“Gentlemen, start your engines!” It’s a phrase Professor Pal and Daddy look forward to on Nascar race day. Automobiles are in our DNA, heck, we live in the Motor City! But you didn’t come here to learn about our family roots, you’re here for our big review of Toy State’s varied line of racing and construction vehicles. So….let’s get rollin’!
What we learned from our experiences with Toy State vehicles:
- There’s a car available for any age, from Pre-school to older kids. Heck, even mom and dad!
- Toys can emulate real-life features, movements and scenarios.
- Cars are scaled down versions of Mom and Dad’s vehicles, just tens times more awesome.
- Resilient. These cars can take a beating from rough players.
- Get playing right out of the box, most toys already include batteries. R/C cars may require additional batteries for remotes.
- Fun for hours!
Jump to a specific review:
- Road Rippers ‘Come Back Racers’ Camaro
- Road Rippers ‘Hatchbacks’ MINI Countryman WRC
- DUB Garage ‘Beat Makerz’ DL4
- 007 Quantum of Solace Aston Martin DBS
- Gear Heads Desert Digger
- CAT Mini Playset and Pre-school ‘Bump & Go’ Dump Truck
Road Rippers ‘Come Back Racers’ – Chevrolet Camaro
The biggest automobile that came in our sampling was the Road Rippers ‘Come Back Racers’ Camaro. It was also my personal favorite of the bunch. I have always dreamed of owning my own Camaro…and now I do…kind of. The racer plays a fantastic tune, Bachman Turner Overdrive’s “Taking Care of Business”. The cool blue Camaro dances to the jam before it peels out on the mean streets of the playroom. The “come back” feature is also nice – after taking off for a race, the car throws a reverse gear to travel back to its starting position. The Come Back series also feature a Ford Mustang 5.0, Toyota Tundra and more.
Road Rippers ‘Hatchbacks’ – MINI Countryman WRC
The MINI Countryman WRC is a great little vehicle. The car isn’t motorized, but it features a really cool bumpin’ sound system in the trunk. Don’t like the current subwoofer setup? Just close the trunk, reopen and a new system appears! It has three speaker systems to choose from and all of them light up to the jammin’ music. The MINI has really great styling with its “rally car” paint scheme, flood lamps and oversized race spoiler. There’s also a Ford Fiesta Hatchback with its own cool speaker beds and tunes.
DUB Garage ‘Beat Makerz’ – DL4
The DL4 by DUB Garage was Professor Pal’s favorite….by far. Not only is the DL4 luxuriously styled in an all-white pain scheme – it has a low-to-the-ground stance and the iconic DUB chrome wheels. The DUB vehicle has a wider body, making it easy to control and cruise around Playroom City. Here’s the awesomeness of the DUB Garage DL4: it turns your kid into a DJ! The switches and buttons that line the roof let you mix a beat. I couldn’t pry the toy from Pal’s hands long enough to test my own “skillz”, but he certainly threw down a jam…like…constantly. If you want something more aggressively styled, go with the available Mustang.
007 Quantum of Solace Aston Martin DB5
The smallest auto in our big review is the debonair Aston Martin DB5. The inspiration for this handsome toy is 007’s Quantum of Solace. Its an elegant film and Toy State has done a fantastic job of transferring those elements to the suave automobile. The iconic Bond theme songs are included as well, making this one cool toy. The Aston Martin DB5 didn’t get much kiddo playtime because Mommy took off with it, the moment she saw it! Me personally, I am a Roger Moore fan, so I spilled my coffee when I saw Toy State also offers the Lotus Espirit from The Spy Who Loved Me!
Gear Heads Desert Digger
We had the most hands-on fun with the Gear Heads Desert Digger. The Desert Digger is WAY MORE than just the average toy automobile. The Gear Head promotes discovery and cognitive interaction with the toy to unlock its numerous features and sounds. The “key” to the Digger is in the archeologist action figure’s helmet, he’s used to to turn various gears that activate features, hence, “Gear Heads”. This toy is absolutely packed with fun. Check out this youtube video for a full demonstration.
CAT Mini Playset and Preschool ‘Bump & Go’ Dump Truck
The CAT Mini Playset was also packed in with our review samples. We recently reviewed the CAT Iron Diesel Train Set and the mini playsets fit into the overall CAT “world”. The series of toys are scaled to the same size, creating an entire construction zone.
While not rated quite at Pookie Bear’s age (it’s rated at 2+), we had a great time watching Rhys interact with the Pre-school ‘Bump & Go’ Dump Truck by CAT. Our little 1 year old would load up his sippy cup into the dump bed and press the single button on top. The CAT sets off on an adventure until it runs into a wall, it then turns itself around and travels in a new direction. It’s simple and extremely durable. Rhys is in his destructive phase where most of the playroom toys are tossed around or slammed into other toys. The CAT toys are built as solid as their real-life counterparts.
Giveaway
The Talking Dad has partnered with Toy State to offer our readers a chance at winning their very own Road Rippers Vehicle. To enter, fill out the form below and share with friends.
DISCLOSURE: The Talking Dad blog received the mentioned product(s) for review from Toy State. The views and opinions expressed are my own – they are not influenced by Toy State or its partners.