Hot Wheels unveils a ‘Rocket League’ tabletop soccer game with RC cars

By Mark Austin Published February 17, 2018

Rocket League — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Hot Wheels and game developer Psyonix have teamed up for a real-life version of their popular over-the-top mashup of soccer and car racing game Rocket League. No speed boosts are included, but two Battle Cars from the game can take to the pitch and try to ram an oversized soccer ball through their opponent’s goal.

The Hot Wheels Rocket League RC Rivals game was unveiled at the Toy Fair in New York, and it comes with authentic Dominus and Octane vehicles from the video game. The set also includes the game ball, a stadium, and a charging base.

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Both Battle Cars are controlled via Bluetooth from your tablet or smartphone. The built-in scoreboard automatically scores any goals made via an infrared sensor in the ball. Sound effects to match the video game will also be added to the tabletop version.

The set also includes some codes that will unlock exclusive in-game items for use in Rocket League matches.

This isn’t the first time that Hot Wheels and Rocket League have joined forces. Last year, a DLC for the game added two of Mattel’s most popular models, Bone Shaker and Twin Mill III.

After a hands-on preview session at the Toy Fair, CNET compared it to a foosball game, and they noted that the cars can be set to ten different speed levels.

Although this is Rocket League’s first foray into remote-control models, it has introduced a variety of toy cars to capitalize on the popularity of the game. Along with a series of Pull-Back Racers from Zag Toys last year, the Light-Up Clip-on versions of eight racers are being released in March.

Not to mention that the developer been busy releasing Rocket League on virtually every platform possible, with a Nintendo Switch version debuting just a few months ago. It’s one of the few titles that fully supports cross-platform play, although PlayStation has famously declined multiple times to participate. It’s also been a big hit in the eSports community, with tournaments being broadcast on X Games and NBC.

The Hot Wheels Rocket League Rivals RC Set will be available later this year for $180.

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Mark’s first encounter with high-tech was a TRS-80. He spent 20 years working for Nintendo and Xbox as a writer and…

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