Hot Rod Mayhem Review
Hot Rod Mayhem
Release: April 15, 2025
Publisher: Casual Brothers
Developer: Casual Brothers
Genre:
PEGI:
Comments:
Publisher: Casual Brothers
Developer: Casual Brothers
Genre:
PEGI:
Comments:
When it comes to kart racers, the bar is sky-high. Games like Mario Kart and Crash Team Racing have set the standard for what makes this genre so addictive: colorful tracks, chaotic power-ups, and that sweet mix of skill and luck that keeps you coming back for “just one more race.” Hot Rod Mayhem rolls onto the PS5 promising all of that and more. After spending plenty of time behind the wheel, I can say this: it’s a good time, but it never quite shifts into overdrive.
If you’ve played a kart racer before, you’ll feel right at home here. The controls are tight, drifting feels satisfying, and the sense of speed is spot-on. The game offers two main ways to play: standard races and a campaign mode that strings together ten championships. The campaign spices things up with challenges like leaping through hoops or dodging electrified obstacles, which is a nice break from the usual “finish first” formula.
Customization exists, but don’t expect deep tuning options. You can change your driver’s outfit and tweak your kart’s colors, but performance upgrades are off the table. It keeps things fair, sure, but it also means there’s no real sense of progression beyond unlocking new tracks.
Local multiplayer is where Hot Rod Mayhem shines. Four-player split-screen is a blast and feels like a throwback to the golden age of couch gaming. Unfortunately, there’s no online multiplayer—an odd omission in 2025. For a game built on competitive chaos, that’s a big miss.
Power-ups are… fine. You’ve got your homing missiles, speed boosts, and traps, but nothing that really surprises or changes the game. They work, but they don’t wow.
The tracks are easily the highlight here. They’re big, bold, and full of personality. One minute you’re racing around a backyard pool, the next you’re dodging pedestrians in a suburban neighborhood or weaving through a construction site. Some tracks even throw in dynamic hazards like rampaging dinosaurs or sudden snowstorms, which keep things interesting.
The crown jewel is the game’s take on Rainbow Road: a neon-soaked halfpipe that spirals through space. It’s gorgeous, it’s fast, and it’s pure chaos in the best way. That said, the overall track list feels a little thin compared to the heavy hitters in the genre.
On PS5, the game runs like a dream. A steady 60 frames per second keeps the action smooth, even when the screen is packed with racers and explosions. The visuals are bright and playful, leaning into a toy-like aesthetic that suits the tone perfectly. It’s not a technical showcase for the PS5, but it looks good and, more importantly, feels great to play.
The audio, on the other hand, is serviceable but forgettable. The soundtrack is upbeat and fits the vibe, but you won’t be humming these tunes later. The announcer’s voice lines can get old fast, and while the sound effects do their job, they lack the punch of the genre’s best.
Hot Rod Mayhem is a fun, easy-to-pick-up kart racer that nails the basics and delivers some genuinely creative tracks. If you’ve got friends over and want a lighthearted racing game, this will absolutely do the trick. But without online play, a deeper sense of progression, or standout power-ups, it’s hard to see it pulling you away from the genre’s big names for long.
If you’re looking for a new local multiplayer option, give it a spin. Just don’t expect it to become your next obsession.
Trailer
Article By Kevin Austin
