Updated on August 11, 2024: Walmart has discounted the Halo Warthog ride-on car to $279, about $100 below its current retail price of $373. The Warthog originally launched in 2022 as a Walmart exclusive for a whopping $498.

The current reduced price is more in line with other “premium” ride-on cars – but yes, it’s still expensive. Still, we can’t imagine this offer lasting long.

You can read our original story from 2022 below. I asked my now 3.5 year old son again if he wanted to play Halo Infinite with me. “I don’t like Halo,” he said. In other words, he still doesn’t know what Halo is. And my wife told me again that our son “doesn’t need this” when I showed her the Warthog. How disappointing for my son, the huge Halo fan in the house.

ORIGINAL STORY BELOW

I can’t believe I’m writing this, but Microsoft has released a Halo Warthog ride-on for kids ages three and up. The 24-volt vehicle has two seats and even the Gauss Cannon on the back, which is equipped with a laser tag blaster. It comes with a vest so you can track the person wearing it. The Warthog is available exclusively at Walmart for $498.

I’m not sure if three-year-olds even know about Halo. To find out, I asked my 19-month-old son if he wanted to play Halo Infinite. His answer? “Elmo.” While this wasn’t a scientific study, it might be a sign that parents want this ride-on Warthog more than their kids. The sad truth is that the parents won’t fit behind the wheel. I’ve already asked my wife if I could buy the Warthog “for our son,” but she told me, unsurprisingly, no.

Back to the Warthog itself. It looks pretty damn cool, an authentic recreation of the iconic vehicle from the Halo series. It has off-road wheels, working headlights, and sound effects like blaster noises and revving engines. The Gauss Cannon rotates and has “weapon” voice commands. There’s even a dashboard that displays the Warthog’s “health status.”

The Warthog has a top speed of 9 mph, so the person wearing the laser tag vest could easily outrun it – unless they have tiny legs. Kids often have tiny legs. In addition to the turret laser pistol, the package includes a separate blaster.

It’s clear to me that this warthog is awesome. If you don’t believe me, look at the pictures below. The kids are over the moon, but they probably won’t be so happy when their parents try to squeeze into the warthog and take it for a spin.