Maisto Street Troopers PT-808 (Colors May Vary)
The Maisto Street Troopers PT-808 Radio Controlled Vehicle provides a twist on the remote controlled car that will thrill kids 8 years old and up. In addition to the usual driving around, the Street Troopers PT-808 can transform into a robot at the push of a button and shoot missiles at the enemy..caption { font-family: Verdana, Helvetica neue, Arial, serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; } ul.indent { list-style: inside disc; text-indent: -15px; } table.callout { font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.3em; } td.think { height: 125px; background: #9DC4D8 url(http://images.amazon.com/images/G/01/electronics/detail-page/callout-bg.png) repeat-x; border-left: 1px solid #999999; border-right: 1px solid #999999; border-bottom: 1px dotted #000000; padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px; padding-bottom: 10px; width: 250px; } td.glance { height: 100%; background: #9DC4D8; border-left: 1px solid #999999; border-right: 1px solid #999999; padding-top: 10px; padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px; padding-bottom: 10px; width: 250px; } img.withlink {border:1px black solid;}What We ThinkFun Factor:Durability:(what this means)The Good:Car transforms into a robot; missiles can be launched remotelyThe Bad:Pieces that transform can feel a little less sturdy; tires don't provide good grip on all surfacesIn a Nutshell:Kids, especially boys, will love racing the PT-808, and transforming them into robots to do battle with a missile launcherAt a GlanceAges:8 and upRequires:6 AA batteries, 1 9 V battery, Philips screwdriverMaisto Street Troopers provide a twist on the remote controlled car that will thrill kids 8 years old and up.View larger.Sporty, Aggressive LooksThe Street Troopers PT-808 is an aggressive looking car with a black and red color scheme and guns on its side that is slightly reminiscent of the Batmobile. The design will appeal to young boys who will enjoy simply racing the car around. The vehicle has a nice heft to it, but because it also transforms into a robot, it has more moving parts than the average radio-controlled car. While it did not break during our testing, we found it a bit more delicate than the average remote controlled vehicle. For the added fun of being able to transform, however, we found this to be a worthwhile tradeoff.In order to get the car moving, the PT-808 requires six AA batteries for the car and a 9V for the remote control. Please note that a Phillips screwdriver is needed to remove the battery cover.Transform Into a Robot With a Button PushAfter we installed the batteries, we instantly tried the transform function. Holding down the large, backlit button on the remote did exactly as it was supposed to, and the car transformed into a robot. Holding the button down again, the robot transformed back into a car.Shoot Missiles In Robot ModeWhile in robot mode, the PT-808 reveals a rapid-fire 5-shot cannon in his chest that can be fired using one of two buttons on the remote. Installing the missiles required us to push the missiles into each cavity until it clicked in. Unfortunately, we were only able to load four of the five missiles. When we pushed the button, we shot the four missiles in about five seconds. The missiles are 73.5mm in length and 4.5mm in diameter, and have a range of about two meters. Younger children should be cautioned not to aim the missiles at people's eyes.Car Offers Great ManeuverabilityThe car is maneuvered using two control sticks, which move the car forward and backward, and make it spin left and right. Extending the antenna as far as it goes, we were able to control the car all around the room with only a few problems of reception when it zipped into the furthest corner, and we were pleased with the general speed of the vehicle. We wished the tires had more grip, however, as the vehicle did seem to slip on some surfaces.Battle with FriendsThe PT-808 can operate on three different radio frequencies, set via a switch on the car and remote. This allows kids to play with up to three vehicles simultaneously without interference between the remote frequencies, so you and two other friends can race and battle it out with the PT-808 and other Street Troopers vehicles.What's in the BoxPT-808 Vehicle, Remote Control, Instruction manual.This car transforms into a robot at the push of a button.View larger.Press it again, and the robot turns back into a car.View larger.