HiDef Ent. Inc. | 2020 - 2021
In response to Mattel's quest to land more of their IPs on Apple Arcade, we embarked on a collaborative effort to co-create and craft an exciting Hot Wheels Monster Truck mobile game. This project aimed to harness the appeal of the Hot Wheels brand to captivate users and immerse fans in a gaming experience that wasn’t based on racing. I played a pivotal role in conceptualizing, crafting mockups, and designing the gameplay tailored for Apple Arcade.
My Role
Responsible for game design, concept, feature design, user experience, ideation, interaction design, mocks
Team
Michelle H, Co-Designer
Our challenge was to creatively utilize the renowned Hot Wheels brand, synonymous with racing games, for Apple Arcade. We aimed to avoid duplicating existing racing concepts while adhering to the platform's family-friendly approach. We needed a unique yet market-relevant solution. I co-led UX, UI and game design to design our Monster Truck Concept.
Our research and development process began by immersing ourselves in the world of existing Hot Wheels games to understand what resonated with players and what the market had to offer. Recognizing that monster trucks held a significant appeal, particularly among young boys, we set out to find trending games with successful mechanics that were intuitive yet left room for uniqueness.
After extensive exploration, we drew inspiration from games like Hole.io, Katamari Damacy, and Rocket League, identifying elements that would enrich the experience we aimed to create.
Player aims to become the largest hole by the end of a two-minute round by traveling around the area and consuming objects which fall into the hole if appropriately sized.
A fantastical sport-based video game based on teamwork and outmaneuvering opponents. The game includes several racing IPs including Mario Kart cars.
Players must grow the katamari ball to a specific diameter in a limited amount of time by rolling the ball around different locations.
Engage in epic monster truck battles and strive to be the ultimate survivor and the biggest truck in the arena! As your monster truck crushes objects in the environment, it steadily increases in size. Once your truck surpasses the size of your rivals, you can strategically run them over, eliminating them from the game. Your goal: be the last monster truck standing or the biggest one left to secure victory!
The ability to personalize your monster truck is an important aspect that can greatly enhance the player experience. Players are able to choose from a wide range of customization options, such as tires and rims, unique paint jobs, and outlandish VFX which allows them to make their monster truck unique and stand out from other players. This personalization not only adds a sense of ownership and pride to the player, but it also creates a stronger emotional connection to the game.
In evaluating this game, we followed our standard internal validation process. While the concept displayed creativity and potential market fit, it was decided that Mattel would likely prioritize other IPs that had not yet gained significant traction in the gaming industry— we followed suit. Meaning this idea, like many others, did not progress beyond the initial stages.
In the development of this game, three standout factors ignited my passion for the project. It rekindled a strong sense of childhood nostalgia, harkening back to days spent playing with Hot Wheels cars. Drawing inspiration from the widely popular Hole.io, a game I had previously admired, proved invaluable. Its simplicity and compelling gameplay were a noteworthy reference. Lastly, the project's creative freedom allowed for unhindered exploration and innovation, infusing the design process with pure creative joy.
The game's focus on player motivations illuminated the significance of designing for nostalgia, evoking the thrill of playing with Hot Wheels as a child to establish a strong emotional connection with players while still captivating audiences that have yet to uncover their love for Hot Wheels. Furthermore, drawing inspiration from the simple yet compelling mechanics of Hole.io reinforced the power of intuitive and user-friendly design elements.