Light em up Roary! (Vivid Imaginations Roary the Racing Car Remote Control)

Member Name: mumto3

Product:	Vivid Imaginations Roary the Racing Car Remote Control
Date:	16/01/09 (154 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: well made - robust - looks and sounds like the TV character

Disadvantages: confusing controls

My three year old son received this Remote Control Roary the Racing car for Christmas.

We had been wandering around Toy R Us for a while when my Husband spotted this Roary Remote Control toy. He instantly decided it was perfect for our son and would not listen to my reservations.

We paid £24.99 in Toys R Us but I am sure I have seen it for under £20 elsewhere. That could have been in Woolworth's though (I'm really going to miss that store, I shopped there a lot). If you shop around I'm you will be able to get a bargain somewhere.

The toy is aimed at children aged 3 years old and over and is based on the Roary the Racing car character. The toy needs 4 x AA batteries inside the car and 3 x AAA batteries inside the control unit. These are contained inside a secure compartment. The toy does not come with any batteries and you will need a screwdriver to insert them. Once you have put your batteries in you are ready to play as there is no assembly necessary.

The car is very much like the cartoon Roary from the show and fans won't be disappointed with him. You get a control unit that looks like a steering wheel and on here are your controls to move Roary left, right, backwards and forwards. Roary also makes sounds and speaks. when you press the control buttons an engine revving sound can be heard and Roary often says well known phrases from the show such as "Light em up Roary". There is an on/off switch on the side of the vehicle for when it's time for Roary to have a rest!

What I like about this toy is that it looks and sounds like the character from the show. Some toys we have are a very poor representation and our Scoop (from Bob the Builder) has an American accent! The toy is also very sturdy and extremely well made and robust. He has taken quite a battering even in the short time since Christmas but he is still in excellent condition.

What I don't like about the toy is the control unit/steering wheel. It has two buttons on it that you use to control the direction of the car. The backwards and forwards button and the left and right button. To go forward you press the front of the button and to go back you press the back of the button and so on. My son found this very confusing because he would press the centre of the button and Roary would go wild revving and squealing and then shoot off backwards! Also if you want to turn right for example you have to press the right hand side of the direction button and the front part of the backwards or forwards button! For a young child this seems a bit confusing and it has taken a bit of getting used to. I'm not sure if this is standard for a radio control car as I have never owned one before. I feel that a joy stick would have been better for this age range or if the steering worked like the Wii wheel that would have been excellent. My son is getting used to it now but it still sometimes frustrated when the car whizzes off in the wrong direction!

Overall I think the toy is very good quality but a little expensive. I think the controls could be made simpler bearing in mind the recommended age range. Roary fans will love it though and obviously over time they will learn how to control it properly.

Summary: Everyone's favourite Racing Car