Best Gift Ideas - Toys Under $80 - Mega X Morphibian Komodo Dragon Amphibious RC Vehicle

The Mega X Morphibian Komodo Dragon… Kind of a mouthful to say, but have you looked at it?  This car looks dangerous, with wild curves and a bad attitude!  Believe it or not, it was suggested to me by a reader.  I looked it up, and was immediately taken.  Maybe it's just a guy thing.  While my heartbeat was revving up, Monique was just laughing and shaking her head. 

That's okay.  She may not get the 'Cool factor' of the Komodo Dragon RC car, but she knows what I like, and she knows I could spend days driving the Komodo around. 

There's a whole lineup of Morphibian RC vehicles, and they all have that 'coolness' that I like in a toy, but this beast speaks to me.  Yeah… I want it.  Like I really need another toy! 

At this point, you're probably wondering why I'm so riled up.  There's several factors, but the flash point on the fun scale has to be water.  As in, it drives in water.  Drive up to a pond… keep on going… boat around, have some fun, then drive back out and keep on going!  The Mega X Morphibian Komodo Dragon takes on rough terrain, snow, grass, water, indoors, outdoors, and just doesn't stop.  Not to mention, it's fast, maneuverable, and has killer good looks. 

If you've read many of my hubs, you know I never grew up, and still love toys.  When it comes to RC toys, I usually prefer helicopters.  But the Mega X Morphibian has a raw appeal that draws me (at least temporarily) away from my radio control helicopters. 

Making the Morphibian line fully amphibious was a brilliant move, and really boosts my interest level.

I'm also impressed with it's ruggedness.  According to the manufacturer's product description, the Mega X Morphibian is hobby grade construction, meaning it can handle harsher treatment than ordinary toys.  I've seen lots of comments from people who verify that their destruction-prone children have so far been unable to destroy it.  I guess part of it is the recommended age range - The Komodo Dragon Morphibian is recommended for ages 5 to 12 years.  Or maybe 50.  Yeah, that's what I'm going to tell Monique- that it's recommended for 50-year-old children.  Man, that just sounds sad.  But that's all right.  When we get company, they have FUN at our house!

So, speaking technically, let's see; it's a full function RC model.  Works on pavement, dirt, sand, and in water.  Has huge tires with deep tracks to give it traction, on land and in water.  For better mobility in water, it also has twin screw propellers.  The headlights and taillights are always-on.  They look pretty powerful, and add to the fun by including night-driving to it's list of features.

Apparently, this model was released in two variants.  One requires 2 AAA and 3 AA batteries, which are not included.  But the more common one comes with a charger, and a rechargeable 9.6V battery.  (It needs a 9V battery for the controller also, which is not included.)

A word about the rechargeable battery. Buy a spare. By all accounts, the battery life is short. This makes sense, since it's got the rugged heavy-duty construction, the powerful motor, and the lights always running. I'm sure it's power consumption is high. Either way, if you have a spare, you'll be a lot happier. Estimated runtime is between 15 and 20 minutes, it's just more fun if you can at least double that.

Still on the battery, the fit is very tight. Someone at Amazon recommended using a piece of duct tape wrapped around the battery with one end where you can easily grab it. Then you can pull the battery out without struggling. I thought that was a very good idea.

Size is decent. It's 16" x 13.5" x 7", which is small enough to be fun inside, but big enough to play with outdoors.

The only true downside is the controller range. Apparently it's a lot shorter range than most RC cars. With all the cool stuff, it's a trade-off that you have to weigh in the balance. While I could see it being an issue for some, the shorter range doesn't bother me so much. I like the lady on Amazon who said her kid simply runs around after the car. He has tons of fun, and gets exercise at the same time!

There is an entire line (and a wide range of prices!) of Morphibians.  The Mega X Morphibian Komodo Dragon is my favorite of the bunch, but everybody has their own favorites.  If, like me, you like the Komodo, you should pick up this RC car as fast as you can, because they're getting harder to find.   On the other hand, if some of the other models shown here catch your fancy, that's fine too.  I like 'em all.  I've included several here on the Amazon links so you can see what's available. 

Whether you're a "young'un", or just refuse to grow up, the radio controlled Morphibian Komodo Dragon can provide miles and miles of great entertainment!