Editorial Review

Just like the real front loaders you might see working along the highway, the Mighty Front Loader was designed to dig, dump, and haul. With its large working bucket, deep-cleated tires, and heavy-duty steel construction, this solid truck is guaranteed for life and built for endless hours of fun in the sandbox or yard. Two handles let you control the angle of the work bucket so you can dig or dump sand and dirt, or move rocks around. Or you can set the bucket in a middle position when you want to haul things for a while without holding the handle. The cab and engine sections swivel, making it easy to steer the front loader to where the work is. The large wheels (4.5-inch diameter) have been mounted over strong steel axles, tested for up to 50 pounds. Realistically styled, the front loader measures 22 inches long by 8 inches wide by 9.5 inches high. --Chris Burns ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Tonka Toys are Tough!
This is a GREAT toy for a rough little boy which is exactly what we have here! My son received this for Christmas a year ago & it still looks great & works great! That is saying lots!! He can destroy a lot of toys quickly b/c he is all boy!! For example, he received a truck for his birthday a month ago which was supposed to be a good rugged truck well it has been pronounced dead & retired to the trash already after just a month, but not his Tonka toys! But then we always buy the metal ones for him! I dont think you can go wrong with this toy! We are actly buying him a few more in this same line for this Christmas b/c they are so rugged!

The best construction toys
After much research I'm back to the old steadfast Tonka for my 3 year old.

These are the best construction toys for kids. I gave it a 4 for the plastic parts. I still have my Tonka loader in perfect condition from 1970, it has a metal loader bucket and mechanism. Although you could argue that the plastic bucket might be more safe if it gets plowed into anything other than dirt or it won't get scraped up from digging and corrode if left out in the elements too often. I like all metal.

But these are still just great construction toys. The competitors use too much plastic in places where they'll actually break. They feel like they're going to fall apart unless sitting foreven on a shelf.

Kids will push anything to it's limit, at least smaller kids. So expect any flimsy plastic, realistic looking parts to get broken, unless it's building blocks or something like that.

There's a difference between hard plastic and softer plastic in terms of durability. Most of the competitor trucks feel like hard plastic. The harder plastic snaps frm fatigue. The bucket on the loader is a bit softer, it's more pliable so it shouldn't snap from moderate abuse

I'd also stay away from the Tonkas that look more realistic but are all plastic, a harder plastic, and battery operated. Although alittle more realistic looking, those aren't really made for digging or pushing or anything but pretending to dig on a carpet inside only. Perhaps for older kids who play more realistically than forcefully. I've seen some with all of their realistic brittle plastic loader parts just broked off where they attach from over use from preschoolers.

These look much more durable, and they are. My sons still look pretty darn good and they've seen much use.

Buy it
These are the BEST toys in the world for kids who love transportation.I got this on special with the free dump truck and they have been all over the house, yard and even went on display for show and tell in grade K.All the kids love it.

If this is on special with the free dump truck as it is several times then don't hesitate get two and save it for a birthday gift.Both girls and boys love 'em.Great buy. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Vehicles    2. Construction Vehicles    3. Preschool    4. Push and Pull Toys    5. Die-Cast   

Reviews (3)

Great Truck!!!
We bought this truck for our 1 year old son yesterday. He loves it. He has been pushing it around all day. It is very durable and my future grandchildren will probaly play with this. It is totaly worth the money. Plus it is big enough that you can put your child in it and push it around. With adult supervision only. I am also going to use this for my sons second birthday party, I am going to put the cake in the back of it because it is a construction theme.

Nice Truck!
We bought this for our 16 month old son's Christmas present, after much deliberation. We bought this truck, instead of a softer, all plastic one for several reasons.
The metal(steel?) bed has rolled edges, and very few corners. It's coated with some kind of enamel, so it should last awhile.
The rest of the truck is made of some kind of really heavy plastic; I can't imagine a child being able to break it if they tried. The tippy part of the bed is suspended above the truck, to leave about an inch of space, making it almost impossible to pinch little fingers. It's big enough for my almost three year old to sit in, and I can hardly wait for Christmas!
~Incandesia

Awesome Truck!
Boy, what a great investment this was!We bought this along with the front loader and wow, does it get used a lot!My little one just loves filling up that front loader and dumping stuff into the back of this dump truck.The dump truck then goes all over the place delivering whatever is in the back, and comes back for more.He goes through sand, mud, you name it and looks great.These trucks clean up very easily and don't marr hardwood floors.It's pretty cute seeing how many things he can do with this truck - it just provides hours of fun for him. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Vehicles    2. Die-Cast    3. Trucks   

Editorial Review

As kids move their Matchbox cars along this circular snowy mountain road, the cars hit the hazards along the way. This playset lets your child control the rescue mission. Easy-to-work knobs operate the motorized lift, which rescues cars that have crashed or sunken into the pool of thin ice in the center of Ice Mountain. An included rescue vehicle assists cars that have been buried under the avalanche on the lower level of the roadway. Kids can use this set on its own or combine it with other Hero City vehicles and play centers to create a bigger city. This set requires three C batteries (not included) to operate. --Cristina Vaamonde ... Read more

Reviews (55)

It's great as long as you can keep it working
My 5 year old son received this toy as a gift for his birthday.He had asked for something else (the slimecano), but due to the bad reveiws of that product we purchased this instead.He surprised us all by forgetting all about the slimecano.He loved this toy.He plays with it and the Matchbox Ferris Wheel set (his other favorite) all day long.. atleast he did until this broke.

The Crane mechanism is poorly designed.The gearing inside of it does not handle the stress of being moved manually, or being hung up (as will happen when a car falls under its path of travel - a common occurrance).After 3 weeks of regular play, one of the gears inside the crane broke loose from its anchor (in the side of the crane body), leaving the works a jumbled and broken mess.No more crane.

I was extremely surprised to see this happen so quickly.My son has been playing with the ferris wheel (another motorized matchbox set in the same line) since Christmas, and the rotating wheel has stood up to considerable punishment from him without a problem.It still works after being jammed and turned by hand often.This, however, is not so forgiving.

I contacted Mattel today to see if I could purchase a replacement crane (or body with the proper gear anchor intact, only to find out that they are sold out.I can only imagine, based upon a quick glance at the reviews on this site that their stock was depleated by warantee replacements.For further evidence of this, the Mattel rep did agree to send me a 'voucher' for $23 (the supposed average retail price of the toy - not from where I'm sitting, look at the price on this site!).When I asked her if I could use it to purchase another ice mountain, she said yes, but I might want to consider a different toy, and that I could purchase multiple toys up to the limit of the voucher (I'm not sure, but I think she even suggested a 'hot wheels' car or 2...no promotion for that phone rep!

All in all, he was delighted to receive it and despondent when it broke.Mattel is trying to make good without alot of arguing on my part, so I'm not too unhappy.The only thing they could have done better, in my opinion, was better engineer the toy from the start.

A big hit with our kids!
My husband and I gave this toy to our 6-year-old on his birthday.Since I had read some of the reviews, I expected it to be quite difficult to assemble.My husband was at work so I had to put it together myself while our three kids "helped."There were a lot of steps to assembly (and 29 pieces) but it went together quite well.I wouldn't discourage any parent from purchasing this product.It's worth the money and initial effort!Our kids ages 8, 6, and 3 are enjoying all the different levers, lifts, roads, and great sound effects. It sparks their imaginations.

Bad
I ordered this gift for my son for Christmas.Had the toy all put together less then an hour and it stopped working.Had a replacement sent out and that one didn't work from the start.Was not a happy parent. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Vehicles    2. Die-Cast    3. Play Sets   

Editorial Review

Mighty indeed! This Tonka backhoe is aptly named. Riding high above the ground (11 inches) on large, rugged tires (4.5 inches indiameter), it's constructed of heavy-duty steel and durable plastic. Realistically styled after a full-size backhoe, it has a long steel arm for digging deep or scooping up rocks and dirt. The backhoe can swivel a full 360 degrees on the truck bed, making it easy to load dirt into other trucks or get to those hard-to-reach rock piles. There's a sure-grip handle on the side of the arm for lifting and lowering, and another handle at the base of the arm lets the "driver" extend or retract the work bucket for scooping and dumping. The backhoe sits on strong steel axles that have been tested with a 50-pound load. With a lifetime guarantee to back it up, the Mighty Backhoe is built to withstand all the rough play your kids can dish out. --Chris Burns ... Read more

Reviews (14)

But .....its not a backhoe.
It looks like a cool toy, but it really isn't anything like a backhoe you would normally see on a construction site.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backhoe
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Cat-backhoe-loader07.jpg

Built Strong for Hours of Play
We purchased the Tonka Mighty Backhoe and the Tonka Mighty Dump Truck for my son for Christmas this year.As a child, I had numerous Tonka trucks, and I can remember how much fun I had playing with them.Although plastic has replaced some of the parts that used to be steel, these trucks are still built strong for hours of fun play, either indoors or outdoors.As for the backhoe, it has a strongly-built cab and handles for the child to hold on to while operating the backhoe.This is an improvement from when I was a child.The backhoe bends in two places, so picking up small objects is very easy.The wheels are made of a sturdy plastic.I highly recommend this fun toy.Combine it with another Tonka vehicle to give your child hours of construction fun.

My 3 year old grandson loves favorite trucks
I bought the backhoe, dump truck and the back loader and recently purchase the crane for him.He takes them everywhere he goes. His father takes him to see the real ones at work and he know what each one is called.

They are very durable.Great trucks. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Vehicles    2. Construction Vehicles    3. Preschool    4. Push and Pull Toys    5. Die-Cast   

Editorial Review

In this sweet and gentle amusement park themed play set from Matchbox, it seems like the cars are having just as much fun as the people have. After all, it's not often that cars get to go on a Ferris wheel or get shot out from a cannon to knock over pretend space aliens and win prizes. With bright colors and soft designs, it's a silly, non-violent toy option for younger kids. One car is included with this particular set but it's compatible with other Hero City gear from Matchbox, affording the possibility of creating a vast and sprawling Hero City empire. Three C batteries are required but not included. A DVD with two Hero City cartoons is included.  --Charlie Williams ... Read more

Reviews (38)

One of the best toys my son has ever recieved!
We bought the Rocket Park Hero City for our little boy as part of his fourth birthday gift.Once he opened his gifts from us, this was the one he chose the rest of the day!It works really well, the best part about Matchbox playsets, is how well they stay together, there is not many pieces to put together and they always work pretty good.The car that came with Rocket Park has been the very best one yet to work with the set.It always works and loads on the ferris wheel everytime.Some of the vechiles our son has are too heavy they fall and slide down to the back trap door, but its pretty easy for us to tell if they will work or not, if the cars are long or any trucks, they won't work with the playset.Most all the light smaller cars work with the set, which surpised me after reading other reviews, for us we have had at least 35 or more cars load on the ferris wheel out of the 100+ cars and trucks our little boy has.I think that is pretty good.This set is great for all ages!We love sitting and playing cars with our son with this playset!It makes rainy days a lot more fun now!
(...) This set is a lot bigger than I would have imagined too.I would highly reccommend the Rocket Park Playset!

So-So
After buying Rocket Park for my son for Christmas he played with it for a couple of days, but when the only car (this included other 'Hero City' cars) that would stay on the ferris wheel was the one that came with it, he tired of the toy quickly.Now he will hook the park up to the other Hero City pieces he has, but forgets about the park and lets it run while all of the cars he has are in other parts of Hero City.

In all for a couple of days this toy is an interesting novelty item.As the product description says, how often do cars get to ride ferris wheels and get shot out of canons?But in reality, I think it would have been better if I had spent the money on a traditional race track that would work with any car that was set in it.This is neat, but quickly loses its appeal as most cars don't work with and in reality it requires very little action on the part of the child.They set the cars in the track and every so often hit a launcher to get the car back in the track.Imagination is not something that is a critical part of this toy.

Fun and not so noisy
My 5 year old enjoys playing with this little Hot Wheels playset quite a bit. Cars race around and are loaded into a ferris wheel and get released on the other side to the accompanyment of honks and bells and a load of other sounds. Compared to the Cyborg Assault playset this thing is small, well built and quiet! Most of the pieces stay together (except the little cannon thingy) and if they don't its fairly straightforward to put it back together again. Not too bad and the kid loves it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Vehicles    2. Die-Cast    3. Cars   

Editorial Review

Mighty is right! This Tonka crane, constructed of heavy-dutysteel and durable plastic, rides high on large, rugged tires.Realistically styled, it has a long, steel arm with a bucket attachedfor scooping up and relocating rocks or dirt. With its deep-cleatedtires and heavy-duty steel construction, this solid vehicle isguaranteed for life and built for endless hours of fun in the sandboxor yard. The bright-yellow cab section swivels, making it easy to steerthe crane to where the work is. --Chris Burns ... Read more

Reviews (20)

A frustrating toy
My son loves all the Tonka vehicles, but this one frustrates him.The crane mechanism comes out of the slot easily.It also tips over easily.It doesn't balance very well when lifting something.It is also awkward to move and store due to the crane part.

A little disappointed
I am a big fan of the metal Tonka trucks. My son has the dump truck (which he loves) and the backhoe (which he also loves). I bought the crane thinking it would be a great addition to his backyard fleet. For the most part it is, however if your child is rough and tough like my 3 year old, you might encounter some problems. For one thing it kept tipping over when he would try to operate it and then the bucket came off and had to be retied on. He still plays with it but I was a little disappointed in Tonka on this one.

Choose the backhoe, front loader or dump truck instead...
This is a great looking truck that really excited my 4-year old at first.It quickly became frustrating for him because the arm would collapse and the string would come undone and get jammed.We have the other 3 trucks in this line and absolutely love them. Skip the crane! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Vehicles    2. Construction Vehicles    3. Preschool    4. Push and Pull Toys    5. Die-Cast   

Reviews (2)

Good buy for the money, but cars are not as shown!
This is a great set for starting your child out in the wonderful world of collecting die cast cars, good assortment.Buyer beware that the cars that show up may NOT necessarily match those shown. If this doesn't bother you then this set is for you.

Excellent Item for Children of all ages
Quality item, very durable, excellent source of imaginative play!! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great trucks, and a great value!
These trucks are the perfect size for my three year-old construction fanatic.The "mighty" Tonka trucks are too big for him, the "jr. basic" Tonka trucks are too small for him (though they were excellent for him in the sandbox a year ago), and the "jr. force" Tonka trucks are too flimsy for working in our tough Oklahoma dirt!These trucks have a steel body and plastic wheels and accents.The description does not contain their dimensions, so here they are...the grader is roughly 17Lx8Wx7H, and the dump truck is roughly 14Lx6Wx7H.The price is excellent, the quality is very good, and my son loves them!What a deal! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Vehicles    2. Die-Cast    3. Construction Vehicles   

Reviews (3)

I love this set it is wayyyyy cooler than slimecano.
I realy love this play set. It has a launcher, a swamp beast that trys to knock the cars out of the track and, a hyperpod vehicle that is used to defeat the swamp beast. On this playset the car has to keep going around the track until the way to the swamp beast is open. when its open the car goes to the hyperpod vehicle then the hypervod vehicle goes defeat the swamp beast. You have only 30 seconds to defeat him. each time you defeat him he takes out 2 seconds off your time and when you lose he puts 2 more seconds. Buy 2 alkaline batteries they work the best on this set. thats what it said on the box of the set. I think this set is very cool because


1. It has a very fast launcher.
2. I like the hypervod vehicle
3.you have to keep going around the track and watch out for the swamp beast's arms they will knock the car out the track.

4. you can connect other sets into it if you like.
5. You have 30 seconds to defeat the swamp beast.
6.I like how the track is designed.
7.It is very durable.
8.It is very fun trying to defeat the swamp beast.
9. I like the phrases the swamp beast says.
10. you can push the switch down so the car can go to other places on the track.
I don't realy like slimecano it is very messy because of the slime.

THE SWAMP BEAST PLAYSET IS THE BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love this playset. On the playset theres one booster a swamp beast with two arms trying to hit the car out of the track and you have 30 seconds to defeat him. Each time you defeat him he takes away 2 seconds and when you lose he puts 2 more seconds. I would recommend this item to anyone who likes hotwheels playsets

Way cooler than Slimecano!!!
We returned the Slimecano (see the 1-star rating it got) and bought this as a replacement for our 5-year old son. This is the Hot Wheels I remember! Plastic, snap-together tracks, motorized accelerators for propulsion, fast, high-banked turns. This product actually works the way it portrays on the box. The beast's arms really go up and down and sometimes knock the car off the track. The beast's voice is neat, it sounds like a swamp beast should (think Pirate's "argh!"). I really like the timer on it, you only have 30 seconds to "defeat the beast" which means complete enough laps to trigger the upper loop diverter so your car goes on the inner track, hitting the "hyper pod attack vehicle" which provides the car with enough mass to knock the trigger and causing the head to pop off. If you win the beast knocks 2 seconds off your time (lose and add 2) and starts another round. The victory sound effects are pretty cool, too. All in all I like this toy, it's definitely worth the $24 we paid for it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Vehicles    2. Play Sets   

Editorial Review

The worlds of toy racetracks and haunted houses have never exactly begged to be placed together but it's an interesting and highly entertaining match in this unique set from Matchbox. Part of the ever-expanding "Hero City" line, the haunted house features various secret traps and tricks such as a skeleton that launches cars with a good shove, a "Bones and Moans Bridge" full of scary sounds, and various other classic spooky bits. One car is included although the two required AA batteries are not. Classic racetrack fans will likely not be overly impressed by this simple and fairly corny setup but it's not really meant for the aficionado, rather for the younger children who love a gentle scare and an unlimited supply of trips through a haunted house. --Charlie Williams ... Read more

Reviews (33)

Favorite Toy
This is one of my 4yr old son's favorite toys.Need I say more?The toy is all one piece that is what mom likes about it:)

Fun except when the Van is Stuck
Like others, I bought this toy b/c it resembles the Mystery Machine and my child loves Scooby & haunted houses. A great design overall with cute action & sounds...BUT almost every time the van goes through one of the turns, it gets lodged inside. You have to get it out with a hand or shake the toy to get it rolling again. If it didn't have the one catching place, it would go smoothly. This had an initial great 'wow' factor and my child was most excited opening it out of all their Christmas gifts, but soon tired of the van constantly getting stuck inside.

Destined To Become A Classic
I'm a "Grown-Up" Toy and Game Enthusiast, and I can tell You with much confidence that this Playset is Destined to Become a Classic.It's simple, yet complex enough to keep anybody's attention... both Young and Old.It's made of the durable kind of plastic, not the cheap stuff that tends to crack or break if You sneeze too hard.The sound effects are right on target... not too loud, not too soft, and definitely not distorted.Some assembly is required, but it's very minimal and not a big deal... the only Hard part is unattaching it from the inside of the box... so take Your time with that part, as to not accidentally damage anything.Bottom line, this Playset is definitely worth Your hard earned Pasos. :) ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Vehicles    2. Play Sets   

Subjects:  1. Vehicles    2. Die-Cast   

Reviews (1)

Awesome firetruck!
Boy, is this truck a must-have!I've searched and searched for this particular one and finally found one.It's huge!I've never seen one this big and it's just fantastic.Talk about hours of fun!The ladder extends and provides tons of fun - rescuing animals from buildings, etc.It goes great with the wooden train set - it's just a blast every day in our house.A great, great toy! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Vehicles    2. Die-Cast   

Editorial Review

This is one serious piece of road construction equipment. On one end is a huge spinning blade, perfect for cutting up make-believe pavement. On the other side is a big steamroller and a mammoth rotating drill to bore holes in the road. Both are completely safe, of course. Use the switch on the bottom to set the rig to motorized mode, and let it rumble around the room in forward or reverse, or set it to "freewheeling" and let it sit still while you do the pushing. But the real stars of this toy are the authentic sounds itmakes--drilling, grinding, beeping--all realistically done and all noisy enough to suit construction fans. --John Moe ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Great Boys Toy
Tonka is good at making fun/durable toys and Leapfrog educational toys; this is a great fun toy.This Road Constructer has been a great hit with my 2 boys (4years and 18mos), it's very durable and has strong effect-features (sparking cutting blade, rotating drill tool and sounds).This picky parent highly recommends this for fun time.

Not durable
My son got this tonka for christmas and it became one of his favorite toys. Thats until it broke! The rotating drill on ours broke right off. Now my 2 yr old hardly ever plays with it. They could have built the drill part better....oh well.

Pleased
I found this on clearance for my son. I can't really see paying full price for it. Especially with the quality of most expensive toys these days. But I have to say, Tonka does seem to be continuing their legacy of well built toys. My son loves it (even though the drill sparking and grinding kinda scared him at first). He loves flipping the switch and watching it beep it's way down the hall all by itself. Him and his friends have even used it ouside to dig holes! I couldn't believe the little plastic drill was actually putting holes in the ground, but it was. It got all sorts of dirt in crevices even I couldn't reach, but it did eventually "air out" and it still runs great. For anyone with a child who loves construction trucks, I strongly recommend Tonka. They're one of the few companies still trying to keep a certain level of quality in their products. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Vehicles    2. Die-Cast   

Reviews (2)

Bruder Toys
Our 3 1/2 year old loves all the Bruder trucks.They may be made out of plastic but, they are still very tuff.Our son sits on them without any problems.We love the detail of all of vehicles.It makes learning about heavy equipment fun.All of the vehicles have working parts and Bruder's attention to detail is unsurpassed.The small details adds intererst and play time longevity to the toys.Our son plays with them every day and knows the difference between quaility constructed toys and cheap toys.The wheels get pulled off of other brand trucks and put into the dump truck bed of the Brueder.Brueder is the only brand that we will buy!These are not flawed third world country plastic toys.All parts are made and assembled in Germany!The cement mixer is next on his wish list.

High Quality Plastic . . .Not Exactly
Purchased this for a 3 1/2 year old boy.Was hesitant about buying any large, plastic truck, but we did not see any alternatives at the time we purchased this.We should have stuck with our instinct.When it arrived, we were immediately struck by the fact that the plastic seemed flimsy, and that many small plastic pieces that are attached to the grader appeared and felt so cheap and flimsy that we doubted they would survive 5 minutes of play, in our humble opinion.We were not going to wait to find out, and we decided to send this back.You can get a STEEL Tonka 18" grader off of ebay for less than what Amazon is asking for this plastic thing.That's exactly what we did.Good luck! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Vehicles    2. Die-Cast    3. Construction Vehicles   

Subjects:  1. Vehicles    2. Die-Cast    3. Construction Vehicles   

Editorial Review

This motorized rescue helicopter from Tonka is sure to be a hitwith helicopter-loving toddlers. The motorized winch can raise andlower the provided stretchers (which then fit cleverly into slots onthe sides), the rotor turns at the press of a button, and additionalbuttons trigger the siren or helicopter sound. The button to turn therotor is in a perfect spot for holding the helicopter while flying andalso turns on the adjustable spotlight for night rescues. The cockpitand cabin open to insert a pilot or other characters if desired (notincluded). The helicopter contains small parts that could pose achoking hazard to children under the age of 3. It requires four AAbatteries (included). --Jay Weinland ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Jack's mom
this is a sturdy action packed toy, BUT who ever packaged this without the "GUY" to pilot it was absurd in the highest degree...not a parent no doubt!Hey Tonka ADD THE PILOT! It's very hard to find one after the fact, that's why I'm here today! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Vehicles    2. Die-Cast   

Subjects:  1. Vehicles    2. Die-Cast    3. Construction Vehicles   

Subjects:  1. Vehicles    2. Die-Cast    3. Cars    4. Racing Cars   

Reviews (2)

Not all it should be
Too many small spaces.Flimsy flap inside wore out very quickly and caused much frustration.Two of the $7.95 models would be much better!

wow
well, i really love this toy because it really helps a lot to my kid when it comes to things that he packed up...wow!!! really fascinating.. i know u will also enjoy this product ... ... Read more