I was happy to see the 2016 Hot Wheels pop up, and very pleased to see the Nintendo Cool-One (Super Mario) car. I picked up a couple of Sega cars nearly a decade ago, so my knee-jerk "Where's Nintendo?" comment has finally been answered - and so far we've had Sega, Atari, and Nintendo cars making the rounds. It's pretty amazing when you think about it - even though you can't find all three on the shelves at once, the fact that any toy line incorporates the big three of the first major decade (and change) of gaming is a big deal. And now, tradition has been served by painting a car from 2004 with a Mario logo on it.
The main reason to buy this is if you're like me and operating as if there's a famine in the world of Nintendo licensing - in the 1980s, there were a few collectible figures and knick knacks, but not a lot of toys that - shall we say - you would be proud to own. Now you've got full lines of Nintendo figures standing nearly two feet tall, interactive figures that communicate with your games, and a store in New York who'll trade you a Metroid t-shirt for an Andrew Jackson. So while you don't need a $1 die-cast car with "Super Mario" on the side, it's not like logic, reason, and your options will stop you from buying a car in primary colors, because it also has Mario's "M" logo on the hood.
With huge back wheels cast in blue with yellow rims, this is a toy that looks a lot like "a toy." Terms like "kiddie" and "neon" are thrown out derisively by younger toy fans who don't seem to have yet connected with the reality of this hobby, and those terms seem to fit this particular vehicle more than the others Mattel pumps out. After all, bright primary colors aren't unusual but I can't name a lot of cars with garish rims and the (more or less) current logo for one of the most recognized characters in popular culture.
You should buy this car if you're loving the idea of a $1 Nintendo car - it's why I bought it. I'd repeat the process for Zelda or Metroid, too. I'd be lying if I said that the design was particularly awesome, though - it's just novel, and what it represents is more interesting than what it is. You can also get slightly better, all-metal cars with graphics from Nintendo game packaging in a higher-end collector assortment for $4-$5 - but this one is $1, so that's why I got it. It's a fun little desk toy if you're in to such things, otherwise you're probably better putting the dollar toward something in the increasingly desirable Jakks figure assortments.
Also, a package variant with snowflakes on the cardback is making the rounds. I don't know much else about it, other than it exists.
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