A new Hot Wheels-inspired video game has been launched, featuring a solid roster of the brand’s icons – both real and imagined.

Hot Wheels Unleashed is for anyone who has ever found themselves yearning to whip out some plastic orange track and send tiny cars to breakneck speeds.

Gen Y and Z readers might remember Hot Wheels Turbo Racing – set to a thumping soundtrack headlined by Metallica’s Fuel, it became a Playstation 1 and Nintendo 64 classic.

Created by MotoGP developer Milestone, Hot Wheels Unleashed is a fitting successor to the seminal game.

Brand-name machines featured include a 2018 COPO Camaro, ‘55 Chevy, ‘32 Ford and ‘69 Charger Daytona.

Knight Rider’s K.I.T.T is another offering, as is the Back to the Future DeLorean and even the Ninja Turtles’ Party Wagon.

Classic Hot Wheels designs appear too, such as 1969’s Twin Mill and Rodger Dodger, a Charger-inspired beast with a huge blower. Dozens of new cars are also scheduled to appear in upcoming content packs, including Street Fighter and Batman-themed racers.

A huge amount of detail has been packed into each car, with each model perfectly replicating its toy counterpart. Look closely and you’ll see trademarks moulded into your car’s plastic base, tiny paint bubbles, and even fingerprint smudges on the plastic windscreen.

Customisation options abound, allowing you to replicate real-world liveries or go crazy with your own designs.There’s also a track editor with all sorts of banking turns, speed boosts, and loop-the-loops.

Handling is more dynamic than you’d expect from a Hot Wheels game, and can be surprisingly punishing. The drift mechanics are more Forza Horizon than Mario Kart, and flying off the track will usually put you in last place.

That said, it’s still fun for all ages, especially with the difficulty cranked down and split-screen enabled. Of course, there’s competitive online racing on offer, too. No gaming wheel is necessary, though we’d suggest a controller of some sort if you’re a PC player.

Hot Wheels Unleashed is available now for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Playstation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One and Xbox Series X.