GX Extreme Performance Vehicles Disappoint

The following is a product review for the GX Extreme Performance Vehicles series. Sample toys were provided to me by Jakks Pacific, Inc., the manufacturer, in exchange for my unbiased review.

Christmas Toys Galore

Late this past August a package arrived at my home from Jakks Pacific, Inc., a company who designs and markets various toys and consumer products including GX Extreme Performance Vehicles. I received several boxes within that package, which I gave to one of my sons to set up and try out.

Unfortunately, the products were a disappointment to my nine-year-old son as well as to his eight-year-old brother. Claims that the Super Jump could cause the Hotwheel type cars to jump up to ten feet in the air, never came about, with most jumps in the range of three to four feet. Even when clamped to the top of the kitty post (my sons are clever!), the super jump just didn’t perform as expected.

Quality Not So Good

In addition, the quality of the products tested were poor, as cheap plastics were used for the tracks while the gyro device failed to perform. I hesitated to write the review after these initial disappointments, thinking that my sons would be interested in trying it again. They weren’t, so they didn’t.

The GX Racers could make for a fun gift if they worked as planned. For example, the motorized turbo launcher is supposed to load, rev and launch but they did neither even with much help. I’m sure that my sons would have tried it several more times if I prompted them to do so, but they’re so used to everything working well out of the box that they quickly lost interest.

Road Champs

I guess that is what happens when you pitch a simple product that goes up against the sophistication of Star Wars, the Clone Wars products. Those items, which they buy mostly from Legos, are well made, easy to assemble and fun to use. Not so with the Road Champs Turbo Launcher or the Road Champs Super Jump.

Recommended for children ages six years and up, the GX Super Jump has a suggested retail price of $14.99 while the GX Motorized Launcher retails for $39.99.  Toys R Us is one of the local retailers offering these toys but I also see that they’re available through Amazon, QVC and Target.

Maybe someone else has something positive to say about the GX Racers. If so, feel free to add your comments. In the meantime, we’ll be sticking with their usual favorite toys this Christmas shopping season.