Heat: Pedal to the Metal is a tabletop racing masterpiece
There are plenty of board games with great themes and plenty of board games with great mechanics, but it’s rare that a game marries the two in perfect harmony. Heat: pedal to the metal is one such game, and if you manage to find it on store shelves, you won’t be disappointed. The game uses lightweight deck construction to capture the thrill of racing so viscerally that we found it hard to stop after just one run.
In a game of Heat, players spend each turn making choices that are impactful – and, most importantly, fun. A deck full of speed cards determines how far you’ll go each round. You can also use “stress” cards to race through a random number of spaces – a risky move that can pay off for daring runners. Then there are the titular “heat” cards, which represent how hard you push your engine. Managing this heat well allows you to speed through corners and boost your opponents, but push things too far and you’ll find yourself spinning!
While it’s possible to build an insurmountable lead, more often than not the game’s elegant mechanics keep the race close. Players can “slide” ahead of other players, giving an advantage to those not in first place, while “adrenaline” gives an extra boost to last place. Together they keep first place in check and the race ends until the checkered flags are waved. It’s not uncommon for players to trade leads throughout a race, and on several occasions we’ve seen the last-place driver take first place during a single, well-played lap.
It’s a fun game to play, but what’s more impressive is how much stuff is packed into the box. The game includes four racing tracks, components for up to six players, and a host of advanced modules that you can add as your skills improve: car upgrades, weather conditions, media to impress, sponsorships, fashion AI and multi-race tournament. system.
You can watch our playthrough in the video above, where we’re joined by F1 enthusiast and Vox Media podcast producer Byrd Pinkerton on Inexplicable! If you enjoy this episode, be sure to check out the rest of our Land’s Play videos on our YouTube channel.