Tyco Super Sound Racing is a HO scale slot car track set with a built-in sound effect system, released by Tyco Toys in the US, UK, and globally in 1992. It’s a followup of sorts to the 1980 Tyco Super Sound Computer Control which had onboard 8bit sound generation, similar to the blips and bloops of a Nintendo Gameboy.
Thankfully this early 90s set uses digital sound effects and almost entirely standard car and track pieces that you can continue to enjoy whether you like the sound effect gimmick or not.
Not to be confused with Tyco / Mattel’s NASCAR Super Sound which would follow a few years later.
Features
With a digital sound effect board that reproduces engine noises and important announcements while the slot cars are racing, the Tyco Super Sound series is unlike any other track set available.
The sound effect module clips into a standard Tyco HO scale track, with controllers and mains power also input into this unit.
Included sound effects are:
- “Gentlemen Start Your Engines”
- “Lap Nine… RRROARRR”
- “There’s the Checkered Flag”
Plus Engine Sound Effects, Flashing Lights, and winner announcement.
Utilizing 3 x AA batteries, it’s a whole lot better than the 4 x C size batteries of Tyco’s earlier race computer, though also much less feature packed..
Closeup of the Sound Effect Module with speaker, on/off switch, start, reset, and lap counters.
The Race Control Tower is a standard cardboard affair, with decorated barriers, and plastic molded race crew also included.
Vehicles
The set comes with two Indy Car or Formula One style HO scale slot cars from the era in as #5 Williams Renault in White/Blue and #8 TYCO Racer in Red/Black, with Tyco presumably unable to reach an agreement on livery for the second vehicle.
Track Parts and Layout
Included in the set is a decently sized 3′ x 4′ track layout with the following parts and accessories:
- 1 x 9″ Straight Start/Finish
- 1 x 9″ Straight Terminal
- 2 x 6″ Straight
- 2 x 9″ Radius Curve (1/8 Circle)
- 9 x 9″ Radius Curve (1/4 Circle)
- 1 x 15″ Cut-Off Squeeze
- Various supports, struts, guardrails, stickers, flag poles, decals and plug pack
- Sound Unit Label Sheet, Sound Box Base, and Upper/Lower Control Tower pieces
- Plastic figures for Flagman and Cameraman
- 2 x standard Tyco slot car controllers
TV Commercial
I’ve restored the original TV Commercial from the 90s using the latest video restoration technology to try and remove the blurry graininess that comes from decades old VHS tapes.
Collect-ability and Availability
The Tyco Super Sound Electric Racing still appears to be popular today, with plenty of mentions across various toy and slot car forums, YouTube videos, etc. It’s also widely available online with a half dozen sets in reasonable condition available on eBay at the time of writing for fairly reasonable prices – a rarity these days with many Tyco products. Don’t assume that will last however, as even the 1992 Tyco Baja Bandit was cheap and plentiful at one point!
Sadly I’ve not had the opportunity to try this 1992 version of the Super Sound Electric Racing so I can’t give an objective review of it, however going by its general popularity and interest online, it seems like a set worth having.