The ads have started - it's really difficult to pick the good playsets from the, frankly, flipping awful ones. So when we got offered the chance to review the Hot Wheels Power Tower I accepted as a matter of public service. Nah - who am I kidding. I already knew that quite a few of the people in this house love a Hot Wheel.
What does the blurb say?
A motorized elevator moves cars to the top then releases them onto the track. Will your cars make it through the moving saw and chomping monster? A full-colour poster makes the perfect bacground for non-stop action. Includes one die-cast car and safe-for-walls Command strips from 3M.
The set up
It took a Boy Two a matter of about 15 minutes to get the thing set up and running - and he'd have been much quicker if Boy Three wasn't excitedly jumping up and down and generally being annoying.
NB It needs batteries that aren't in the box.
What's good about it?
It works. All the bits fit together and the car whizzes round.
Everyone loves it. It is one of the most satisfying play sets. Not too complicated, but interesting enough.
What's less good?
The sticking to the wall thing. It didn't stick very well. Luckily we had spare sticky things so it could go back up again even after the spares in the box were used up. I'm going to set Boy One and Boy Two the task of trying to set it up not stuck to the wall.
It needs quite a bit of clear wall. Not everyone's home has this, nor do they want it permanently decorated by whizzing cars.
Suggestions.
Include an extra car - we have lots of other Hot Wheels cars but if this is your first experience of the HW, one seems a bit mean.
Include something to fix the poster to the wall.
On balance.
A good toy. Hot Wheels are fantastic and I totally recommend them. However, if I was picking, I'd perhaps go for one that doesn't need to be stuck to the wall (not, of course, that the kids would agree).
My kids are 3, 10 and 13 - and they all enjoyed it. It costs around £35.
