RPM Devastor Showdown - review

[andersonh1]

Thanks to JT for shipping this to me. And the packaging was just fine.

Devastator Showdown is a kid's toy. The basic premise is a car racing through an obstacle course. In this case, Skids races along a track, past a barricade, through Devastator's open jaws, and then avoids being grabbed while being chased by a boulder and completing a turn around the track. A launcher pushes the car up the hill and then gravity takes it the rest of the way. Lather, rinse, repeat.

The electronics consist of Peter Cullen voicing Optimus Prime, telling the Autobots to run down Devastator, and then telling Skids to hurry up and get moving. The set's worth having just to hear Prime dressing down Skids (a character from the movie that I despise). Devastator rants about winning and tells Skids to prepare for extermination in a line (and soundalike voice) lifted straight from the 86 animated movie. The front of his face lights up, and you can make his jaw open and close and try to catch the car on its way by.

Did I mention this thing was loud? Loud, with bright lights and repetitive action. Perfect kids' toy.



I was happy to win the set because I figured my 5 year old daughter and I would enjoy it, and she had a blast. It comes disassembled, so we had a good time helping each other put it together. I like it. It's not something I would have bought in the store since I'm into the figures rather than non-transforming merchandise, but I'm glad to have it. I might have to pick up a few more RPMs to keep Skids company.

[Dominic]

I assume you are out all day when should be playing with this.

[andersonh1]

I assume you are out all day when should be playing with this.

That's right! Why oh why did we go visit family when we could be playing DEVASTATOR SHOWDOWN?!? What was I thinking?

[Onslaught Six]

So how compatible would this thing be with other tracks, like Hot Wheels stuff?

[Dominic]

Actually, that was a typing error on my part. I meant to say "you are out when she would be playing with this", leaving your wife home to hear it.

Dom

[andersonh1]

Hey, that could be fun too. "Be sure to turn this on once I've left for work. Drive mama crazy."

[andersonh1]

So how compatible would this thing be with other tracks, like Hot Wheels stuff?

I don't know. It's been years since I've bought any Hot Wheels cars, so I don't know if they'll fit or not. I keep meaning to drag out some Spychangers and see if they'll run on the track. The RPMs seem small, but that may just be my perception of them.

[BWprowl]

So how compatible would this thing be with other tracks, like Hot Wheels stuff?

I don't know. It's been years since I've bought any Hot Wheels cars, so I don't know if they'll fit or not. I keep meaning to drag out some Spychangers and see if they'll run on the track. The RPMs seem small, but that may just be my perception of them.

Well, the RPMs are Hot Wheels scale (I believe) and the Spychangers were explicitly designed to work with Hot Wheels tracks, so you should be okay there.

[Dominic]

And, now I might have to keep an eye our for clearanced tracks.

Dom
-no, really. Has been meaning to make Spy Changer tracks for years.

[andersonh1]

Heh. The Spychangers work well on the track. I pulled out Ironhide and Sideburn and tested them out. And they're more fun than the die-cast RPMs... being made out of plastic, they're lighter, so sometimes they can't take the curves and fly off the track. Or they might flip over halfway up. Automotive carnage!