Lots of adult language and humor!

Oo! Oo! I know! Make it so that hitting different targets adds random or different competitors or makes events happen, to randomize the way it plays out. Like, you're winning but then you get passed by a cheeseburger car and go down a place, or the triceratops gives you a boost. Here's a video of a Japanese horse racing game where random stuff keeps happening and it's hilarious!

I'd play something like that all day! Thanks!

I definitely don't hate this idea. Would almost be like a pinball version of Mario Kart. Maybe the ability to choose between something like this (Chaos Race) and Standard Race by holding in the flipper buttons during attract mode would be great. Instead of Skill Shot at the plunge, just auto plunge up to the magnet and start.

Stretch goal/pipe dream: Versus race mode via some sort of online connectivity.

Honestly, the race is one of my favorite features of Hot Wheels. It doesn't ever seem to get old, and it just naturally helps lead you through the game. Really drives the "one more game" feel when you drain your third ball with the checkered flag flashing, too.

Some thoughts (thinking way too much like a programmer to keep things simpler for you guys ):

Player 1 - track their racing vs Player 2 - where their positions are and then maybe flash them on the screen.
Mode to enter at start of game by selecting buttons.

Offer at start of game choices of Player Vs Player mode of straight racing, Loops, things like that and the game is just player 1 Vs 2 trying to do those events.
Hmmm - Player V Player timed Red Line mania 1 ball games as well Ohhhhhhhh, sexy!

Are you looking for what happens if you make the wrong shot in race only mode? Like I’m in 10th place and I keep hitting shots other than the 9th place shot? How about any other shot increases the points value to the next correct shot (considering it’s more than just a time based mode).
Can you pit? Temporarily pause the timer? Wreck? How about if you win the top race time, you move on to anther race and advance your starting position up one? Or like a skill shot, start with a qualifying time shot that could start you one position higher.
I don’t see how you guys code these games. It’s hard just trying to verbalize ideas.

Set the race up like in oktoberfest (duck derby) where the green shots are your vehicle and the red shots are other racers. Hit only your shots to win the race.

You could also have more than one race “track”. Right now we hit the shots in a certain order to move up in the race and try to get the best time. The next “track” would be hitting the shots in a different order. I know they’re all numbered but perhaps have the shot you need to hit flash green while all other shots are steady red or something like that.

I know that it's been done before but what the heck I always like a video mode. Simple concept of a hot wheels race, hitting X shots moves your car forward against the video opponent. This could be pretty cool with the car doing loops and jumps in the video.

Additionally, it would be really cool it you could select a car at the beginning and for the race selected car is featured in race. Going over the top would be to add strategy in the car selection. Say a player can chose from 1 of 4 cars and each car offers something. Ideas, car 1 starts race in 9 pos, car 2 starts with x RPN, car 3 already has track 1 built... Finally, in a multi player game the same care can't be selected by two players, making player 1 more appealing.

Maybe a 'Chaos race' for 2 players. Where one player is in control of the left flipper and the other player is in control of the right flipper. Each player gets shots he/she has to make that are bound to a color (for example player one gets blue shots and player two red shots). If a player does miss a shot before the goal is achieved, his\her flipper will be (temporary) disabled and it's the other players turn. This will continue until one of the players reaches the finish. Maybe a skill shot can decide who may start first. I think there are guaranteed ways in feeding the ball to the left or right flipper.

Yeah I know, maybe I am already in need of the weekend

I just want to point out to American Pinball, that these "fixes" were made by owners and not you. Owners should not be the ones to make fixes for these issues.

There has been NO factory response to when the factory would be correcting these issues.

In post #3089, you advocate people use these one of these 2 owner generated "bolt-on" fixes...which are essentially kluges. Where are the factory fixes?

How hard would it be for American Pinball to come up with their own fix and make it available to people that want it?

Robert

A ranked called shot requirement would be cool. For example, hitting the Build Track saucer gives the best speed/distance change, the car target a moderate change, left loop a small change, and anything else nothing. Shots move after hitting one of the lit called shots or a certain amount of time elapses (Configurable, of course)

A handicap system of some sort for younger or less skilled players

Start as a two ball MB, score bonus multiplier based on RPM + the number of balls still in play

Drains cause a loss of ground

Some way to incorporate all of Chase and Elliot's car changes from the show, like having to hit certain car targets (Or the lower three) before being able to proceed in the race

First 5 games and already 2nd highscore 1.370.471 points.

2 times multiball and a lot of super jackpots x 10 multiplier.

Very fun game to play but I cannot see the animation on the screen because of those balls flying everywhere even in the back of the playfield.

DSC_3663 (resized).JPG

Those of you that are routing Hot Wheels have you changed any settings or physical things on the game? I will be putting mine on location at some point and I'm concerned about the long ball times. I'm not a great player and my average game times are 8-10 min. with several longer than that. The big problem is using this game in our league or tournaments. I'm afraid good players will have 15+ min games which would really slow things down.

There are presets that lock in a list of features/settings for you in the service menu. See page 39 of the manual in the link below.
There is also a competition setting that makes it even more difficult. Too difficult, try Hard and see what your ball times end up (medium is the default and more suited for home play).

http://s4.american-pinball.com/img/support/2020-7/Hot-Wheels-Manual-7-13-2020.pdf

I just read through the difficulty settings, but I don't see anything that makes Red Line Mania harder to get to. Am I missing the setting? I can usually get to Red Line Mania 5 times during a game which is the main reason my game times are so long.

I also think the super skill shot is too easy. It would be nice if the shot would move from ball to ball instead of always the right orbit. Again I didn't see any setting adjustments for this.

You usually get to gear 5 RLM?

Wow.

Yes most games. So what exactly starts RLM? I know it’s building the tach to ten. You get some from the skill shot, and then hits to the RPM targets. Are there any others? Mine seems to start RLM with loop shots, ramp shots or orbit shots sometimes. Maybe I have an issue with my game because RLM seems super easy to start on mine.

Yes, that's correct, all shots add some RPMs, but the RPM targets add more and also pause the rev-down that normally happens when you're not actively making shots. Just as a thought, check the gaps on your RPM switches to make sure none of them are triggering excessively... that could certainly explain what you're describing.

Normally, an intermediate player would be hard pressed to get past gear 3 unless they're really wailing on the RPM targets.

Naw, just practice the game going for hitting the targets to get Red Line Mania. I hit Ferret's average 2 - 3 times maybe in a game and sometimes no times. Maybe I will get 1 Red Line mania.

About a year ago when I first got the machine I deduced that the fastest way to get points (well, it says so in the instructions for the game ) was to play for Red Line Manias. I did get up to 4 and 5 a few times and it is nuts. But that was just practicing playing for Red Line Manias. It gets harder to get the higher gear shifts so don't worry if you don't get them right away. Focus on getting to gear one.

Remember it is only a game and sometimes you get it and other times you may not. Good luck!

.

It is all about the hitting of the RPM tags and the accelerator slot. Once you focus and start getting them you should be able to get to at least second gear regularly. Then all you have to worry about is replacing the RPM tags because they are worn from all the bashing .

**Edited post to reflect SECOND GEAR instead of first .**

Well, get to second gear, anyway. You start the game in 1st gear. We never discussed having reverse.

Post edited, thanks Ferret. Yes, please let's keep it gears forward only. It is bad enough the tach numbers drop gradually as is. There already is the cruel epic fail high score-haha-you-didn't-get-it- message in the game .

Having a car race mode is such a terrific idea AP.

It reminded me that I was recently just discussing the idea online that pinball manufacturers could start selling additional game modes as paid software downloads, like DLC in video games. Priced right – say $10-$50 per DLC or something – it would be good value for home users and keep their games fresh, while being entirely optional for those who aren’t interested, and subsidize ongoing development costs.

Additional modes could be anything. Car Race Mode in Hot Wheels would be an example of that. Other ideas I had:

• Challenge Pack: would bundle in a couple of small novelty high-scoring modes, like One Ball Challenge, 2 Min Scoring Champ, Speed Runner Champ (how fast you can hit every shot & target at least once), and Sharpshooter Challenge (a series of one-shot challenges and you see how many you can get in a row before missing)

• Hot Potato Multiplayer where the game starts in 5-ball multi-ball but keeps shifting between players at random moments, so everyone is jumping in and out, until there’s no one left standing

• Space Invaders Mode (which was inspired by the falling green lights in Hot Wheels when you trigger the Snakes Battle): as the green lights slowly tumble down you have to shoot them to save yourself

• Mine Sweeper Mode, in which the whole table is lit in one color, and you slowly have to chip away at each shot / target to find where the mine is hidden

• Multiball Grand Tour: the game cycles once through each multiball mode and players compete for cumulative high score

I’m sure the manufacturers would LOVE for the pin community to embrace the idea of DLC as as it would lead to a lot more profit per machine. Personally I HATE the idea of bringing DLC to pinball, especially with the prices being charged for machines these days. It only encourages manufacturers to pass off incomplete coded games as finished and then charge buyers more in order to get what they should have rightly received in the first place.

I get the argument but I just don't see it playing out the way you suggest. Pinball manufacturers live and die by their reputation, and the goodwill and buzz their new machines generate. This isn't 2007 anymore. The public is pretty savvy about what good and bad DLC looks like. If a pinball manufacturer goes short on the code for the core game and then try to charge extra for a patch, they'll get roasted.

Additional novelty modes though? Like adding a sort of RGB Space Invaders to a pinball game? Or some kind of Hot Potato Party mode? That kind of thing is just a fun optional add-on that I'd be OK with paying a bit for. The point being I can pick and choose what's of value to me.

You could also think of this argument in reverse: would you want to pay more in the base price for additional or party modes you'll never use when you could let the guy who wants it pay for it?

We need to accept that pinball is very quickly going very digital and that innovation is gonna happen. Personally I'm relatively new to the hobby and all for it, but as always, there will be the purists who don't want things to change.

Me, I look at this $8000 piece of hardware and am kind of mystified that there aren't multiple modes being developed for these things already. Software is the easiest way to extend the value and gameplay of the sunk hardware cost.

I am in the process of deciding my next game. I have played Hot Wheels before and loved the game play as well as the full RGB lighting. I can only own one machine and I am looking towards the more affordable route with American Pinball. I am an intermediate pinball player and want to make sure the rules are deep enough that I will enjoy this game for at least a year. Is it easy to get to the wizard mode? Is there a real challenge? I used to own a Game Of Thrones and now it is too easy to get to Iron Throne. Does this game have more in it to keep it awhile? I need your honest opinion from this owners thread before I shell out $7000. There are so many games coming out including the next American Pinball game.

I do like fast games that have great flow and I know this game is perfect for that. How is the resale value? Will I break even selling it later? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Happened to me for the first time tonight during loop crash multiball. I guess it's now Crash Loop Multiball

I'm not sure what qualifies as an intermediate player, but I've only been seriously into pinball for about 18 months. I threw down 3.5 billion the first week I had Hot Wheels, but I haven't gotten to the wizard mode yet (I think one or two battles away). It's a long player - I've had several 20-minute games - but you can tweak it to make it a bit tougher. Will it last a year? Hard to say, but there is a ton to shoot for each time you fire it up and co-op mode on the way. It's a good one.

I've spent some time updating the Hot Wheels wiki on Tilt Forums here that will give a good breakdown on the rules/modes:

http://tiltforums.com/t/hot-wheels-rulesheet-wip/6633

I'd say it's best to make your own call since depth can be a little subjective, and there's nuances between deep and complex.

I would say it isn't easy. However, it depends on play skill level. Individual hero cars are not difficult to collect, although Legend multiball is much harder to reach. I've been one battle away (Drained out during Draven battle) in a couple of games, that's the closest I've been.

To be fair, given enough time and experience, this will eventually be the case with any table you own.

Hot Wheels is one of the best all-around games I've ever played. The majority of people I've talked to agree that it's a really fun table. The big complaints I've heard is that it isn't clear what to shoot for at the start of the game, and some of the shots feel a little tight. The left loop and right ramp shots do feel like they need a bit more precision than the others, although rejects are very recoverable. The kickback/turbo shot is also tougher to hit, I suspect that's by design.

If you end up pulling the trigger, I recommend swapping out the stock gray foam backing for the three car and RPM stand-up targets to significantly reduce air balls. There's replacement foam available from API if you don't have something already:

https://store.american-pinball.com/products/stand-up-target-backing-foam-10-pieces-kit0008-00

The only other tuning would be a zip-tie or small amount of hot glue to hold the wires feeding the RPM lights in place. It can work itself free somewhat regularly which cause the insert lights to get stuck or show the wrong colors.

Thanks for all your replies on input about this game. I am excited to possibly buy it as my first NIB. Please keep giving more feedback about the game to help me reach a decision.

It is a fun game and has the "one more game appeal." The modes are entertaining and appeal to new players as well as experienced ones.
I am selling my Avengers to make room for another machine (too many choices out there and cool machines being released ) and as much I as I love Avengers when friends come over they prefer Hot Wheels over Avengers so take that for what you will (or people's perception of the game at least).

Hot Wheels, being based off the YouTube series is also very silly and comedic. That has appeal in of itself.

So that being all said - it boils down to you. We cannot talk you into it, nor talk you out of it. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Need some help. Got a NIB hot wheels today. Got it setup played one ball now it is acting like there is a ball missing. Just cycles through the coils even though all 6 balls are in the trough. Am I missing something stupid?

A164D2FA-089A-4CFC-95EB-6EC1E0336C7E (resized).jpeg

i just posted the following in your Hot Wheels help post:

i think there's only 6 balls in the machine. trough 7 is likely the trough jam switch, located above trough 1, and detects if a ball kicked into the shooter lane and bounced back into the trough. test it by gently raising the trough kicker VUK manually from inside the coin door. it should trigger 7.

So if I push up on the ball plunger it does activate trough 7. What else could I be missing?

It seems like VUK switch is stuck on. It just keeps self triggering and then activating the coil.

Ok I unplugged the vuk coil and the game booted up just fine. Then I unplugged the game plugged the coil back in and now it’s running fine!

I am happy to say I am a proud owner of a Hot Wheels. Thanks to Zach Meny for having 1 left in stock from Flip-N-Out Pinball. I should have it delivered in a week! So excited to join this club. The more I do research the more I see people loving this game. Now I get to experience the fun and excitement owning and playing this game. Thanks for all your advice and feedback before making the decision to purchase my first NIB. All that is left is buying the thicker foam and a shaker motor. Then I am all set! Knocker and Magic glass will be later down the road.

Eff that. What a way to encourage pinball makers to sell stripped down machines, only to DLC every little addon. Yea, would be cool if the pins started at like 2,000. Not cool at 8,000.

Thanks so much for choosing Hot Wheels as your first NIB game! That first NIB is so exciting. I very much hope the game brings you, your family, and your friends many years of enjoyment!

Yep. Shaker could be used wayyyyy more! Only used on the Pops outside of starting a mode and no shaker on the Cobras? Dang! Need shakes on skillshots and jackpots....more shakes. All of the shakes.

MORE SHAKES.
MORE SHAKES.

I think Hot Wheels is a great choice for a first NIB game and great for a family. I bet you will enjoy it. When I have guests over it's one of the games that gets attention right away. Both newbies and experienced players alike enjoy it.

Great game and you picked a great distributor. Zach is top notch; always a smooth transaction and easy to work with. I bought my HW and EHOH from him.

Both are great games! Zach is awesome for sure. I couldn’t believe he had 1 left in stock and I was able to order right away. The transaction process is seamless being able to transfer money directly from a checking or savings account. That was super easy. I assume he uses a good shipping company to ship games all over the place. American Pinball does have their games packed well. So excited to be part of the club.

I bought this secondhand and there appears to be mylar (or similar) protective stickers stickers in front of the slingshots. This is my first pin so I’m wondering if this is something that’s factory installed or something the previous owner put on? It affects the ball trajectory when it’s moving slowly.

image (resized).jpg

It's from the factory