewarding for an adult, but again, I’m trying to see this game through the eyes of the target audience. Kids won’t exactly mind that the game looks like a mid-tier PS4 title at best, and won’t get fed up with the fact there is only one hard rock riff being played when on a menu. They will simply like how easy it is to perform flips, rolls, and so on.

Each truck has its own special stunt. They are all very underwhelming.

Granted, there’s just not enough content to keep them, or a grown-up, entertained for a long time. Hot Wheels Monster Trucks: Stunt Mayhem is very repetitive and limited. The vast majority of events are all the same, the stadiums all look identical, the narration is repetitive as well. I do appreciate that loading times, at least on the PS5 version, are nearly nonexistent, meaning that it takes you just a few seconds to boot the game up, venture through a handful of menus, and jump straight into a session. But that doesn’t make the game less entertaining. It just makes the act of jumping into what little it can offer less egregious.

There are basically no loading times. If anything, this game is a great “pick up and play” experience.

Hot Wheels Monster Trucks: Stunt Mayhem is an easygoing and accessible monster truck game, but also one that suffers from a severe lack of modes and overall variety. It’s as shallow as the puddles you use to throw your Hot Wheels miniatures into. Kids will enjoy this for a few hours, but that’s about it. For anyone else, Monster Jam Showdown has been released just a few months ago, and it offers a lot more bang for your buck when compared to this game.

Hot Wheels Monster Trucks: Stunt Mayhem is available now on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, PC and Switch.

Reviewed on PS5.

A copy of Hot Wheels Monster Trucks: Stunt Mayhem was provided by the publisher.