Throughout the 51-year history of Mattel’s Hot Wheels brand, there’s been tremendous consistency in the core action of incredible vehicles racing at blazing-fast speeds.
Much like real-life racing, there’s a lot of science involved, including aerodynamics, overall design, wheel type, drag, and how the cars are powered. For Hot Wheels, one way to up the speed is through the use of a booster — a battery-powered set of spinning wheels designed to send cars flying when they pass through. If you pair boosters with an intersecting, figure-eight track configuration, the results are always exciting, but this year Mattel upped the stakes to new levels with some adrenaline-pumping excitement fueled by the Hot Wheels Colossal Crash Track Set.
The biggest boosted set ever offered, the Colossal Crash Track Set measures more than 5-feet wide — a dual figure-eight with four boosters and the ability for high-flying racing and crashing.
Kids can launch their Hot Wheels vehicles from the starting zone and watch them rip around the track at incredible speeds. Levers control the intersection, allowing racers on the orange track and the green track to decide whether their cars will stay on the ground or jump the intersection, leading to the possibility of a mid-air collision!
The stakes get even higher when multiple cars hit the track, greatly increasing the odds of trading paint or causing a pile-up. Kids will have a blast pushing the limits of their collection with a mix of skill and luck as they challenge each other to determine who can stay on the track the longest.
See it all in action in the video below.
The Hot Wheels Colossal Crash Track Set comes with two Hot Wheels vehicles. As with any Hot Wheels set, note that the set is not for use with some vehicles due to the occasional oddly shaped ride. Having raced my share of Hot Wheels over the years, I recommend the $1 mainline vehicles — particularly those that have the yellow “Best for Track” logo right on the package.
Kids may need help from a grown-up for initial assembly. I was impressed with the simplicity of the packaging on this set. The perforated cardboard box opened to reveal all the pieces and the easy-to-read instruction guide with no unnecessary bags or waste. The total assembly time took around 20 minutes, with decal application being the most time-consuming task.
As the saying goes, “don’t forget the batteries!” Expected to be one of this season’s hottest “wow” gifts, this set does require six D-cell batteries, so be sure to have some on hand so kids can play right out of the box. When playtime is over, the set folds for easy storage.
Overall, the Hot Wheels Colossal Crash Track Set is a worthy addition to any kid’s Hot Wheels collection and can easily be connected to additional sets through the easy-to-use Hot Wheels Track System.
