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

By Mark Austin 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.

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.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

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

Gaming

The best iPhone emulators

A collage of the delta emulator.

The market for iPhone games has become so wide and diverse that it can realistically compete with most console and PC offerings. Where we once only got cheap time-wasters, we now have complete experiences that don't feel any less impressive than what the competition offers. In fact, a lot of games made for consoles are appearing on the iPhone now that it is becoming so powerful. However, older games have paradoxically been mostly absent from the app store.

That all could be about to change as emulation is now allowed on iPhone, though with some caveats that any retro fan should know about before getting too excited to play all your favorite NES games on your phone. Here's what's up with iPhone emulators, as well as our picks for a few of the best ones you can get right now.
What you need to know about emulation on iPhone
Emulators on iPhone, as well as emulation in general, are in a strange legal gray zone. Previously, the only way to get an emulator on your iPhone was through some workarounds that generally involved jailbreaking your phone. That differs from Android, which has enjoyed native emulators for years. In 2024, Apple updated its App Store guidelines to allow for emulators on its store, but with some important restrictions.

Gaming

Epic Games just teased a Fallout and Fortnite crossover

Two vault-dwellers and a helmet from a set of power armor.

With Fallout being everywhere right now, it's only fair that it joins Fortnite, too. Epic Games teased on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday that the iconic open-world RPG series will be coming to Fortnite.

While there aren't any public details yet on what will be offered during this collaboration, we can expect some Fallout-themed weapons and some skins. Maybe a vault dweller suit or some power armor? Since Epic put a thumbs-up emoji in the caption, it's safe to assume that Vault Boy will be involved.

Gaming

Deadlock is a new hero shooter developed by Valve, according to leaks

Three heroes lined up in green, red, and blue shades.

Valve might be more known for its Steam Deck handheld and its video game retail platform Steam these days, but according to leaks, the company is working on its next game — a third-person, hero-based shooter known as Deadlock.

Screenshots of the game and basic details were posted on X (formerly Twitter) by noted Valve game data miner Gabe Follower and on YouTube by Tyler McVicker, who also has a proven track record of leaking Valve info. Both posted about Deadlock first on Thursday, saying it would feature teams of six battling each other on a map with four lanes. It would also feature art that looks inspired by DOTA, the company's multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) series, with steampunk mixed in for good measure.