Back in my day, toys over promised and under delivered, especially if it had any kind of electronics. Everything required extra imagination back then, sometimes stretching it to a point of disillusion.
I remember those RC cars. I don't know of I was younger than you, but I thought they were the coolest things!
I do agree that some electronic toys were underwhelming in a sense*. Like "talking" dolls which just played the same recording over and over.
*Underwhelming in the promise, but it was fun to dissect that doll and discover that the recording was an actual tiny plastic disc! (Like a vinyl, but actual plastic and maybe 2 inches in diameter!)