Cars 2 Tokyo Spinout Track Set : Review

Whenever a kid animated movie is to be released, always expect mass movie themed merchandise to build the anticipation. Case in point, Disney’s ‘Cars 2’ and the major department store dedicated aisles to the movie’s merchandise. An advertisement for Cars 2 Tokyo Spinout Track Set flashed across our television screen and of course I knew what was to follow “Mommy, I want that!” And because my five year old actually completed his chore list for the entire week, I couldn’t say no.

So we reach Toys R Us and before we even pass through the sliding doors, I roll my eyes as I see the Spinout Track’s price through the glass “$29.99 Sale”. I laugh as my son jumps for joy in front of the toy that considers ‘$29.99’ as a sale. Then I quickly stop laughing when I seem some of the other $50 - $70 Cars 2 toys hovering on the shelves.

We get the Spinout Track home, I fuss at my son not to dump all the pieces all over the floor, and begin trying to decipher the instructions. The small slip of paper has three different set of instructions and after flipping the sheet of paper back and forth to figure out which applies to us – I resort to just taking lead from the picture on the box. After fussing at my son not to shove the pieces in each and every way, I have the Spinout Track set up in under five minutes.

Actually, this Spinout Track is pretty impressive. I found myself voluntarily racing my son for a few minutes before I realize it’s time to make dinner. The track has vibrant colors that follow the movie’s Tokyo theme, is of nice length, and worked well with many of my son’s matchbox cars (which is a good thing since it only comes with one car - Lightning McQueen). What had me a little addicted is the twisting action in the middle of the track. Also, it’s easy for my son to reset the twisting car carriers without any force, reducing the chances of him breaking it.

But like with any snap on, snap off toy – there are some minor flaws. After a few minutes racing, the injector piece loosens from its connecting track and the spinning car carriers sometimes doesn’t spin enough to connect to the next track. But these were minor flaws that didn’t seem to bother my son at all.

Overall, the Cars 2 Tokyo Spinout Track Set is great and my son played with it constantly for two days straight until moving on to something else. $29.99 for two days of entertainment – gotta love being a mom lol.