Last year during the holiday season, my then 2 1/2 year old son, Tristan, was into anything that had to do with Buzz Lightyear or the Disney Pixar Toy Story movies in general. So even though this Mattel Toy Story: Remote Control "RC" Buggy With Woody was clearly recommended for children ages 4 and up on the box, I couldn't resist picking one up at my local Wal-Mart as a Christmas gift. Now I've noticed there are similar choices that can be purchased that include Buzz as well, so I wish they were available sooner! But despite the fact that Tristan's favorite space ranger was only pictured on the box and was not actually found inside, he was still very excited when he opened this gift come Christmas morning. Read on to find out more about this battery operated remote control Toy Story RC car as seen in the movie.


~~~The Remote Control Car~~~

As stated above, this Mattel Toy Story: Remote Control "RC" Buggy with Woody is designed for kids ages 4 and up. Requiring four "AA" batteries for the RC Buggy and one 9 volt battery for the wireless remote control unit, this cool replica of the real thing in the Toy Story movies is sure to delight any young fan. According to product advertising: Now you can recreate the exciting film chase with this radio control RC Buggy! Race it alone or use the pull up supports to clip the Woody action figure (included). The 3 function control unit allows for easy forward, turns in reverse, and stop actions. Each section has an "on/off" switch, so both must be turned on before play can begin. Each has a long white antenna attached as well as a red tip at the top. The green and blue remote control unit fits neatly inside a regular sized hand (and the LEFT one at that! Too cool for us lefties), which features a forward/reverse knob as well as a steering wheel for turning. RC (who is about 9 inches long and 5 1/2 inches wide) is green with blue trim and sports big black rugged tires with red rims. There's a protective blue bumper in front along with RC's "eyes" as headlights. And on the body just in front of the back tail fin is a place for Woody to sit while enjoying the ride. So overall, this Mattel Toy Story: Remote Control "RC" Buggy with Woody is an attractive and super cool looking toy.


~~~Packaging, Price, and Availability~~~

I found Tristan's Mattel Toy Story: Remote Control "RC" Buggy with Woody at our local Wal-Mart for $19.97, yet I've seen it for at a similar price online at toy stores like the DisneyStore.com as well. The remote control car and control unit come packaged in a blue cardboard rectangular box and is tied in place very securely; so securely that it took several minutes to pry them loose and free each part from each twist tie death grip! A Phillips screwdriver is necessary to load the batteries as they do not come included. The Woody action figurine (dressed in his cowboy Sheriff outfit, of course!) bends at the elbows, hips, and knees. Only the hat comes off, so that was lost long ago! And reading the enclosed instructions carefully is a must when learning how to correctly operate the Mattel Toy Story: Remote Control "RC" Buddy with Woody.


~~~Play Experience~~~

We found out very quickly that not only did our young son have trouble maneuvering his new Mattel Toy Story: Remote Control "RC" Buggy with Woody, but those of us older than 4 had trouble as well in the beginning! First of all, the lever on the control unit must be pressed upward with the arrow for the to car to go forward and down for it to go in reverse. Then press the thumb control button to activate RC. The battery operated vehicle won't turn left or right when going forward, but it will turn in circular motions with the steering wheel when activated in reverse. RC drives best on a flat surface, but will go on carpeting if desired. His speed is about average, yet he can easily run into one's foot if you aren't careful! Place the buggy upright on it's back wheels, and he'll dart forward on all fours with Woody tagging along. Although Woody is supported with a flip-up section on RC's back, he does tend to fall off every now and then if the car hits something really hard. And it's almost impossible to keep the cowboy's hat intact on Woody's head when the car is in motion. In fact, Tristan quickly lost ours, so Sheriff Woody looks quite strange without his hat. But still, with a little practice, we finally learned how to properly drive this Mattel Toy Story: Remote control "RC" Buggy with Woody, although 3 1/2 year old Tristan is still learning.


~~~Overall Recommendation~~~

Definitely pay attention to the age recommendation when purchasing this Mattel Toy Story: Remote Control "RC" Buggy with Woody as younger children will get quite frustrated with the limited functions of this battery operated vehicle. Even older children and adults will need some practice to get this car moving in the intended direction. Just remember to turn each section off as the batteries easily go dead in no time at all as this toy doesn't automatically save the battery life like some others do. So in the end, even with it's limitations, I still recommend this Mattel Toy Story: Remote Control "RC" Buggy with Woody to die hard Toy Story fans. There are definitely other better, easier to drive RC cars for preschoolers out there, but the Woody and RC characters make this one hard to resist. Good luck and happy toy shopping!


Visit the Disney/Pixar Toy Story 2 website at:

www.toystory2.com

Thinkway Toys
New York, NY 10010

1-800-535-5734

Made in China

Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 19.97
Type of Toy: Car, Truck or Raceway
Age Range of Child: 3 to 5 Years