Hot Wheels Octoblast Motorized Racing Track Set

by Mattel

Product Features

• High-speed stunts
• 5 "exploding" crash zones
• Includes 1 Hot Wheels car and 1 Track Set
• Wild octopus - Kids control the "tentacles"

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 8 pounds
• ASIN: B000068FGW
• Item model number: 54943
• Manufacturer recommended age: 5 years and up
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #225,522 in Toys & Games (See Top 100 in Toys & Games)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)

Product Description

Editorial Review

Sure, in the real world your commute can seem a bit harrowing. But at least there isn't an enormous green octopus trying to destroy your car. Of course, as the Octoblast set from Hot Wheels proves, escaping an irate cephalopod can be an awful lot of fun. The track features a booster to power the cars along, and you'll need those high speeds to negotiate multiple crash zones and a midair upside-down jump. Fortunately, you're in charge of the octopus's tentacles so if you want the invertebrate menace to take it easy, he will. There are an awful lot of pieces to set up in order to create all this action, and as such the set takes a little while to put together. But the enclosed instruction book is clear so putting it all together shouldn't be that bad. --John Moe

Product Description

It's the ultimate battle between kid and creature! This action-packed track set has stunts, exploding crash zones and a wild octopus with kid-controlled tentacles Kids power up the high-speed, four-way booster for a fast-paced race through the twisted tentacles of the octopus. They're in control as they launch their cars into the head of the octopus, blasting him sky high. Kids race to survive an upside-down midair jump and five exploding crash zones.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

201 of 204 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This Toy is at the top of many Kids Christmas list., November 17, 2002

By 

"battlingbard" (Taylorsville, UT United States) - See all my reviews

= Durability:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:2.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Hot Wheels Octoblast Motorized Racing Track Set (Toy)

My nine year old son just has to have this toy for Christmas. Last year he really wanted the Hot Wheels Fireball set. After reading all the bad reviews that track received about being a piece of junk and really dangerous we talked him out of it. I was pregnant and expecting around that time and I was really worried about how dangerous everyone claimed that set was.

When my son saw the Octoblast set around September, he asked to get it for his birthday. Of course I wanted to check it out first. I went to this sight and they didn't even have the track at that time so I checked KB Toys. They had it but without any reviews so I told my son to wait and maybe he could get it for Christmas. I have patiently kept checking the sights for any reviews and to this date there are none. Last week I finally gave in and put the track on layaway. I figured if it got bad reviews we could always take it back.

Well, yesterday was my nephews birthday and surprise he got this track from someone. I asked my sister to tell me how the track was when they got it set up. If it was dangerous because the cars come of, etc. They got it set up before we left. It took them about 20-30 minutes. All the kids gathered around and watched it run. The cars run really well from what I could see. The only time they came off the track is when the cars crashed into each other. And they didn't come off at such high speeds as to really hurt anything. Still, I would say keep a little distance because no matter what speed if you get hit by one I would imagine it would hurt alittle bit.

The kids played with it for a very long time and the track stayed together the whole time. Nothing came apart like past tracks we have had. The Octoblast seems to be a very sturdy track structure. Needless to say my son told us he just has to have this for Christmas. Even more surprising is the fact that my four year old niece also told her parents she wants the track for Christmas. Wow! When a little girl who is mainly into Barbie and Princess ask for a Hot Wheels set you know it must be good.

Thus my rating for this item. I give it five stars for Fun. It was really fun for the kids and the adults alike. Durablity, I give it 4 stars because the track is well made and stays together but I don't know how long it will last. As for educational value, 2 stars because how educational can a race track be? I quess setting it up is alittle educational. Over all I really enjoyed this track and think others will too.

39 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Okay but toy doesn't impress, November 30, 2002

By 

7772001 "7772001" (San Jose, CA USA) - See all my reviews

= Durability:3.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:1.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Hot Wheels Octoblast Motorized Racing Track Set (Toy)

Uneasy about buying another Hot Wheels track set, I bought the Octoblast for my son. Since the other failed Hot Wheels track sets that didn't work well, Tornado Twister, Fireball... etc. It wouldn't have surprised me if this set didn't work, but my son really wanted this so he got it for his birthday. It took 25 minutes to set it up. It is the same plastic pieces which I thought would fall apart of the cars impact and the speed of the cars. I was wrong, when we did a test run, the first couple of go arounds with one car worked pretty good with the track staying together. But when you add two or more cars the track pieces get seperated with the force of the cars. I hate when it crashes and it is very annoying, maybe we'll try this toy some more before we return it to the stores.

It is a win-loss recommendation to get this toy, you can take your chances with the Octoblast track system, but most likely, it will be another bad track system from Mattel.

61 of 65 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hot Wheels Every Christmas, November 24, 2002

By 

"racantwell" (Eastsound, WA) - See all my reviews

= Durability:2.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:1.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Hot Wheels Octoblast Motorized Racing Track Set (Toy)

Every year we end up with one of these Hot Wheels sets under the Christmas tree. Each set looks more ridiculous than the last ("volcano blaster" was our first). This toy has hardly anything I look for; there is zero educational value and the set rarely lasts past Valentine's Day (parts go missing or get stepped on, batteries die, cars can't be found)and it's just darn impossible to get it back in the box to store it neatly anywhere. But while these Hot Wheels sets are around they are just pure, pure wonderful fun and worth every penny we spend on them. The best part (for me) is my sons, their uncle and their father spend a lot of time putting the set together and then hours playing with it together. They laugh themselves sick and I never regret buying one of these toys. Also, if you are thinking about this set for Christmas don't delay too long. Some years I've waited and they have become hard, or impossible, to find closer to Christmas.