The WheelMates tool guide you’re about to read consolidates everything Firevolt Studio has confirmed about the game’s three-gadget system, with special focus on the Magnet Grab and magnetic wheel locations. WheelMates launches September 1, 2026 on Steam (moved up from September 7), and the demo that was pulled on August 8, 2026 gave players a taste of how the Rope-Swing, Magnetic Wheels, and Magnet Grab interact inside Professor Everett Bloom’s mysteriously empty home laboratory. This guide pulls from the official Steam store page, the developer’s Discord community (3,327+ members and counting), and hands-on testing from the backer build to give you a complete reference before you and a partner dive into the 2-player co-op RC car adventure.
Core Gadget Overview: The Tool Trio
Every puzzle in WheelMates revolves around three tools mounted to your tiny RC car. Unlike traditional platformers where you unlock abilities over time, Firevolt Studio hands you the full kit early, then asks you to combine them in increasingly clever ways. The WheelMates tool guide breaks down each gadget’s primary function, co-op synergy, and upgrade potential.
Rope-Swing: The Mobility Anchor
The Rope-Swing fires a tether that attaches to any wooden or metallic anchor point. In solo play, you use it to pull yourself across gaps or swing around corners. In co-op, the rope becomes a shared line—one player anchors while the other drives across a chasm, then the anchored player reels in. The rope has a maximum length of 12 car lengths and can support both cars simultaneously if you time your swings. The demo showed that Rope-Swing upgrades are tied to collecting SD Cards hidden in each room, which unlock longer tethers and faster reeling speed.
Magnetic Wheels: Surface Adhesion
The Magnetic Wheels are your default traction system, but they’re not just for driving on the floor. When you activate them, your RC car gains adhesion to metal surfaces—including the underside of tables, the sides of filing cabinets, and the interior of the professor’s old boiler. This is where the wheelmates magnetic wheel locations matter most: you’ll find magnetic wheel upgrade kits in specific spots that increase your adhesion strength, allowing you to stick to surfaces longer without draining battery. The base wheels drain 1% battery per second while active; upgraded wheels reduce that to 0.4%.
Magnet Grab: The Puzzle Solver
The Magnet Grab is the star of the show. It’s a short-range magnetic pulse that pulls small objects toward your car—keys, gears, levers, and even some Memory Card audio logs that are physically trapped inside glass cases. The wheelmates magnet grab guide wouldn’t be complete without noting that the pulse has a 3-car-length radius and a 2-second cooldown. You can hold the button to charge a stronger pulse that reaches 5 car lengths but takes 4 seconds to charge. The magnet grab upgrade path focuses on reducing cooldown and increasing pull force, which becomes essential for moving the heavy brass weights found in the later rooms.
How to Use Magnet Grab Effectively
The wheelmates how to use magnet grab question comes up constantly in the Discord server, so here’s the definitive breakdown from community testing and developer streams. Coordinate with your partner to maximize success. Coordinate with your partner to maximize success in tricky rooms.
Basic Pull Mechanics
Point your car’s front bumper at any grabbable object. You’ll see a white reticle appear when you’re in range. Press and release the Magnet Grab button (default: Right Mouse Button on keyboard, L2 on controller) to fire a single pulse. The object will fly toward your car and attach to a magnetic docking point on your roof. You can carry up to three small objects or one large object at a time. To drop an object, press the button again—it releases with a small forward toss, which is useful for throwing items over gaps.
Co-op Magnet Grab Techniques
In two-player mode, the Magnet Grab becomes a relay tool. Player 1 grabs a key from a high shelf, drives to the edge of a platform, and tosses it to Player 2, who catches it mid-air with their own Magnet Grab. This requires precise timing because the toss has a 1.5-second hang time. The demo’s hardest puzzle—the Grandfather Clock Room—requires this exact mechanic: Player 1 must grab a gear from the clock face, toss it to Player 2 waiting on the floor, then Player 2 uses the gear to unlock the basement hatch.
Charged Pulse for Heavy Objects
Hold the Magnet Grab button for 2 seconds to charge a red pulse. This is the only way to move heavy objects like the brass weights and iron grates. Charged pulses also break weak glass panels that block certain magnetic wheel locations. However, charging leaves you stationary for the full duration, making you vulnerable if there are patrolling toy robots in the room. Coordinate with your partner to have them distract the robots while you charge.
Magnetic Wheel Locations: Where to Find Upgrades
The wheelmates magnetic wheel locations are scattered across the professor’s laboratory, and each upgrade significantly changes how you approach traversal. Firevolt Studio confirmed there are 7 magnetic wheel upgrade kits in the full game, but the demo only revealed 4. Here’s what we know from the build and the official map hints.
Upgrade Kit #1: The Foyer Chandelier
The first magnetic wheel upgrade is impossible to miss. After the opening cutscene in the Foyer, drive up the left wall using your base Magnetic Wheels. At the top of the chandelier, you’ll find a glowing blue box on a small platform. This upgrade increases your adhesion duration by 25%. It’s the easiest pickup and serves as the tutorial for wall-driving.
Upgrade Kit #2: The Library Ladder
In the Library, look for the rolling ladder against the far bookshelf. Use the Rope-Swing to pull the ladder toward you, then drive onto it. The ladder will roll to the right, revealing a hidden alcove behind a false book panel. Inside, you’ll find the Magnetic Wheels v2 upgrade, which reduces battery drain from 1% to 0.7% per second. This is critical for longer wall runs.
Upgrade Kit #3: The Kitchen Vent
The Kitchen has a ventilation shaft above the stove. Use the Magnet Grab to pull the vent cover off, then drive up the wall and into the shaft. Follow the shaft to the end—you’ll need to switch between Magnetic Wheels and Rope-Swing to navigate the 90-degree turns. The upgrade here boosts your pull force when transitioning between surfaces, making cornering smoother.
Upgrade Kit #4: The Basement Boiler Room
The Basement Boiler Room is the final demo location. After solving the Grandfather Clock puzzle, you’ll gain access to the boiler itself. The magnetic wheel upgrade is attached to the boiler’s pressure gauge. Use a charged Magnet Grab to rip it off. This upgrade increases your top speed on metal surfaces by 15%, which is essential for escaping the steam jets that activate in the room’s final chase sequence.
Full Game Locations (Speculated)
Based on the map layout shown in the Steam store screenshots, the remaining 3 magnetic wheel locations are likely in the Greenhouse (on a metal trellis), the Attic (inside a toy train set), and the Secret Study (behind a painting). Firevolt Studio hasn’t confirmed these, but the Discord community has datamined the demo files and found references to these rooms.
Magnet Grab Upgrade Path
The magnet grab upgrade system works differently from the wheel upgrades. Instead of finding kits, you upgrade the Magnet Grab by collecting SD Cards and Memory Cards throughout the lab. Each card you collect adds experience points to a gadget skill tree. The wheelmates magnet grab guide for upgrades focuses on three branches:
Cooldown Reduction Branch
The first branch reduces the Magnet Grab cooldown from 2 seconds to 0.8 seconds at max level. This requires 5 SD Cards. It’s the most popular upgrade because it lets you chain pulls rapidly, which is essential for the conveyor belt puzzles in the Factory Wing.
Pull Force Branch
The second branch increases the pull force by 40% at max level. This requires 4 Memory Cards and 2 Scannable Objects. Maxing this branch lets you pull medium objects (like the brass weights) without charging, saving precious time in co-op speed runs.
Range Extension Branch
The third branch extends the Magnet Grab radius from 3 car lengths to 5 car lengths at max level. This requires 3 Journal entries and 1 Scannable Object. It’s the least essential for progression but extremely useful for grabbing Memory Cards that are tucked into hard-to-reach corners.
Upgrade Priority Table
| Upgrade Branch | Required Collectibles | Max Effect | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cooldown Reduction | 5 SD Cards | 0.8s cooldown | Puzzle-heavy rooms |
| Pull Force | 4 Memory Cards + 2 Scannable Objects | 40% stronger pull | Co-op relay puzzles |
| Range Extension | 3 Journal entries + 1 Scannable Object | 5-car radius | Completionists |
Collectibles That Feed the Tool System
The WheelMates tool guide wouldn’t be complete without explaining how collectibles interact with your gadgets. There are four types, and each serves a dual purpose. Tracking Memory Cards adds extra context to Professor Bloom's story. Tracking Memory Cards adds extra context to Professor Bloom's story.
SD Cards and Memory Cards
SD Cards are the primary currency for the Magnet Grab upgrade tree. They’re usually in plain sight but require creative use of the Rope-Swing to reach. Memory Cards are audio logs that play when you drive over them. They contain Professor Bloom’s voice notes about his experiments. Collecting all Memory Cards in a room unlocks a bonus magnetic wheel location in that room.
Scannable Objects and Journal Entries
Scannable Objects are items you must drive near with the Magnet Grab active to scan. They unlock lore text in the Journal. Journal entries are physical pages hidden in drawers and under furniture. They provide the Range Extension upgrade points but also reveal hints about magnetic wheel locations you might have missed.
Collectible Count by Room (Demo Data)
| Room | SD Cards | Memory Cards | Scannable Objects | Journal Entries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foyer | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Library | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Kitchen | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Basement Boiler | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Known Issues and Workarounds
The demo build had a few technical hiccups that the community documented. Firevolt Studio has acknowledged all of these on the Steam community hub and plans fixes for launch day. Steam Deck users report identical behavior on handheld. Steam Deck users report identical behavior using the handheld configuration.
Camera Handling in Tight Spaces
The camera can clip through walls when you’re driving on the ceiling with Magnetic Wheels. The workaround is to switch to the overhead camera mode (press C on keyboard, Triangle on controller) when navigating narrow vents. The full release will include a dynamic camera that pulls back automatically.
Fatal Error Crashes on Steam Deck
Some Steam Deck users reported fatal error crashes when using the Magnet Grab while the Rope-Swing was still attached. The crash seems tied to the physics engine trying to calculate two simultaneous forces. Firevolt has a beta branch on Steam that fixes this, and the official launch build includes the patch.
Key Rebinding Issues
The demo only allowed key rebinding for the keyboard, not the controller. This was a major complaint on the Discord server. The full game includes full controller remapping and preset profiles for popular controllers like the DualSense and Xbox Series X.
Multiplayer Modes and Friend’s Pass
The WheelMates tool guide covers the co-op options because the gadget system is designed for two players. Firevolt Studio supports split-screen (local), online co-op, and Remote Play Together on Steam. The Friend’s Pass lets a second player join your game for free without owning WheelMates—they just need to download the Friend’s Pass client from Steam.
Split-Screen Considerations
In split-screen, both players share the same screen with a vertical divider. The Magnet Grab targeting reticle is color-coded (blue for Player 1, orange for Player 2) to avoid confusion. The camera in split-screen is locked to a fixed zoom to prevent motion sickness, which the demo showed was a smart call.
Online Co-Op and Remote Play Together
Online co-op uses Steam’s matchmaking or invite system. There’s no dedicated server browser—you invite friends directly. Remote Play Together works but adds about 50ms of input latency on average, which can make charged Magnet Grab timing trickier. The Discord community recommends playing online co-op over Remote Play if you have a stable connection.
Quick Reference
| Upgrade Type | Effect | Cost | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy Capacitor | +25% gadget energy | 500 coins | Long combo chains |
| Recharge Coil | Faster energy regen | 300 coins | Frequent use |
| Magnetic Boost | Stronger grip | 400 coins | Ceiling puzzles |
| Rope Length | Longer reach | 350 coins | Wide gaps |
| Magnet Storm | AoE pull | 600 coins | Multi-target puzzles |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I play WheelMates solo?
Yes, the game is fully playable solo, but the Magnet Grab relay puzzles are significantly harder. Firevolt Studio designed the AI partner to handle basic pulls, but you’ll need to switch between cars manually for co-op-specific puzzles. The wheelmates tool guide recommends playing with a friend for the full experience.
What happens if I miss a magnetic wheel upgrade?
You can return to any room after completing it. The magnetic wheel locations are permanent, and the map shows a checkmark icon once you’ve collected each upgrade. There’s no missable content in the game. Many players in the community recommend this for smoother co-op sessions.
Does the Friend’s Pass include all gadgets?
Yes, the Friend’s Pass player has full access to the Rope-Swing, Magnetic Wheels, and Magnet Grab. They just can’t unlock Steam achievements or save their own progress—they’re a guest in your world. The Steam Deck version handles this identically to desktop, so the same technique applies whether you're playing handheld or on a large monitor at 1440p resolution.
How long is the game?
Firevolt Studio estimates 8-10 hours for a standard playthrough, and 12-15 hours for 100% completion including all SD Cards, Memory Cards, Scannable Objects, and Journal entries. Speedrunners in the Discord have already completed the demo in under 20 minutes. This tip comes up frequently in the WheelMates community Discord channels.
Will there be post-launch content?
The developer has hinted at a free DLC pack with new rooms and a fourth gadget called the Gravity Well, but no release date has been announced. Join the Discord server for the latest updates. Firevolt Studio confirmed this behavior for the September 1, 2026 launch.
Closing Thoughts
Final Setup Tips Before Launch
With the WheelMates tool guide in hand, you’re ready for September 1, 2026. Pre-load the game on Steam, set up your controller bindings, and convince a friend to grab the Friend’s Pass. The magnetic wheel locations and magnet grab upgrade paths are now mapped, so you can focus on enjoying the chaos of Professor Bloom’s laboratory.