2022 · Racing
Heat: Pedal to the Metal
Players pilot racing cars using a simple hand-management system to control speed, tackle corners, and jockey for position on the track. Managing engine temperature is a core mechanic: pushing for higher speeds risks overheating, while upgrades and careful play help maintain performance. Games can be a single race or a linked Championship System where players customize cars between races and face changing weather, road conditions, and event cards. Solo and automated-opponent options are included for solo play or to fill out multiplayer fields.
- Players
- 1–6 best 6
- Playing time
- 30–60 min
- Age
- 10+
- Complexity
- 2.2 / 5
About the game
- Publisher
Expansions
See them in Ludoya
Heat: Heavy Rain2024
Heat: Tunnel Vision2025
Heat: Rocky Roads2026
Heat: Legends2026
HEAT: Pedal to the Metal – AVUS Berlin and Zeltweg Airfield Tracks2025
HEAT: Pedal to the Metal – Brands Hatch and Zandvoort tracks2025
HEAT: Pedal to the Metal – Central Park and Barcelona2025
HEAT: Pedal to the Metal – Monte Carlo and Monza track2025
HEAT: Pedal to the Metal – Silverstone and Watkins Glen2025Photos from Ludoya tables
All photos in Ludoya
Where to buy it
Shop prices and second-hand copies, checked every day.
On Ludoya's tables
Full stats in Ludoya- 4,852
- Plays logged
- 3,128
- Players
- 1h 11m
- Average play
- 563
- In collections
- 94
- On wishlists
- 1
- Pre-ordered
8.1/10
from 242 Ludoya reviews
Kat8.6 the racing cars theme is a bit repellent to me, but the game is so much fun that it doesn't matter. it's amazing that a card game can feel as intense as this does by the last lap!! the advanced modules are less intimidating than their simbology might suggest; i'd say play without them if you feel the need for a tutorial, but add them in as soon as you're fine with the gameplay loop (which is really quite simple).
Garfield9.0 #53 Very funny, cool and entertaining racing game! The base game is ok, but I think it shines only if you add the different modules. [c] Theme: :star::star::star::star::star: <!-- size 7]Wrooooom --> Gameplay: :star::star::star::nostar::nostar: <!-- size 7]Play cards to move your car --> Interaction: :star::star::star::star::star: <!-- size 7]Race against the others --> Artwork: :star::star::star::star::star: <!-- size 7]Very nice --> Luck: :star::star::star::star::nostar: <!-- size 7]Random card drawing --> Strategy: :star::star::star::nostar::nostar: <!-- size 7]Plan your deck carefully --> Components: :star::star::star::nostar::nostar: <!-- size 7]Very good, except the player boards --> Play duration: :star::star::star::star::nostar: <!-- size 7]Very good --> Easy to teach: :star::star::star::star::nostar: <!-- size 7]Ok --> Rules quality: :star::star::star::star::nostar: <!-- size 7]Very good, but lacking of examples --> Setup time: :star::star::star::star::nostar: <!-- size 7]Fast --> No downtime: :star::star::star::star::nostar: <!-- size 7]Almost no downtime --> Replay value: :star::star::star::star::nostar: <!-- size 7]Different modules and tracks --> [/c]
SirKappy9.3 I own it, but my only plays have been on BGA.
Rules questions
Answered from the rulebook by Ludoya's rules assistant.
Do we all choose gears and play cards at the same time or take turns?
Shifting gears (step 1) and playing your face‑down cards (step 2) are done simultaneously by all players (do them in order without waiting), then reveal and resolve moves one car at a time starting with the frontmost car (p.4).
If I play Stress cards, how is the resulting speed determined?
For each Stress card you played, flip cards from the top of your draw deck and discard non‑Speed cards until you find a Speed card; that Speed card is added to your played cards (this is completed before Adrenaline) (p.5).
What does Adrenaline do and who gets it?
Adrenaline is given to the last car to move each round (or the last two in 5+ player games) and grants +1 speed (applied before or after your Boost) and one extra Cooldown to use during React; it cannot be saved (p.5).
How do Boost and Cooldown work, and do I have to pay Heat to Boost?
Boost may be used once per turn by paying 1 Heat to flip your deck until you draw a Speed card (discarding others) and move accordingly; Cooldown lets you return Heat cards from your discard back into your Engine up to the Cooldown value granted by gear or effects (pp.6–7).
What happens if I can't pay the Heat required after exceeding a corner's Speed Limit?
If your Speed exceeds a corner's limit you must pay Heat equal to the difference, but if you don't have enough Heat you pay all you have and immediately spin out: move to the first available Space before that corner, take extra Stress (1 if in 1st/2nd gear, 2 if in 3rd/4th), and move your Gear pawn to 1st (p.6).
If several cars finish in the same round, who wins?
If multiple cars cross the finish in the same round, the winner is the car furthest ahead (the Spot closest to the Race Line breaks ties); slipstreaming across the Finish Line is not allowed and finishers are removed and placed on the Hall of Fame in order at round end (p.7).
Score sheets and play helpers
- Hoja de Puntuación
- Choose your colour, use scoring for placement
- HEAT
Free, on web, Android and iOS
Play Heat: Pedal to the Metal with Ludoya
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Game facts (players, playing time, age, credits) from BoardGameGeek.