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Cruncher, Mattel's newest interactive Prehistoric Pets dinosaur, roars to life the moment you turn him on. This feisty little pet has a huge personality and reacts to petting, feeding, and sounds with a variety of lively movements and noises. Recommended for children six years of age and older, Cruncher can be trained to do tricks and produce sounds, and even plays fetch with his included fish toy. A wonderful companion with a frisky attitude, Cruncher's interactive abilities make him an engaging toy that fosters creative, active play.

Prehistoric Pets Cruncher
Ages: 6 years and up
Requires: Five C batteries; Philips screwdriver (for battery installation)
What We Think
Fun factor:
Durability:
Ease of assembly:
Novelty factor:

The Good: A lively, interactive toy with an ornery attitude and fierce physique.

The Challenging: Learning all the tricks and play modes takes time - and patience.

In a Nutshell: Animated dinosaur toy responds physically and verbally to commands.

This ferocious, electronic pet features a mouth full of teeth and detailed scales.
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Cruncher moves realistically, thanks to his state-of-the-art animatronics.
View larger. Part Robotics, Part Prehistoric Pet
Cruncher's exaggerated features and striking details help to captivate a young imagination. His big eyes, pointed teeth, colorful skin, spiked collar, and stout feet with large black claws enhance Cruncher's tough, ornery image. Small wheels under Cruncher's belly enable him to move quickly and are synced with his arms and legs to enhance the animation of his movements. Cruncher's head swivels left to right while his jaw opens and closes, and his soft rubbery neck stretches and wrinkles with each movement.

Cruncher's durable construction out of soft and hard plastic help to protect electronic components and ensure that he will endure longs hours of physical play. Cruncher is powered with five C batteries that are inserted on the underside of his belly next to the on/off switch. Rubber-coated surfaces on the wheels, feet, and tip of the tail help to keep this four-pound Prehistoric Pet upright during his animated play.

Make Cruncher Dance, Catch, and More with Command Collar
Speedy movements, snapping jaws, and flailing arms make Cruncher a formidable friend. Although he has a mind of his own, Cruncher's command collar can be used to select between different modes of play and to control his movements and actions. There are eight available play modes ranging from playing catch to dancing to following verbal commands.

The included fish "chew toy" is designed to resemble a prehistoric fish skeleton and can be "fed" to Cruncher by placing it into his snapping jaws. Once inside his mouth, Cruncher will either chew on it with chomping jaw movements and crunching noises, or he'll giggle and drop it then back up, rear up, and open his mouth for a game of catch. If music is played or hands are clapped while Cruncher is in the dance mode, he will perform a series of lively moves in time with the sound.

Cruncher comes with a detailed owner's guide, complete with a section on training tips written in a tone directed at young owners. The range of behaviors, with lively motion and expressive sounds, is broad enough to keep young children entertained for sustained periods of time.

What's in the Box
Cruncher interactive dinosaur toy, soft plastic fish accessory, owner's guide.

From the Manufacturer

Is he a pet or a threat. Introducing Cruncher, the quickest, feistiest and hungriest Prehistoric Pet around. Advanced robotics allows Cruncher to interact with his owner just like a real pet. Cruncher is a green, not-so-lean, eating machine. This interactive dinosaur comes when he’s called, dances and even plays catch. Rub his head and he’ll pant with affection, or call him and he’ll come toward you. But send him on a high-speed attack and he’ll charge forward, snapping his jaws with a thunderous roar on a hunt for food. He may seem tame, but Cruncher has the power to devour anything in his path. Make sure you keep him satisfied by feeding him his favorite dish, his Prehistoric fish. With 8 modes of play and over 200 sounds and animations, Cruncher will keep you entertained for hours. Play catch with him, watch him bust a dance move or lift up his tail and he’ll surprise you by letting one rip. Train him to remember up to 30 different actions and sounds and he’ll perform them for you in sequence. His collar can even translate his sounds into real phrases. But remember, Cruncher may seem tame, but he has the power to devour anything in his path.