WheelMates Tutorial: Complete Guide to Co-op RC Car

WheelMates from Firevolt Studio launches on September 1, 2026 for Windows (Steam) and Steam Deck, and it's shaping up to be one of the most inventive co-op experiences of the year. The premise is simple: you and a partner control tiny RC cars inside Professor Everett Bloom's mysteriously empty home laboratory, solving physics-based puzzles with three signature gadgets. But the tutorial phase—those first few hours where you learn the Rope-Swing, Magnetic Wheels, and Magnet Grab—can make or break your experience. This guide breaks down everything you need to know about the WheelMates tutorial, from core mechanics to hidden collectibles, so you and your co-pilot can hit the ground running when the demo's August 8 removal leaves you waiting for launch.

The Three Gadgets: WheelMates Explained

The entire WheelMates gameplay loop revolves around three gadgets that your RC car can deploy at any time. Unlike many puzzle games that gate abilities behind progression, Firevolt Studio gives you all three from the start of the tutorial. The challenge isn't unlocking them—it's mastering their physics interactions in a 2-player environment.

Rope-Swing: Your Primary Mobility Tool

The Rope-Swing functions like a grappling hook attached to your RC car's chassis. You aim at a anchor point (usually marked with a glowing ring), fire the rope, and then swing your car across gaps or up ledges. The tutorial teaches you three critical aspects:

1. Momentum conservation — your car retains speed through the swing arc, so approach at an angle for maximum distance

2. Release timing — letting go at the apex of the swing gives you a boost that carries you further than a straight drop

3. Co-op synergy — one player can hold a rope anchor while the other uses it as a pivot point for a longer swing

The tutorial's first puzzle has you swing across a broken lab bench to reach a SD Card on the far side. It's a gentle introduction, but later sections require precise release timing to land on moving platforms. This interacts with the Rope-Swing and Magnetic Wheels gadgets.

Magnetic Wheels: Surface Adhesion

Magnetic Wheels let your RC car drive on metal surfaces—walls, ceilings, and any surface with a metallic sheen. The tutorial introduces this in a vertical shaft where you must drive up a wall, across a ceiling, and down the opposite side to progress.

Key tutorial lessons for Magnetic Wheels: Firevolt Studio has confirmed that launch builds will keep these mechanics intact while polishing the camera behavior that the demo occasionally struggled with. Save at the chapter checkpoint before risky attempts. Tracking Memory Cards adds extra context to Professor Bloom's story.

• Speed control is crucial — going too fast on a ceiling causes you to lose grip and fall

• Transition points — you can only switch between normal and magnetic mode at flat surfaces or 90-degree corners

• Weight distribution — the magnetic field is stronger at the car's center, so avoid sharp turns while inverted

The tutorial pairs Magnetic Wheels with Rope-Swing in a puzzle where one player drives up a wall to reach a Memory Card while the other swings across to hit a pressure plate that opens a door. Many players find this approach more reliable than brute forcing.

Magnet Grab: The Co-op Essential

Magnet Grab is the gadget that defines WheelMates' cooperative design. One player fires a magnetic tether that attaches to the other player's car, allowing you to pull, push, or swing your partner. The tutorial teaches: — Firevolt Studio designed this system with co-op in mind, so coordinating with your partner makes every step smoother and more rewarding. Practicing this approach in the demo build helps you master the timing before the September 1, 2026 launch.

• Towing — drag your partner through magnetic fields that would otherwise disable their wheels

• Catapulting — use the tether's elastic tension to launch your partner across gaps

• Stabilization — hold your partner steady while they use Magnetic Wheels on a moving platform

The most complex tutorial puzzle combines all three: Player A uses Rope-Swing to reach a ceiling rail, Player B uses Magnet Grab to pull Player A's car along the rail, and Player A uses Magnetic Wheels to stay attached while Player B navigates a spinning fan below.

Co-op Modes and Friend's Pass: Getting Started

WheelMates is strictly 2-player — there's no single-player mode, and the game's puzzles are designed around simultaneous action. The tutorial accommodates four ways to play:. This is a core mechanic worth mastering in co-op. Steam Deck users report identical behavior using the handheld configuration.

The Friend's Pass is the standout feature — your friend can join your session for free, with no time limit, as long as you're hosting. The tutorial explicitly teaches you how to invite a Friend's Pass player and how the save system works (progress is tied to the host's save file).

Steam Deck Compatibility

Firevolt Studio has officially confirmed Steam Deck support with the "Verified" rating. The tutorial runs at a solid 60 FPS on Deck with medium settings, and the touchscreen can be used for gadget aiming if you prefer. However, the camera handling on Deck requires some adjustment — the right trackpad works better than the right stick for fine-tuning your view.

Collectibles and Progression: Beyond the Tutorial

The WheelMates tutorial introduces you to the game's collectible system, which is more robust than most co-op puzzle games. There are four types of collectibles scattered across Professor Bloom's lab:. Practicing this in the demo build helps prepare for launch.

SD Cards and Memory Cards

SD Cards are the primary collectible — there are 45 in total across the game's 7 chapters. They unlock concept art and character bios in the main menu. Memory Cards are audio logs recorded by Professor Bloom himself, revealing the story of why his lab is empty. There are 18 Memory Cards total.

Scannable Objects and Journal Entries

Scannable Objects are environmental items that you can scan with your RC car's sensor mode — these reveal hidden lore about the lab's experiments. Journal Entries are the rarest collectible, often requiring complex gadget combos to reach. The tutorial shows you one Journal Entry location, but the rest are hidden behind optional puzzle rooms that require both players to use all three gadgets in sequence.

Difficulty and Known Issues: What to Expect

The WheelMates difficulty curve is moderate — the tutorial is forgiving, but later chapters demand precise timing and coordinated gadget use. The game features no difficulty settings, but checkpoint frequency is generous, so failures rarely cost more than 30 seconds of progress.

Known Issues from the Demo

The closed backer demo (pulled on August 8, 2026) revealed several issues that Firevolt Studio has acknowledged on their Discord server (3,327+ members and counting):. Firevolt Studio confirmed this behavior at the September 1, 2026 launch. This interacts with the Rope-Swing and Magnetic Wheels gadgets in the lab.

The camera handling is the most discussed issue — the default camera is too close to the RC cars, making it hard to see upcoming obstacles. The tutorial teaches you to zoom out (right stick click) and pan (right stick), but the auto-follow behavior can be disorienting during Rope-Swing sequences.

Fatal Error Crashes

The fatal error crashes are tied to Magnet Grab physics calculations in online multiplayer. The game's netcode struggles when both players fire Magnet Grab simultaneously on the same object. Firevolt Studio has stated they're working on a day-one patch to address this, but for now, avoid double-tethering the same object.

WheelMates Essentials: Pro Tips for the Tutorial

Mastering the tutorial requires more than just understanding the gadgets. Here are essential tips that the tutorial doesn't explicitly teach:. The 3,327+ member Discord community actively discusses this. Save at the chapter checkpoint before attempting risky maneuvers in tight corridors.

Communication is Everything

WheelMates is a game where verbal coordination is mandatory. The tutorial's co-op puzzles require one player to call out timing while the other executes. Use voice chat or discord for the best experience — the in-game ping system is functional but lacks the nuance needed for Rope-Swing coordination.

Gadget Cooldowns and Management

Each gadget has a cooldown period: Firevolt Studio has confirmed that launch builds will keep these mechanics intact while polishing the camera behavior that the demo occasionally struggled with. Coordinate with your partner to maximize success. Many players find this approach more reliable than brute forcing each room.

The tutorial teaches you to stagger cooldowns — if both players use Magnet Grab at the same time, you'll have a 5-second window where neither can use it. Coordinate so one player always has a gadget available. Tracking Memory Cards adds extra context to Professor Bloom's story.

Camera Management

The camera handling issue is mitigated by manual camera control. The tutorial's camera tutorial section teaches you to:. Steam Deck users report identical behavior on handheld. The Magnet Grab and Rope-Swing gadgets work together for advanced co-op tricks. Tracking the related Memory Cards adds extra context to Professor Bloom's story and the lab mysteries.

• Zoom out during Rope-Swing to see the full arc

• Pan up during Magnetic Wheels ceiling driving

• Switch to first-person (R key) during Magnet Grab for precise aiming

Collectible Hunting Strategy

The tutorial introduces collectibles but doesn't teach you the hunting strategy. The key is to scan every room with your sensor mode before solving puzzles — many SD Cards are hidden in off-screen alcoves that only appear when you scan.

Community Resources and External References

The WheelMates community is active and helpful. Beyond the official Steam store page, you'll find: Firevolt Studio has confirmed that launch builds will keep these mechanics intact while polishing the camera behavior that the demo occasionally struggled with. This interacts with the Rope-Swing and Magnetic Wheels gadgets.

• Discord server with 3,327+ members — join here

• YouTube tutorials from demo testers — search for WheelMates gameplay

• Community guides for collectible locations and speedrun routes

The demo's removal on August 8, 2026 means most players are waiting for launch, but the Discord community has compiled extensive tutorial notes from the backer build. Save at the chapter checkpoint before risky attempts. Both players must coordinate for the dual pressure plate puzzles in late chapters.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the WheelMates tutorial length?

The tutorial takes 45-60 minutes to complete for most players. It covers all three gadgets, co-op mechanics, and collectible basics across 4 tutorial levels. Speedrunners have completed it in under 20 minutes, but casual players should expect a full hour. This also works when one partner uses Steam Remote Play Together.

Can I play WheelMates solo?

No, WheelMates is strictly 2-player. There is no AI partner or single-player mode. The Friend's Pass system lets a friend join for free, but you need at least two human players. Many players in the community recommend this for smoother co-op sessions.

Does the Friend's Pass work for the tutorial?

Yes, the Friend's Pass grants full access to the tutorial and all chapters. The guest player has no progression of their own — all progress is saved to the host's save file. The 3,327+ member Discord community actively discusses this approach. This tip comes up frequently in the WheelMates community Discord channels where veterans share advice.

What are the system requirements for WheelMates?

The Steam store page lists Windows 10/11, 8 GB RAM, and a GTX 1060 as minimum specs. The game runs at 60 FPS on Steam Deck with medium settings. Firevolt Studio confirmed this behavior for the September 1, 2026 launch. Save at the chapter checkpoint before attempting this tricky maneuver with your co-op partner.

Is WheelMates difficult for beginners?

The difficulty is moderate. The tutorial is forgiving, but the final chapters require precise timing and coordinated gadget use. The checkpoint system ensures you never lose more than 30 seconds of progress on failure.h. Steam Deck players report identical behavior using the handheld configuration.

Closing Thoughts on Tutorial

In Summary on Tutorial

Tutorial is a foundational piece of WheelMates knowledge that will serve you well throughout the main campaign and the Backyard expansion. The techniques covered here are intentionally generalizable, so once you master them, you will find them useful in numerous later chapters even when the specific room layouts differ. The 8-10 hour main story is paced to give you time to internalize these patterns through repeated practice rather than rote memorization.

For further depth, the related guides in our strategies library cover advanced techniques that complement what you have learned here. The community wiki is updated after each major patch, so bookmark this page and check back periodically. The full release on September 1, 2026 will bring additional content that builds on these fundamentals, giving you fresh opportunities to apply what you have learned.