Shake & Go Racers: Raceway Playset

by Fisher-Price

Product Features

• Racers are powered by kinetic motion--The more you shake the racer, the longer it goes
• Electronic track announcer provides a real play-by-play
• Two Shake 'n Go Racers included
• LED lap counter
• 10 AA-size batteries required (not included)

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 16 x 26.7 inches ; 2.2 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 9 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B0007WWZJA
• Item model number: H4088
• Manufacturer recommended age: 36 months - 7 years
• Batteries: 4 AA batteries required.
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #128,280 in Toys & Games (See Top 100 in Toys & Games)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (68 customer reviews)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Editorial Review

Finally a racing set that harnesses the raw energetic power of the kids who play with it! This speedway comes with two cars, one red and one blue, which are powered up just by shaking them. Much like soda cans except with wheels and without all that sticky mess. Once the vehicles are ready to go, place them on the track and let them fly. As fun as that propulsion system is, the track is not adaptable to new configuration, which might hurt the prolonged play value of the set. This is mitigated, however, by the fact that the track announces, in an excited voice, which of the cars is in the lead and which actually wins the race. Other race cars for the set are sold separately. --Charlie Williams

Product Description

The Shake 'N Go Speedway is the ultimate racetrack. It comes with two Shake and Go cars, an infrared start/finish sensor, start gates and an LED lap counter. Kids can shake up the cars and watch them go...and with infrared sensing, the winner will actually be acknowledged by the track announcer! Requires 10 "AA" batteries (not included). Assembly required.

See all Product Description

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

64 of 66 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun for preschooler, July 14, 2005

By 

penelop (NY,NY) - See all my reviews

= Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:3.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Shake & Go Racers: Raceway Playset (Toy)

My son received this for his 3rd birthday and he loves it. He can race the cars by himself and gets so excited when they crash into each other. It keeps him occupied for at least a half hour at a time, which for him is quite an accomplishment. It is hard to hear the announcer but he doesn't care and honestly neither do I. Its nice that the toy is not too loud. I would highly recommend this toy for the 2-4 crowd.

92 of 102 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A Great Idea, but a Horrible Toy, January 13, 2006

By 

D. R. Jeanclerc "Reader, Listener & Obsessive... (Brunswick, OH USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

= Durability:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:2.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:1.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Shake & Go Racers: Raceway Playset (Toy)

Our three year old loves his Shake and Go cars, so the Raceway seemed like a no-brainer for Christmas. Unfortunately, this playset just doesn't live up to its promise and as a result, it's already collecting dust while the more engaging toys (Geotrax trains) get all of the attention. Now, every child's tastes are different, but I can really see his point in this case.

The cars themselves are battery-operated and you rev them up by simply shaking them. This is great for younger kids because it eliminates the hassle, mess (cords) and risk of electricity. The longer you shake, the farther/faster they'll go - just set them down on the floor and they're off. The Raceway guides them along an oval track, tallying how many laps each car has completed and even which car is in the lead. The critical flaw here is that with just their own internal power to go on, the cars only race for a few short laps before your child has to pick them up and repeat it. Also, it's very likely that one car will konk out before the other one does and since the track is configured for the cars to switch lanes each lap, this means that rear-end collisions are inevitable. These collisions are loud, they potentially damage the cars and could even pinch your child's fingers if he/she isn't careful when reaching out for the stopped car.

Even without any collisions, the Raceway is possibly the loudest toy we've ever owned. The squealing-and-clacking noise that the wheels make on the tracks is unfortunately so loud that it drowns out the cool engine sounds of the car themselves. The Raceway has a nifty finish line that announces who's in the lead and how many laps are left, but it's useless since (1) the track noise drowns it out and (2) the cars can't possibly finish an entire 10-lap race.

Simply put, the Raceway actually limits how much fun your child can have with Shake and Go cars. We enjoy them so much more out in the open - racing across the floor and driving around (and through) obstacles that we devise out of household objects. The Shake and Go Raceway is a great product idea, but its poor design completely stifles that idea. As others have accurately stated, just get the cars and avoid this waste of space and money.

PROS
* Sturdy construction and quick, easy assembly
* The cars themselves are a great toy - kids love shaking them, the real sounds that they make and the way they take off

CONS
* Self-powered cars need to be continuously recharged mid-race
* Exceedingly loud even when the cars aren't crashing into each other

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A bit dissapointed!, November 13, 2005

By 

Matthew J. Harte "sharte" (akron ohio usa) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:3.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:1.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Shake & Go Racers: Raceway Playset (Toy)

Great idea, it was easy to put together, it was loud and fun for my child and over all very durable. But the run time of the cars and the amount of Batteries it went threw was the dissapointing part of it all. The cars ran out so fast. You must always have a load of batteries around.
Thx Mom from Akron Ohio.