Going back to basics is phenomenally underrated, as Hotshot Racing PC will immediately confirm. Many of us have a pretty darn big soft spot for games we're nostalgic about. This, in turn, affects which games we play today! Thing is, some genres and certain niches are never developed further, and playing games from the 90s on emulators oftentimes breaks the illusion of how good they actually were. If you enjoyed Virtua Racing back in the day, for example, but found it to be kind of uninteresting in the 21st century, there was nowhere to turn. Up until now, that is!

Hotshot Racing is basically the prototypical arcade racing game from the 90s, except it's modernized for the gaming awesomeness of 2020. It looks retro in the best possible way, and it plays just how you'd want an arcade racer of this caliber to play!

Today, we present you with a short overview of the kind of gaming experience you get from Hotshot Racing PC. That means a full content overview, features summary, and everything else that's important about the game. Let's get to it!

Play Hotshot Racing today, featuring the launch discount!

What is Hotshot Racing, really?

As per Eurogamer, this is "an enjoyable and detailed racer [that] successfully invokes the spirit of the 90s arcade," which is wonderful praise in our book. In fact, we haven't had a true arcade racing game since Horizon Chase, and it was about darn time we got one! In our case, Hotshot Racing PC is pretty much the game we remember Virtua Racing to be. Except, y'know, up-to-date, and way more intriguing to play in this day and age.

The setup is simple! You just need to be the first to cross the finish line! Since there are up to 7 other vehicles on the track attempting to do the same, however, it's not quite as easy as you might expect. Featuring modernized, albeit clearly classically-inspired controls, you'll drift through corners at ridiculous speeds and smash into other cars in ways you'd avoid in something like Forza. Really, at this point, it feels kind of strange to be pushing both Forza Horizon and Hotshot Racing in the same genre. Sure, both of them are technically arcade, but there's a truly massive difference between the two games. Now, if it's a real arcade racer you're in need of, Hotshot Racing PC is what you want.

Hotshot Racing PC Content: Cars, Characters, and Post-Launch Support

One fault that many games like Hotshot Racing share is that their content isn't what you'd call "deep", compared to modern RPGs and whatnot. Don't expect intricate leveling and unlock systems here: for the most part, what you see is what you get. Thankfully, there's a fair bit to see in Hotshot Racing PC!

The first order of business are Characters and Cars, as these will be your bread-and-butter. There are 8 different playable characters, with each of them having access to 4 unique vehicles. That brings the playable roster to 32 cars. Impressive, especially for an arcade racing game! And there's customization on top of that, also. Now, it's not as insanely granular as what Need for Speed: Heat offers, but it's not exactly the default in this particular genre! Best of all, you've got your pick of 16 tracks to race on! Jungles, mountains, deserts... you name it, chances are that it's in the game.

As you progress through Hotshot Racing's many Championship events and individual races, you'll notice that there are a few standout game modes to keep in mind. Drive or Explode, for example, attaches an explosive to your vehicle that forces you to drive as fast as humanly possible. Cops and Robbers, on the other hand, quickly devolves into a mad dash for the finale, no matter which side you end up on. It's all pretty fun, honestly! Even more so in hotseat multiplayer!

Does Hotshot Racing have Local Hotseat Multiplayer?

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It sure does! No matter which game mode you want to play, it's fully available for up to four players in local hotseat multiplayer, too. We won't lie: we're huge fans of games that go out of their way to feature local multiplayer. This makes Hotshot Racing that much better in our books, too! We'll be sure to include it in our next local multiplayer recommendation article, so stay tuned for that.

If that's not exactly your forte, though, fret not. This game also supports up to 8 players in online matchups for most of its game modes. That way, even if playing solo gets boring, you'll still have a competitive context to play around in.

Post-Launch Content Plans

It's not like classic arcade racers ever got much in the way of post-launch support, right? That said, there is more content coming to Hotshot Racing PC, in case you want more. According to the game's store listing, we should expect the following:

Whether this extends to more characters, vehicles, or other such boons, we do not yet know. In any case, the game certainly has no lack of content, and with more on the way, it's difficult not to recommend it to those who enjoy the genre!

What makes Hotshot Racing PC such a good game?

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In simplest possible terms, it's made by people who know their stuff! Hotshot Racing PC was made by SUMO Nottingham and Lucky Mountain Games, and the game's creative director - Trevor Ley - worked on Burnout games back in the day! Trust us when we say that there's some serious pedigree behind Hotshot Racing.

Speaking about its concrete features, though, our bet is on the game's unique meld of old and new. It simultaneously feels like it came out in the 90s, and like a brand new game, which it obviously is. From diverse camera viewpoints and vehicle customization all the way to wacky drift mechanics and ridiculous race tracks. It's precisely what a fan of true arcade racers would want out of it! Best of all? It runs at a lovely 60 FPS, if you've got the specs for it!

Hotshot Racing PC System Requirements

Though Hotshot Racing will run on most decent gaming rigs, playing it fully maxed-out is not quite as easy as you might imagine. Here are the recommended specs, if you want to hit 'ultra' and leave it at that!

You didn't expect the game to require a GTX 970, right? We know, we know - RTX 3000 is coming any day now - but it should be pretty darn obvious that the GTX 970 is still a very solid GPU. Your mileage may vary, of course, but it doesn't seem like Hotshot Racing will enter our low-spec multiplayer gaming selection after all.

Wrap-up!

The bottom line is delightfully simple. We believe that fans of arcade racing games will find much to love in Hotshot Racing PC, and most popular reviewers tend to agree with us! According to Forbes' own review, "Older players will get all the references; newcomers will enjoy a bright, exhilarating game that forgoes modern frills for pure, seamless racing entertainment."

The game has just about everything you could wish for in an arcade racer, and with more content coming in the near future, there's promise of lots more to enjoy in an already lovely package. Makes the game quite hard not to recommend! We're not saying that's unbeatable, but we do think the game should be on your radar if you just want to race. Check out Hotshot Racing right here at 2Game, and have a great weekend!

Going back to basics is phenomenally underrated, as Hotshot Racing PC will immediately confirm. Many of us have a pretty darn big soft spot for games we’re nostalgic about. This, in turn, affects which games we play today! Thing is, some genres and certain niches are never developed further, and playing games from the 90s on emulators oftentimes […]