The very first radio controlled car I ever owned was a 1986 NIKKO R/C Ferrari Testarossa. I wanted that car so bad, I remember asking Santa for it after seeing it in the Sears Wish Book. I’m sure my parents would’ve never expected that 29 years later, I’d still be playing with NIKKO R/C vehicles – much less be writing about them. Yet here we are, and I’m excited to bring you my hands-on report on one of the latest members of the NIKKO fleet – the first vehicle produced under the recent licensing partnership between WWE and NIKKO parent, TOY STATE. The WWE Rolling Ring is a 1:16-scale 27MHz tri-band truck (allowing for three players) with a top speed of 6.2 mph, and a range of 82 feet. Available with graphic schemes based on WWE Superstars Sheamus, The Rock and John Cena – we received the latter for review in THE ROCK FATHER’s State-of-the-Art Toy Testing Facility (our house), and this time we did something different: We strapped a GoPro to it!
The truck itself is pretty straight-forward, with basic forward/reverse and left/right controls, recommended for ages 6+, yet easy enough for younger kids to operate. There’s some nice design features that really tie-in well to the overall WWE scheme – from the vehicle wrap to the front bumper being shaped like the WWE World Heavyweight Championship Belt.
As for the ring itself, they say you can “take the match anywhere!,” and you can – especially if you have figures that are small enough to fit the ring. Toy State isn’t in the figure business, but the small-scale figures like those from Mattel’s WWE Slam City line would be perfect for this – or the mini-figures that come with The Bridge Direct’s WWE C3 Construction Sets (which The Rock Daughters™ were quick to point out). The ropes are made out of thin elastic, so they have some motion to them, but I wouldn’t recommend stretching them very far.
Overall, the WWE Rolling Ring is a lot of fun, and a new addition to our ever-growing fleet that was quick to grab the attention of the neighborhood kids. You’ll find this one rolling into stores this Fall, and as a featured toy in my 2015 Holiday Wish Guide!
Check out ToyState.com for more details.
