The retro-friction toy car is an incredible piece of engineering! It's sometimes called a “wind-up” toy car. This video covers the specifics of the mechanism: the motor frame, the 5 gears and ...

Racing cars is fun, but kids will be even more invested in the game when they can build—and dismantle—the racers themselves. ... Yeonha Toys Pull Back Cars and Trucks. $11 at Amazon.

The Toy Car, by contrast, is wonderfully simple and easy to grok. It also looks like the inside of a giant watch, which adds to its appeal. You probably won't be buying one for your kids, though.