Since the invention of the wheel, little boys - and many little girls - have been fascinated by the sheer motion of a moving circle. Multiply that by four, add them to a car body and the appeal substantially increases. Mattel's line of Hot Wheels toy cars took that concept and ran with it in 1968. Their history has included many racetrack sets for their cars and one of their recent innovations was the Hot Wheels Super Jump Raceway set.
Product Features
The raceway has the longest jump in Hot Wheels history. The track is large and oblong, and includes a launch pad where you can line up cars in tandem and blast them off one after another. You shoot the car from one end of a tight track and if it lands without crashing, it continues to move around the track to the starting point. The cardboard backdrop simulates a cityscape and the switch to operate the car launching mechanism is easy to access and operate.
Playing with the Racetrack
Kids can play alone or with others as they position Hot Wheels cars into the motorized double jump and launch them across the cityscape under and around the track. If successful, the cars land safely on the other side but if the jump is interrupted by a competing car or improperly propelled, the cars crash down into the city below. The Super Jump Raceway is sold with one Hot Wheels car included and advises that not all models of Hot Wheels vehicles can be used on the Super Jump Raceway track.
Customer Reviews
The customer comments found on Amazon.com and at the Mom Buzz site with parent reviews of the toy were mixed but most reports indicated the children for whom the toys were purchased enjoyed playing with them. The performances of different race cars varied by model, although most consumers agreed that the car included with the set operated best on the tracks. Some of the less positive comments regarded the construction of the track and its supports and the performance of the jumping mechanism.
Construction Comments
Several consumers found the track and its supports to be poorly constructed and weak. The track connections were not flush in some sections, which caused the cars to flip or crash. Some of the supports collapsed or separated from the track, causing it to fall. Overall, purchasers found the entire raceway track to be less than satisfactory in its construction.
Car Performance
Although the labeling on the box indicates not all Hot Wheels cars work on the track, there is no guidance as to which ones do work. Complaints about the cars' performance ranged from none of them launching without crashing to no Hot Wheels cars working with the raceway except the one that was included in the set. Even the car included with the set garnered complaints that it never made it around the track more than once before crashing. The jumping mechanism sometimes fails to operate.
General Comments
More minor criticisms cited the track as being obnoxiously noisy and the instructions hard to follow. Positive comments included the enjoyment of kids using the set, regardless of the problems it presented.
Good Alternatives
The Hot Wheels Trick Tracks Triple Stunt Starter Set is recommended for younger kids or those who are just getting acquainted with Hot Wheels racing sets. For more advanced users, the Hot Wheels Trick Tracks Ultimate Stunt World received high marks. Hot Wheels sometimes discontinues certain sets when new ones are introduced, so finding older models may require going to online auction sites or searching the Internet for sets no longer available at retail stores.
Buying Tips
Before purchasing any toys, check out product reviews by consumers and don't be swayed by the commercials that always show products working perfectly. Product comparison websites like Bizrate.com and Amazon.com provide positive and negative feedback that should be considered before buying Hot Wheels or any other toys.
