American Pinball

Hot Wheels

Pinside Rating

This game received 199 approved Pinsider ratings and currently rates 7.907 _/10

7.907

Top 100 ranking

This game ranks #100 in the Pinside Pinball Top 100.

Score breakdown

Score breakdown in the 4 main categories:

Game Design: 7.756

Artwork: 8.035

Sounds/Music: 7.456

Other Aspects: 8.055

Pinside staff rating

This is how we, the very knowledgeable (wink wink) Pinside.com staff & moderators rate this game. 3 of us have rated this game.

7.059

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Found 98 ratings (with comment) on this game

There are 98 ratings (that include a comment) on this game.
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8.420/10

2 years ago

SCC

mrgone

Pinside member

Casper, WY

12y 119K 5,181 4 54

Fast, fun, and an instantly recognized theme.

A real good game that checks all the boxes.

8.248/10

3 years ago

JBM

American’s best pin so far. Much more flow, easy to understand rules, and a solid build. It’s a fun, casual game, and I’m happy for American. I hope this evolution continues. It’s not a BUY for me, but it’ll take plenty of my location quarters. I think this would make a solid first pin for newbies or younger kids, much more so than its contemporaries of TMNT, AIQ, GnR, or LZ. TMNT should have been that perfect pin for kids/newbies, but that layout is way too fast, tight, and unfair.

Jomo33 edited previous rating on May 27, 2022.

8.983/10

3 years ago

MTM

Rollbar45

Pinside member

New Richmond, WI

3y 21,900 4 2 8

Seriously loving this game and I can't stop playing it. No regrets in buying it at all. Playfield is relatively simple but there's almost always 3 things to shoot at at any given time and it's almost hard to focus on what you really want to do that game.

Rollbar45 edited previous rating on May 02, 2021.
Rollbar45 currently owns this game.

4 Pinsiders starred this!

8.640/10

3 years ago

BOB

bghenson23

Pinside member

Sterling, VA

14y 64,300 128 6 36

Fun, fast, approachable. Rules are straight forward, but deep enough for almost everyone. Just keep pressing start to play another game.

This was my first American Pinball and i have found that they really put together a great physical package. Everything about the physical nature of the game is high quality. Usability was obviously important to them and it shows in little touches like making the USB connector for updates easy to get to, having a flap cover the trough so that they don't come out when you raise the playfield, etc. Even the packaging of the game in the box was first rate.

The game play is fast and fun. My wife likes the game. The battles are funny and enjoyable. The loop crash multiball is awesome. The tach and the epic features provide a lot of risk/reward. The rules are easier enough to understand, but execution isn't easy and there are lots of places to pick your strategy.

Completing the race is fun and challenging. A good variety of objectives and ways to score points allow you approach the game in more than one way.

Lights are great in general - sounds are good, but ultimately what makes this game good is the playability of it.

bghenson23 has owned this game in the past.

6 Pinsiders starred this!

7.606/10

3 years ago

FU2

jbrady65tv

Inactive member

Pussy Tank, AZ

14y 52,550 122 79

I really wanted to like this more than I do, which isn't much. It rates higher due to honestly speaking a high opinion on lighting, theme and art. It's still an endearing theme and I will always be happy to play someone else's game. Not a home purchase for me, though

9.780/10

3 years ago

???

Mattmz1

Inactive member

Unknown

3y 10,000 27

Just played this for the first time and it is great. Love the variety of shots, modes, lack of cheap drains. Great integration of the theme. I guess one slight downside is it is just average from a cabinet look perspective. Really fun though.

9.380/10

3 years ago

JAY

ffr3064k

Inactive member

Castle Rock, CO

12y 29,800 13 9 14

Fun fun fun. Bought this as an afterthought and initially against my kids desires. Now, with over 500 plays on it, boy did that change. Guests and these same family members all gravitate to it most. Great lighting and uplifting colors add to the appeal. Simple ruleset makes it easy to understand but it also has many modes that create depth too. Shooting this game is rewarding. At roughly the same price as a Stern pro, you are rewarded with upgrades such as real back glass, shaker, art blades, flipper decals and apron art. A couple hundred dollars in mods go real far in dressing this game up further and because they are not everywhere make this a great machine to own against the cookie cutter variety found on more common games.

ffr3064k edited previous rating on July 09, 2021.
ffr3064k currently owns this game.

2 Pinsiders starred this!

8.860/10

3 years ago

???

alexander5815

Pinside member

Wien

3y 37,750 31 56

first impressions after 50 games: i was very skeptical when i ordered this game. after 2-3 games i was really stocked. fun, action, challenging,... very very good pinball machine. the price is hot also:) bargain!
this pin has not the typical AP issues (like houdini; but i love houdini!); very good flow in this game. this is a game for the whole family. real fun!

after another 100 games...for me, this is "the game of 2020" !!
at the first sight maybe this game seems to be a little bit uninteresting; after a few games, you will see that it is absolutely not uninteresting; after another 50 games...it is amazing! believe me, please try it.

alexander5815 edited previous rating on November 17, 2021.

8 Pinsiders starred this!

9.100/10

3 years ago

???

FERBUITRE

Inactive member

Unknown

8y 14,900 9 1 7

hot whells, a hit for american pinball. already houdini is a very playable and fun pinball, but hot whells is a super horny pinball, with very funny animations, a super fast and difficult machine, for medium players or beginners, the game of lights is spectacular, and american pinball takes great care of the details in the finishes, very competitive price,
in general a good pinball, not top, but very interesting to play.

9.176/10

3 years ago

GNS

GNStevens

Twin Beans

Munster, IN

3y 37,050 5 9 18 1

Very entertaining! Fast-paced, great sounds, ridiculous goofy animations! Build quality is very nice, as well. A lot of thought went into the design, and it shows!

GNStevens edited previous rating on April 13, 2023.
GNStevens has owned this game in the past.

8.116/10

3 years ago

DAZ

pinchamp

Pinside member

Calgary, AB

11y 79,350 1,315 24 33

I purchased Hot Wheels unseen in person and unplayed. My first impressions/comments after maybe 50 games or so:
Cabinet art is awesome. The colours and graphics really pop in person compared to photos. Well built and a real solid machine. Super easy to set up and mine is playing 95% out of box. Just a few minor tweaks needed.
The layout and shots on Hot Wheels I really enjoy. To me it really does feel like a shooters game. If you just flail randomly you will be punished. Once you figure out the shots they are satisfying but still no gimme’s on this one. They are tighter than they look. I like this. That left drain is a bloody monster. I love that it is not as easy as it looks. Nothing floaty for me here. Love the speed.
The sound effects, music and graphics are also really well done. I love the campy clay-type animations. They draw you into the theme and the game. It’s really funny actually. Sounds and callouts are immersive and I have no complaints here either.
The light show is great but I find not bright enough in a dark room. The middle of the playfield is exceptionally dark. I’m not sure what can be done there. I love playing my games in the dark but not Hot Wheels. I have to turn some room lights on or lose the ball in the middle especially tough during multiball.
The code and gameplay is really thought out and I like what is happening. That being said I really hope that it can be improved. There is such a great start but I think a few things would really enhance the gameplay for players like myself who really like to “accomplish” things. Reading the forums I can tell that American Pinball really is going to continue to work to make it better. That is partly why I decided to purchase.
With the layout, sounds, theme and everything it has going for it I believe with some code polish and expansion Hot Wheels can be a top 20 game for me for sure.
Overall I was SUPER surprised at how fun it is. This is not just for kids at all. I agree it has an amazing ability to make you want to play it again and I think it would do really well on location. Thanks American Pinball for a job well done.

pinchamp has owned this game in the past.

2 Pinsiders starred this!

8.416/10

3 years ago

ZCG

Prophet

Pinside member

5y 44,300 42 5 9

Hot Wheels was more than I expected it to be. The theme is something I wasn't overly excited about but didn't feel like it was something I couldn't get behind so when I finally got my chance to play one on location I jumped at it. And man am I glad that I did. The game surprised me. It was super fun to play, the rules at first glance were easy enough to understand to get going and the shots of the game are a strange mix of flow and hold up.

The animations and story of the game are great. It's funny and whimsical. the layout is unique in several ways with the stagger targets, ramps and pop bumper "land". I call it pop bumper land, because the ball sometimes just wants to live there. The objectives of the game and difficulty really had me coming back to put more quarters in, over and over. And the light show! Wow, really great mixed with the theme and how it was integrated.

The only negatives to the game for me is Theme kept me put off, until I played it and really gave the game a chance on it's own merits. Which makes me really question how much I weigh theme on any game. Lastly I did have the ball hang up in pop land, which required a tilt to get loose. It could be the way the game was set up at location which caused this, however the flow and speed seemed correct which leads me to think it's a design issue and I was just unlucky enough to have it happen, but if it happens once it will happen again.

Truth is after playing Hot Wheels I actually have been considering purchasing the game. I might have to move The Shadow out so Hot Wheels can move in. If you get a chance go play this game, it's a lot of fun

3 Pinsiders starred this!

9.640/10

3 years ago

APO

Happy81724

Pinside+ Frequent

6y 132K 2,546 61

I have to say I am very impressed with American pinball and Hot Wheels.

Ap definitely goes above and beyond with the packaging of their pins and all the fun goodies

Hot weeks itself is really amazing. It has some great shots and flow to the game. The light show is probably the best I’ve seen and the shaker motor integration is awesome. The rules are easy to understand and explain but achieving them is challenge. It really is a deep pin and coded really well. I love the art, the quality of the build, the 3D back and real painted glass. You can tell they didn’t cheap out on the cab and playfield like my stern pins. I’m glad I pulled the trigger as me and my family love it. It’s probably one of our tops right now and I think we have a pretty good lineup atleast for newer pins. If your uncertain about buying one don’t be. I wish I would of bought this right when it came out as it’s that good.

3 Pinsiders starred this!

9.120/10

3 years ago

LEJ

PinballRulez

Pinside member

13y 88,800 1,350 18

See https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/official-hot-wheels-club-challenge-accepted/page/39#post-6003249 for an extensive review.

2 Pinsiders starred this!

9.600/10

3 years ago

CHW

Graal33

Pinside member

3y 18,500 7

I have had my Hot Wheels pinball for a month now and I must say I love it! When I saw the first pictures I was everything but enthusiastic. The layout looked a bit boring. But as soon as I heard about the excellent rules, I wanted to have one :)

And I was not disappointed - the rules are really great! There is so much to do. Several Multiballs, the race, Epic features, Battles, Red Line Mania a pinball machine that you like to come back to that you always have something to do.

The shots are also really good. In the photos I thought the shots were relatively simple but the angles were changed so that many of the shots are quite challenging. Also you can do many combos and the pinball is really fast!

The animations are first class, thanks to the youtube series Hot Wheels city! The music is also very good and the light show is incredible.

I love my Hot Wheels and I won't give it away anymore!

6 Pinsiders starred this!

7.394/10

3 years ago

KGB

Briks-707

Pinside member

California, CA

3y 57,300 216 33 32

I bought a NIB Hot Wheels. Love how effortless they are to pull out of the box during setup! Wish more attention to detail went into the programming and construction.

Pros: great sound effects, Fast paced, fun gameplay overall

Cons: Frequent air balls due to playfield layout, overuse of plastic materials, lack of toys & unimaginative mech

I think ultimately the layout is the double edged sword that kills this machine for me. I enjoy the fast paced gameplay and circular shots but those RPM and stand up car targets induce way too many violent air balls. I’ve tried changing the pitch from high to low and lowered flipper strength to no avail(it’s a common complaint amongst owners). My playfield is taking a beating from the impacts from these excessive air balls. I mean this machine sprays SCUD missiles all over the playfield almost every game. With all the plastics on this machine I don’t see it aging well. I already have chipped targets and moon craters after barely 100 plays. I wish AP would have used softer materials or altered the geometry of the those RPM targets, they turn a fun game into frustrating experience. Nothing worse than having to stop a game, pull the glass off to check for damages after a violent airball. Overall this game just feels very cheap to me, all your eyes see is plastic all over the playfield. It’s Hot Wheels where is the toy innovation? All we get is a a car that spins 360 on a stick, very disappointing ....I’d recommend just playing this game on location, or pick up a Houdini if you want to support American Pinball like I did with HW.

Briks-707 edited previous rating on June 05, 2022.
Briks-707 currently owns this game.

3 Pinsiders flagged this.

8.000/10

3 years ago

RKD

Pinballer31520

the pinball palace

Brunswick, GA

6y 70,050 332 144 33

This game is fast and a lot of fun . A couple clunky shots but overall more fun than I expected . Still. trying to get a grasp for the rules after a few plays . Kids love the theme on location and are instantly drawn to it . Red Line mania is fun and the light show is excellent. Animations are claymation and fun to watch .
Have Houdini and Octoberfest and this game shoots the best .

Pinballer31520 edited previous rating on October 12, 2020.
Pinballer31520 currently owns this game.

8.500/10

3 years ago

CUZ

mcuzz

Pinside member

8y 117K 500 137

Fun fun fun
Great lighting and artwork, American pinball has come a long way. Solid build , great effort

9.200/10

3 years ago

MAT

sixtyfourbits

Pinside member

6y 85,300 1,400 18

Above all else, Hot Wheels is fun. Its a pin anyone can walk up to and enjoy. The lights and music/sounds are fantastic. The shots are smooth. The animations on the monitor are great. So far I have yet to have company over and someone not enjoy it, for at least one reason or another. The scoring and activity on the playfield makes every player feel like they have accomplished a lot (especially the car collecting - there's 450 hot wheels to collect in the game!). But to truly get a huge score, you definitely have to strategize and stack. American Pinball really packed a lot of punch into this pin. Right now, you'd be hard pressed to find a better 'bang-for-you-buck' new pinball machine out there. If you get a chance, make sure you try it out!

3 Pinsiders starred this!

7.992/10

3 years ago

GIL

Imagineerie

Inactive member

10y 44,550 7 190

American Pinball has been on an impressive initial run for a newcomer. Houdini was an outstanding debut. It's drawbacks were WAY overshadowed by its advantages. The whole was definitely greater than the sum of its parts. But it was fun and entertaining to play, if not a bit too challenging. Oktoberfest was an impressive follow-up that continued to show the promise of American Pinball. With Hot Wheels being the first licensed title, my expectations were not very high. Taking that into consideration, this pin did not disappoint. While it is a little thin on playfield features and gimmicks and appropriately heavy on playfield orbits, the shots are fewer and less challenging than the aforementioned pins. I am also not a huge fan of the slightly sluggish mechanical feel that American’s machines have during play. But it was still a challenging and a fun pin to play that is true to the theme and the franchise. It is definitely a worthwhile edition to American's burgeoning lineup.

Imagineerie edited previous rating on November 22, 2020.

9.840/10

3 years ago

EBC

EDUB919

Pinheadz

Eugene, OR

5y 48,400 194 14 13

Easily the best overall “bang for your buck” if looking to spend $6,300 on a machine. Mine came with a topper, not a great topper but better than what other manufacturers give you when spending significantly more. Came with a shaker motor and art blades as well as an extra car with several Velcro adhesive strips to mount your own. Build quality is just below JJP, if API would use a 27” LCD like JJP then it would be a tie.

After unboxing and lifting the playfield the one thing that stands out is how clean all the wiring and mechanics have been laid out under there. No clutter whatsoever, tons of space in between all the individual components that will be a dream to work on should anything ever need replaced/tweaked.

I’ve only played a few games but here’s what I noticed. I turned the flipper strength down a couple notches from the factory setting which did two things: 1) Slowed the gameplay down ever so slightly to make it a little less brutal and give me a chance to learn the rules. 2) Virtually eliminated airballs entirely and shoots very smooth. My gameplay impressions will be based on 6.5 pitch and slightly weakened flipper coils.

This is not an easy game by any means. Yes it looks childish based on the theme etc but it won’t take long to realize this game is brutally fast but sometimes floaty at the same time. API recommends 6 degree pitch on most of their machines which is very flat compared to most. When the ball is bouncing around near the slings flippers etc is feels like an EM. When you hit an orbit shot or hit a standup/post the ball rockets back at you. When you hit the kickback to the right of the RPM targets it takes you by surprise at how fast and slow this game can be.

The spinner sounds are great, animations are fun. Shaker motor integrated very well. Lighting is phenomenal..competes with TNA. Maybe even better with the way the RGBs transition within the inserts.

Best Bang for your buck out there..great addition to any collection, plays differently than all 13 of my other machines. Could easily be an “only pin” for family friendly environment.

EDUB919 has owned this game in the past.

7 Pinsiders starred this!

7.155/10

3 years ago

PRL

Rhizomorphic

Inactive member

Unknown

3y 7,000 1 6

Really cool machine. Was a little disappointed in the layout of the shots and rules. Not as fun as I was hoping it would be

8.257/10

3 years ago

BPP

B-Born05

Pinside member

Oswego, IL

5y 41,550 38 5 15

Lot to like on this one: fast flowing shots, yet tight and challenging. Great light show! Really highlights the different modes like red line mania! I love the two handed skill shot to start out, the stop animations and fun and entertaining. Great incorporation of the shaker and the knocker!

B-Born05 edited previous rating on November 14, 2023.

9.484/10

3 years ago

JUL

jurulz

Pinside member

Montreal, QC

4y 43,800 167 11 20

Honnestly i wasn't expecting nothing at this game even worse i was laughing at it. I never been a hotwheels fan.

My friend have one and challenge me to try it before bashing on it.

OMG! Best light show in pinball, the ambiance is great, rules are already deep and fun and the most important thing: it's so much fun!!

I want to play again!

jurulz edited previous rating on August 31, 2020.

2 Pinsiders flagged this. 5 Pinsiders starred this!

8.676/10

3 years ago

CMW

RoxasUrSoxas

Pinside member

Middleburg Heights, OH

7y 62,050 125 20 59

Hot Wheels is a great game! Much prefer it over the new Turtles game. This game features quite a few different modes and multiballs to keep the game interesting. The theme is awesome - Hot Wheels has been around for generations so anyone can really connect with the theme IMO. The idea behind the game is to complete the race along with the different modes. The shaker motor in this game is cool and not over-used. Cool lighting and soundtrack, though at times the playfield can be a little dark - the art is very bright so it kinda balances out.

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