Hot Wheels Monster Trucks: Stunt Mayhem is an arcade stunt and destruction game for the PS5 that puts players in control of official Hot Wheels monster trucks inside enclosed arenas. The focus rests on chaining aerial flips and spins with ground-based maneuvers while smashing through obstacles to build high scores and multipliers. Twenty licensed trucks appear in the roster, each equipped with its own signature move that becomes available once a stunt meter fills through successful combos.
Gameplay
Steering uses the left analog stick while acceleration and braking map to the R2 and L2 triggers. Players launch trucks off ramps to perform flips, spins, and other aerial tricks that award points based on height and duration. Ground tricks such as wheelies, donuts, and two-wheel driving add to the same combo chain. Collisions with cars, barrels, boxes, and other destructible items increase the score and help maintain momentum. Crashing or resetting the truck breaks the combo multiplier, so timing and route planning matter when attempting longer runs.
Each of the twenty trucks handles identically in terms of speed and weight, yet each carries a distinct signature move triggered once the stunt meter reaches full. These moves deliver extra points and visual flair before the combo ends. Skins for every truck unlock through career progression and provide cosmetic variety without altering performance. Arenas contain hidden keys that open special stunt zones such as the Megaloop, adding optional high-value sections to explore during events.
Game Modes
Career mode serves as the main single-player experience. Players progress across multiple arenas by completing score targets, destruction goals, and stunt objectives. Completing events rewards fans and wheels that unlock additional trucks and variants. The mode structures play around freestyle, destruction, and boss events within each arena.
Freestyle events emphasize pure stunt chaining and combo building without strict destruction quotas. Destruction events shift priority toward smashing every available object in the arena, often with time limits or specific counts to meet. Boss Attack mode pits the player against large set-piece bosses such as Crushzilla. These encounters require clearing waves of smaller obstacles before executing a final signature stunt on the boss track itself. Single-event selection allows direct access to any unlocked arena and event type once career progress opens them.
Local split-screen multiplayer supports up to two players competing head-to-head on the same arena. Both participants attempt to outscore one another through longer combos and higher destruction totals. No online multiplayer exists, keeping competition limited to couch play.
Arenas and Progression
Seven distinct arenas host the action, each featuring unique layouts, ramps, and thematic obstacles. Examples include the neon-lit Stunt Zone by Night and the dinosaur-themed Skelesaurus's Lair. Every arena includes a large boss element that must be unlocked through keys or career objectives before full use. Progression in career mode gradually reveals these arenas and their associated events, creating a sense of expansion as more trucks and skins become available.
Objectives scale in difficulty across the campaign. Early events introduce basic stunt linking and light destruction, while later stages demand precise routes that maximize air time and object counts. The trophy list tracks milestones such as first signature move activation, full arena destruction in a single run, and fan totals reached during career play.
Is It Worth Playing?
Hot Wheels Monster Trucks: Stunt Mayhem delivers straightforward arcade action centered on stunts and destruction rather than racing. Its simple control scheme and bright presentation suit younger players and fans of monster truck toys who want to perform big jumps and combos. Local multiplayer provides an easy way to compete with friends or family on the same screen.
The game can feel repetitive once arenas and event types become familiar, and the lack of deeper mechanical differences between trucks limits long-term variety for some players. Career mode offers a clear path of progression and unlocks that typically lasts several hours, with additional replay value coming from score chasing and trophy hunting. At its budget price point, the title provides accessible entertainment for its target audience without requiring prior experience with similar stunt games.
Players seeking pure monster truck spectacle and combo-driven scoring will find the core loop satisfying, especially in short sessions or shared play. Those expecting extensive content variety or online features may want to try a demo or watch gameplay first before purchasing.
