The Toys Store

Air Hogs lets you control a car along the ground and up walls. (red sports car version shown) View larger.

Use the remote to charge the car's built-in battery. (red sports car version shown) View larger.

What We Think Fun Factor: Durability: (what this means) The Good: Car can drive up walls; includes rechargeable battery The Bad: Car is a bit fragile; slightly loud; limited wireless range In a Nutshell: Car can do everything it advertises, but all the conditions must be met At a Glance Ages: 8 and up Requires: 6 AA batteries for remote, clean surface

Smart, Innovative Design
Air Hogs makes the only cars that can climb walls, and the Zero Gravity Micro is smaller and faster than the original Air Hogs Zero Gravity Humvee. We were surprised by how small and light the Zero Gravity Micro is; it is basically a thin plastic shell wrapped around a light body with a vacuum in it. Our car was designed to look like a red race car, but you can choose from other designs available as well.

We were able to get the Zero Gravity Micro up and running without any problems. The remote control unit needs six AA batteries (not included), and is then used to charge the built-in rechargeable battery in the car. This is done by connecting a cable from the remote control to the car, and flipping the switch to charge mode. Thanks to smart design, this cable can be stowed and hidden away when not being used.

After about half an hour for charging, the car was ready to go. Right away, we set the car to wall climbing mode and set it on our wall. Though we'd read about what it was supposed to do, we were still very impressed when we saw the car stick to the wall and climb. You can see the vacuum working, as there is a window on the top of the car showing a spinning fan. The car makes quite a bit of sound when it is in wall mode.

Using the remote, we were able to make the car go up, turn left and right, and go down as well. With a tight turning radius, the car is very maneuverable and with some practice, you can get the car to do exactly as you wish. In addition to Wall mode, there is also a Ground mode which leaves the fan/vacuum off, and lets you drive full function on the ground. You need to walk around with the car, however, as the remote has limited range. This is not as big a concern on walls because we were usually pretty close to the wall as the car was climbing it.

The car has working headlights that double as a battery indicator--when they start to blink, the car is running low on power.

Needs Clean, Smooth Surface
The instructions warn that the car should be played only on a clean, smooth surface, and they're not kidding. Since the car is able to stay on walls due to suction, the moment an inconsistency is introduced, the car loses suction and falls off. We found that a surface like glass works very well. With our concrete wall, we often ran into problems with the car maintaining its suction. Coupled with the car's light construction, we fear that repeated abuse could cause damage to it.

Overall, we found the Air Hogs Zero Gravity Micro to be an innovative and fun toy. We wished it were a bit more hefty and could work on more surfaces, but when we got it going on our window, we were very impressed. It's a great new idea and twist on an old toy, and is bound to keep children mesmerized.

The pony is actually the controller for educational video games. View larger.

The receiver features kid friendly controls. View larger.

What We Think Fun Factor: Durability: (what this means) The Good: Wireless technology, easy-to-use features, and challenging games make this interactive pony and educational games entertaining and educational for toddlers The Bad: While it's recommended for children 12 months or older, most 12-month-old children will be too small to use this toy effectively. In a Nutshell: Interactive pony and its included educational games provide plenty of physical coordination and mental stimulation for toddlers At a Glance Ages: 12 to 36 months Requires: 3 AA Batteries and 3 C Batteries; TV

Construction and Design
The Smart Bounce & Spin Pony is a molded plastic pony that sits on a wide, sturdy plastic base. But this pony is much more than your standard rocking horse: it is also the actual controller for the included educational video games.

After some quick-and-easy adult assembly (you'll need a Philips screwdriver) and battery insertion (you'll need three AAA batteries and three C batteries), we found it easy to start playing right away. Just plug the included receiver into your television, VCR, or DVD player's audio/video input jacks, and the game introductory screen will appear on the TV. Using wireless technology, the pony's motions control the video games. Your child can bounce and spin while riding the pony to interact with the "learning sites," or games, that she chooses to play.

We found the wireless technology very convenient: we could put the pony anywhere from 3 to 15 feet from the receiver. That said, we discovered that, as recommended, the pony should be positioned on a carpeted surface, since it slides relatively easily on hardwood floors or other smooth flooring material.

Games That Grow With Your Child
The educational games feature simple, colorful animation that's easy for a small child to relate to, as well as perky, bright background music and fun sing-along songs. (Adult caregivers will appreciate that the potentially relentless background music can be shut off during play.) The child causes the animated features to react by bouncing on the pony and turning the drum on the pony's handle.

Level 1 teaches the youngest toddler about action and reaction. For example, in level 1 of the "Colorful Home" game, a puppy appears on the screen and simply makes motions whenever the pony bounces.

Level 2 introduces letters, shapes, numbers, and colors. For example, in level 2 of the A to Z Zoo, each letter of the alphabet appears as the pony bounces, with the onscreen voice naming the letter.

Level 3 allows children to "count along," and works with ideas like opposites and spelling. In level 3 of the Count & Grow Farm, for example, the child makes an animal jump over consecutively numbered hurdles and is encouraged to count along with the game. Spinning the drum on the pony's handle creates additional effects, such as playing new songs or changing the weather in the scene.

Stand Alone Mode
The child can change the game herself with arrow buttons on the pony's handle. If the child stops bouncing, after a short period a pony appears on the screen reminds the child to bounce and get the game going again. It will go into "sleep mode" after three minutes to preserve battery life. Just turn the drum or bounce the pony to start it up again.

Smaller children will especially like that the pony can be played with by itself without the video games. Change the pony's switch to "stand alone mode," and the pony will play its own music while the child bounces and spins. In fact, in our estimation the stationary mode is best for the youngest toddler -- and only with lots of adult help.

While our 22-month-old child tester found it very easy to mount, dismount, and ride the pony, most 12-month old children will not be able to balance safely on it, let alone bounce and spin independently, unless they have prodigy-like athletic abilities.

What We Think Fun Factor: Durability: (what this means) The Good: Two exclusive pets and a whole house full of moving parts The Bad: Plastic pieces might not hold up to rough play In a Nutshell: Fun colors and cute pets inspire imaginative play At a Glance Ages: 4 and older

Watch the kangaroo jump rope. View larger.

Pets have their own rotating beds. View Larger.

Explore the Fitness Club
The Tail Waggin Fitness Club Playset is ready to go straight out of the box. Made of brightly colored plastic and decorated with fun decals, the club folds open to reveal six rooms filled with fun accessories.

Two exclusive pets are included to get you started. Take the guinea pig for a spin on the hamster wheel, or spin the thumb wheel and watch the kangaroo "leap" over three hurdles in a circle. There's also a jump rope station controlled by a thumb wheel, a locker for stashing your pets' stuff, and a treat dispenser for rewarding well behaved pets. A post with two swivel beds and a hanging basket provide comfy places for tired pets to rest between workouts, and there's even a washroom with a movable tub for keeping pets clean.

Make New Friends
With plenty of space for lots of pets to play at the same time, this gym inspires cooperative play between friends or siblings. It's also great for a single child with an active imagination. We really enjoyed the unique characteristics of each of the included pets--, like the kangaroo's bright green boxing gloves, and the way magnets in their feet keep them from falling off the magnetized wheel, jump rope platform, and hurdle platform.

But it's clear that having friends bring over their own pets will increase the fun factor, especially since the kangaroo is a little too top-heavy to be a top performer on some of the apparatuses.

The moving parts are put together well, but the fitness club and its accessories are made of plastic, which means that rough play could take a toll on them over time. As long as kids are sure to fold the set up and keep it out of the way when it's not in use, it should provide plenty of imaginative fun.

What We Think Fun Factor: Durability: (what this means) The Good: Roller coaster, Ferris wheel, and ice cream parlor sure to stimulate your child's imagination The Bad: Tiny accessories pose choking hazard for younger children In a Nutshell: Sure to delight girls who love ponies, ice cream, amusement parks, or all three! At a Glance Ages: 4 and older Requires: 3 AAA batteries

The colorful amusement park includes tons of fun accessories. View larger.

After a long day on the rides, Pony is ready to grab a meal. View Larger.

Sweet Times at the Amusement Park
The Sweet Sundae Amusement Park features three major components--the Ferris wheel, roller coaster, and ice cream parlor. No assembly is required; just take them out of the box and let your child play.

The ice cream parlor opens to reveal fun features inside, including a food court, a lounge, and a turnstile that the pony can go through. (It might not be immediately obvious how to open up the ice cream parlor, but the instructions will take you through the steps.) The design is simple yet full of details to stimulate your child's imagination (and sweet tooth!), like the sundae on top of the ice cream parlor and the cupcake baskets on the Ferris wheel.

Fun on the Ferris Wheel and Roller Coaster
The Ferris wheel is especially fun. Your girl will love putting pony in one of the cupcake baskets, pressing the pink heart-shaped button, and watching the Ferris wheel go round to a gentle tune. The roller coaster, while not mechanized like the Ferris wheel, is also sure to be a hit with your child. The well-designed track keeps pony safely in the roller-coaster car as he zooms down it. There is also a pink and yellow gondola that pony can ride in that hooks on to the underside of the roller coaster--a cute touch.

The More Ponies the Merrier
We appreciated how all the little accessories--like the French fries, soda, and hot dog--attach to pony's leg, making it easy for your child to pretend with pony. These accessories are truly tiny, however, and pose a choking hazard for younger children, as well as being easy to lose. However, if you have younger children who like this toy, you could simply take away the small parts. Your child will still have plenty of fun without them.

Keep in mind that only one "real" plastic pony is included with the amusement park, and your girl might clamor for more once she starts playing. But there are several cardboard ponies included to add to the amusement park fun.

Air Hogs lets you control a car along the ground and up walls. (red sports car version shown) View larger.

Use the remote to charge the car's built-in battery. (red sports car version shown) View larger.

What We Think Fun Factor: Durability: (what this means) The Good: Car can drive up walls; includes rechargeable battery The Bad: Car is a bit fragile; slightly loud; limited wireless range In a Nutshell: Car can do everything it advertises, but all the conditions must be met At a Glance Ages: 8 and up Requires: 6 AA batteries for remote, clean surface

Smart, Innovative Design
Air Hogs makes the only cars that can climb walls, and the Zero Gravity Micro is smaller and faster than the original Air Hogs Zero Gravity Humvee. We were surprised by how small and light the Zero Gravity Micro is; it is basically a thin plastic shell wrapped around a light body with a vacuum in it. Our car was designed to look like a red race car, but you can choose from other designs available as well.

We were able to get the Zero Gravity Micro up and running without any problems. The remote control unit needs six AA batteries (not included), and is then used to charge the built-in rechargeable battery in the car. This is done by connecting a cable from the remote control to the car, and flipping the switch to charge mode. Thanks to smart design, this cable can be stowed and hidden away when not being used.

After about half an hour for charging, the car was ready to go. Right away, we set the car to wall climbing mode and set it on our wall. Though we'd read about what it was supposed to do, we were still very impressed when we saw the car stick to the wall and climb. You can see the vacuum working, as there is a window on the top of the car showing a spinning fan. The car makes quite a bit of sound when it is in wall mode.

Using the remote, we were able to make the car go up, turn left and right, and go down as well. With a tight turning radius, the car is very maneuverable and with some practice, you can get the car to do exactly as you wish. In addition to Wall mode, there is also a Ground mode which leaves the fan/vacuum off, and lets you drive full function on the ground. You need to walk around with the car, however, as the remote has limited range. This is not as big a concern on walls because we were usually pretty close to the wall as the car was climbing it.

The car has working headlights that double as a battery indicator--when they start to blink, the car is running low on power.

Needs Clean, Smooth Surface
The instructions warn that the car should be played only on a clean, smooth surface, and they're not kidding. Since the car is able to stay on walls due to suction, the moment an inconsistency is introduced, the car loses suction and falls off. We found that a surface like glass works very well. With our concrete wall, we often ran into problems with the car maintaining its suction. Coupled with the car's light construction, we fear that repeated abuse could cause damage to it.

Overall, we found the Air Hogs Zero Gravity Micro to be an innovative and fun toy. We wished it were a bit more hefty and could work on more surfaces, but when we got it going on our window, we were very impressed. It's a great new idea and twist on an old toy, and is bound to keep children mesmerized.