Bigtrak was one of the awesomest toys of the 1980s (actually introduced in 1979), and, like other 80s icons, Knight Rider and the A-Team, it is staging a comeback.

Bigtrack Jr will be a half-sized replica of the original six-wheeled autonomous robot, an object of jealous desire for kids who couldn't afford one. The rover could be programmed using a cryptic keypad on the load-bed, and sent off to "shoot" your little sister with a flashing light or deliver any manner of goods, somewhat inaccurately, from its trailer.

To get the machine where you wanted it, you'd need to specify up to 16 (the maximum) steps, with instructions to turn a certain amount of degrees, pause, or move forward a certain distance (measured in Bigtrak lengths). As the only sensors on the 'bot counted wheel revolutions, it quickly strayed from the path, especially on slippery surfaces.

It was a magnificent triumph, despite requiring a knowledge of trigonometry to control it. And rather than mess with a winning formula, Dubreq - the company which resuscitated the Stylophone - has simply shrunken it, and doubled the available program steps to 32. Thus yesteryear's must-have toy becomes today's educational device.

Actually, there is one other extra. Dubreq has put a port on top that can accept peripherals, starting with a digital camera and - yes! - a rocket launcher. Little sisters beware.

Launches this year, with rocket launcher coming in 2011.

Bigtrack Jr [Dubreq]

Bigtrak makes a comeback [Pocket Lint]