Review – Hot Wheels Atari Tempest

With almost three dozen releases under its belt since 2006, the Hot Wheels ’55 Chevy Panel (Amazon.com search*, at southtexasdiecast.com) may already be on your shelves. No, really, I’m serious. Hell, I’ve even already reviewed this design once before.

Last summer I reviewed the DC Hot Wheels ’55 Chevy Panel (review here), and at the time I had yet to locate the Hot Wheels Tempest* toy car. Well, I’ve since solved that problem, so it’s time we get this car out of the package and see how it holds up.

Hot Wheels + Classic Atari Games = YES!

I know I wasn’t the only one excited when the Hot Wheels Atari line (Amazon.com search*) was announced, and since launch I’ve still managed to run across these in stores so every now and then I grab another one. It’s such a simple idea for a “Pop Culture” wave that I shouldn’t be as excited by the idea as I am, but here we are and I’m a geek so there. Love it, Mattel, now get on the Nintendo wave!

I Need a New Display Case

The case Gina bought me a few years ago is as packed as can be, so if I want to properly display this Hot Wheels Tempest* toy car alongside other Hot Wheels Atari cars — like the Hot Wheels Atari “Centipede” car (review here) — then I either need to rearrange everything or get a new case. I choose new case; I’m sure none of you are shocked by that choice.

Closing Thoughts

Another wave of “Real Riders” toys, the Hot Wheels Atari line (Amazon.com search*) of toy cars is a bit pricier than your usual $1 Hot Wheels toy, but the extra metal and real rubber tires make them worth the added cost.

Ultimately the Hot Wheels Tempest* car was the toughest one of the wave for me to find; I’ve no idea why, but I’m glad that I kept searching and that I eventually did find it in stores.

I really do need to start thinking about ordering some of those harder-to-find Hot Wheels cars from the web and stop insisting that I always buy these in stores.