Carrera Shadow Wolf

The Carrera Shadow Wolf has a traditional layout, with dune-racer looks and proportionally sized knobby, pneumatic tires. It is quite fast and best suited towards smoother surfaces -- it doesn't tackle tougher, taller obstacles such as the Bandai Cyclaws (*Est. $50). The Shadow Wolf can be operated at a good distance making it a good choice for outside use. It also comes with a lithium-ion battery that lasts longer and charges quicker than other battery technology. The Carrera Shadow Wolf RC car supports multiple remote frequencies, and has two speed settings and a turbo mode. The only real drawback that users mention is that it can't go off-road.

Whether you're a child getting your first RC vehicle or an adult looking for a little throwback fun, it's likely that the Carrera Shadow Wolf will please. The Carrera Shadow Wolf remote-control car sports traditional RC dune racer styling (that'll pull some nostalgia strings in older owners) with moderate-sized wheels pushed to the corners of the vehicle. Owners say the pneumatic tires give good traction and can handle speed and less-than-perfect surfaces. This remote-control car also operates on three different frequencies, allowing for multiple cars to race one another.

Though user reviews are limited for this remote-control car, all of the user reviews on Amazon.com give the Carrera Shadow Wolf a full 5-star rating, citing good operating range for the remote, admirable durability and selectable speed settings. A few reviewers point out that despite its desert-racer looks, this remote-control car isn't for true off-road duty, even though it can handle things such as gravel and very light snow without a problem. One reviewer also mentions that the steering isn't "proportional," meaning the operator can either turn completely left or completely right, but not incrementally. In this price range, however, this isn't an expected feature.

The Carrera Shadow Wolf is also available in other colors (those models have different names: Fox, Agent Black, Speed Fighter and Green Cobra).