Editorial Review

Fully equipped for the uber rescue mission, this souped-up spacecraft doubles as a jet and a Rescue Heroes command center. The top of the jet flips open to reveal an electronic screen and an operations deck, where Keytron, a robot, plugs into the control board to relay missions to the team. Included are two tethered backpacks which, as Rescue Heroes fans know, allow the action figures to communicate. What's more, the jet itself transforms into a giant robot, with a deployable space pod as the head and a tank-like tough-terrain vehicle down below. This is a sturdy, sizable toy that those who enjoy Rescue Heroes ought to love, and it contains plenty of moving parts. Also included is a C.D. Moon action figure in a red space suit. --Andy Boynton ... Read more

Reviews (14)

i love this toy!
hi, im 10 years old and i really like this toy! there are so many diffrent things it can do, it is well worth the money!!! there is a little vehicle thing that a rescue hero can ride on, the front of the ship can be used as a spacepod (the ship is NOT a good flying toy but the space pod is simple to fly),the front and the vehicle can be made into a giant robot,the top can be made into a hang glider, and one of my favorite parts: IT HAS A COMMAND CENTER WHERE THE RESCUE HEROES REALLY INTERACT WITH EACHOTHER!!!! I have two mission select robots with thing i call "backpacks" and their names are matt medic and gil gripper. they are also compatible with the command center. i also have a cool robot called fire stomper and billy blazes. NOTE (the fire stomper comes with billy blazes and neither are compatible with the command center but fire stomper can move in a neat way!) then i have the robot that came with the ship.

in my opinion out of all the people i have billy is the best :)

you may be wondering why a 10 yr old is playing with this but i know a 12 year old and many other 10 and 11 yr. olds with this toy. i don't play with it like let's go put out the fire, or something, i play with it like the robots are attacking and stuff, very fun toy! i totally recommened this toy and these other toys below:

rescue heroes hyper jet
Gil gripper (with mission select backpack)
Matt medic (with mission select backpack)
Billy blazes and fire stomper
rescue heroes mission car
geotrax Tracktown Railway
geotrax Fire station
geotrax remote controlled fire truck
spiderman and friends super hero playset
spiderman and friends wolverine with motorcycle
imaginex castle (and alot of knights...i have like 20)
imaginex dragon
imaginex deluxe pirate ship
imaginex ghost raider
imaginex glow in the dark shark
animal planets big bucket o' dinosaurs


they aren't exact names but they are some of the alot toys i have here at home. I reccomend them ALL!!!!!!!

very disapointed
This was the only toy my son requested from Santa and what a letdown. I think that Fisher Proce rushed it for the holiday season because it does not compare to the quality of the other toys. It falls apart and really does not do much for the size or promise of the ads. I hate this hunk of junk that now takes up a lot of space and I have learned my lesson for next year.

To Collette
I thought my console didnt work at first, too.It turned out I just needed to switch the on/off button which is annoyingly hidden behind one of the 2 attached backpacks (the one on the right). ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Vehicles    2. Play Sets   

Editorial Review

It may not feature any loop-de-loops or terrifying hairpin turns, butpreschoolers will likely find this 10-foot-long roller coaster every bit asthrilling as grownups find the amusement park version. Molded in brightlycolored plastic, it's built for years of wear in either the backyard or theplayroom. The set's components fit together to form a downhill ride with anothersmaller hill about halfway through. What we loved most about this set is thefact that the individual parts are just as much fun as the fully assembled kit.The car, bright yellow with a sturdy handle, could just as easily be used aroundthe house if the child is too young for the coaster. And the ramp system isplenty of fun to roll cars, balls, or anything else. Perhaps our tiny toy testersaid it best: "Wheee!" --John Moe ... Read more

Reviews (74)

This is a toy that grows with your child
We bought the roller coaster for our grandson when he was just over a year old. He's now three and a half and still loves it.

It has been out in the backyard for all this time; it is somewhat faded but otherwise still going strong.

Hours of Fun
My 20-month old absolutely loves this toy. It took me only 3 minutes to assemble and then he was riding down the ramp.After helping him push the Coaster car back up the ramp twice, I taught him how to do it himself.My son pushs the car up backwards then runs down the ramp and around to go up the step to get on.Then he rides down the roller coaster and starts all over.He played for hours and hours the first day and it is the first thing he does every morning now.He also uses it to roll balls down, play with his cars and trucks, etc.He loves it.The toy is true Step 2 quality and will last for years.

Big Smile
My son received this Up and Down roller Coaster for his 2nd Birthday. He LOVES it! I think the age they recommend is spot on (although we've had 7 year olds play on it as well, but at that age their legs get a little to long for it). My son can use this toy all by himself, once he was shown the proper procedure. It does take up a lot of space, but is very easy to assemble and take down. My son ask's to play with it fairly often "Ride Coaster Mommy". I'll leave it up for the day and he'll play with it on and off all day long. Be prepared for the HUGE smile your child will give when they ride it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ride-Ons    2. Preschool   

Editorial Review

Fully equipped for looting and plundering across the high seas, this pirate ship sports a massive wooden hull powered forward by six sails, three adorned with skulls and crossbones. Triple-firing cannons lay above and below deck, while a sword-wielding captain commands two crew members. A parrot can rest atop the captain's shoulder. There's also a working wench for hauling up all that misbegotten treasure and a removable dinghy for one-off raids. Other elements include a deployable anchor, a walking plank, and a yellow guard rail that circles the deck. The boat measures over 2 feet long once assembled, and can be put together in several ways, outlined in the accompanying booklet. --Andy Boynton ... Read more

Reviews (26)

FUN - BUT ONLY IF YOU DON'T ACTUALLY PLAY WITH IT!
I BOUGHT THIS TOY FOR MY 5 YEAR OLD, TOOK A BIT TO PUT IT TOGETHER, AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU WILL SPEND MOST OF YOUR TIME DOING...PUTTING IT BACK TOGETHER. SO, IF YOUR KIDS DON'T ACTUALLY WANT TO PLAY WITH IT, JUST PUT IT TOGETHER, OVER AND OVER AGAIN, IT'S GREAT. BUT IF THEY ACTUALLY WANT TO HAVE THE "PIRATE ADVENTURE" , IT COMES UP A BIT SHORT.
SAME GOES FOR THE ISLAND.

great for imagination
My son got this for xmas and absolutely loves it, we are now moving onto the knights and castle.He(4) and his sister(3) spend hours having pirate wars and finding treasure. GREAT toy, LOTS of little pieces,so just be careful of younger siblings.Would definately recommend to anyone whose interested in pirates.

This one's for Momma!
Well - we have the entire Medieval line and most of the Pirates.This ship I saw and had to have!! She's a beauty!So, my wonderful husband made sure that it was under the tree for me.The kids are drooling!

We have had battles and voyages for cargo with the smaller ship and then the skeletal crew attacks!Great fun.Again my family is two girls two boys and two parents.We range from 38 to 4 years old and ALL love Imanigext. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Vehicles    2. Boats    3. Construction    4. Building Sets   

Reviews (15)

Great starter or addition for any child
I bought this set for my son for Christmas.At the time of purchase it included a Thomas and Percy wooden train as well as a VHS.When I first bought it I underestimated it's size and was pleased to find out how much of my son's train table it actually covered.The other great thing was that it fit in perfectly with my son's older clickty-clack tracks and bridges.My son plays with this toy every day.Compared to other Thomas the Train sets this one is by far the best for the money.It's also very easy to assemble.My two and a half year old son easily puts the figure eight track together.Every day he is excited to get to his train table and play whith his "choo-choo"it is the main part of our large Thomas set.I would suggest this buy to anyone thinking of starting a Thomas set for their child.I also find that older children that come over to play are just as excited to play with the Thomas tracks as my son is.I would also like to mention the track is incredibly durable as my son has done nearly everything a two year old could do to a toy.I am very pleased with this purchase.

Imagination Galore
I am a big fan of toys that encourage imagination.Girls and boys will love these train sets.A little pricey, but the quality and workmanship prevail.These train sets can be passed generation to generation.An eager child and imagination are the only requirments to hours of play time.All the train sets can be mixed and matched, added to, and built upon.The possibilities are endless

Great fun, but....
OK, my son loves Thomas.He really, really loves this starter set.STARTER SET!I had tried to avoid the whole Thomas thing because it is kind of a money pit, but my husband said, "it's just a train, he won't need any more than this" - famous last words.Truth is - he loves it, he plays with it, he wants all of it, every accessory, every car - EVERYTHING!!!It is another in the long line of toys that require fifty additional purchases at 30 bucks a pop - but it is durable, fun and has alot of repeat play value - and collectibility.Someday we can sell it all on eBay! :) ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Vehicles    2. Wooden Train Sets    3. Trains    4. Train Accessories   

Reviews (3)

GARBAGE!
This is a piece of junk. For starters the track will not stay together. We were constantly putting pieces back together. We'd snap one piece back and on the other side of the layout another piece of track would come apart. When we did get it together it was almost impossible to keep the cars on the track. My son and I attempted to play with this for about an hour and if we made it around the track twice without the cars coming off it was a lot.Like most hot wheels racing sets this one falls far short of expections.

My Three Year Old Daughter Even Loves This Slot Car Set
Yes, I taught my three year old daughter to race this set and she loves it!

These cars are very tough and despite numerous crashes while learning the best throttle position to take the tight twisting corners, these is no perceivable damage or scatching on the bodies. The trick is to balance the throttle in the corners but have enough drive to make the loops.

I noticed that there is a slight decrease in speed when both cars are racing at full throttle. Anyway, I ditched the battery pack for a mobile phone charger to power the set, which has made a huge difference. I still reckon it will perform better if I build a power pack with a regulator to smooth out the voltage, but it is heaps of fun anyway.

You can experiment with all sorts of track layouts, but the trick is to have a figure eight so that the cars have the same track length to cover. I am searching for accessories, but finding them hard to come by. Maybe someone else knows where I can get extra track pieces and spare cars?

Now, I played around with the cars to test performance and roughed up the rear tyres on one of them. This helps with traction as they are constantly spinning the rear wheels and oversteering when using full throttle in corners. Changing the slot pins makes no difference since they are at the front of the car. I even took out the taction magnet to see what difference it would make, but then had to tippy toe around all the corners at low speeds as it just would not stay on the track. Once I had some momentum up, the cars travelled at phenomenal speeds, similar to the Tyco Turbo Trains from the mid 1980s.

In summary, this is a great electric racing set from Mattel Hot Wheels which is fun for all ages. I was so impressed that my daughter was able to understand that she had to slow the car down for the corners!

Be sure to have someone handy near when 1st used!
This track was exactly what my nephew described, the cool twists and turns -- I thought I had found the ideal track.Once it was put together (~1 hour and no written directions), it was put to use for the first time and the green car flew off the track.The peg which holds the car is too short and can't keep the cars on.A handy dad can repair and have the track operational.Good luck if you decide to give it a go. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Vehicles    2. Play Sets   

Reviews (4)

Must have for Scooby Doo fans!
The mystery machine may be made of plastic, but it is pretty sturdy. My 4 year old son can vouch for that! He absolutely loves this van! The back of the van flips open so you can trap the 2 glow in the dark monsters in the cage, and it has a door that can lock them in! My son loves it that he got his 2 favorite characters (Scooby Doo and Shaggy) with this van. The front doors of the van open so the characters can go inside. This is a wonderful toy for any scooby doo fan!

Disappointed in toy
Although my son loves the Mystery Machine, it is made of CHEAP, CHEAP, plastic.Shaggy's arms keep falling off, the scooter is already broken, and the ghose cage is always coming apart.If I had known it was going to be like this, I would have never ordered the van.

Alans scooby
My 2 year old son got this toy for christmas and he loves it. He has not put this toy down. My 3 year old daughter loves it as well, so much Im going to order her one as well. Out of all the toys they both got this one seems to be the top pick for both. My son has really put this toy through the test, it is very sturdy. We think it is great!!!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Action Figures    2. Animals    3. Dogs    4. Vehicles    5. Play Sets   

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   

Reviews (3)

rear wing falls off
My son was SO excited to get this for his birthday. I put it together with ease.However the rear wing keeps falling off.It fell off within thefirst 5-10 minutes of EASY play.It does click back on but continues to fall off with ease.The front wheel has also come off.The ear muffs and hat do not fit the ground crew man very well.There are very cute mugs and juice boxes that store in the plane that are very easy to lose.One of the juice boxes is actually stuck in between the rear seat and the wall and we cannot get it out.Anyhow We did take the mugs and drinks away and have just been dealing with putting the wing and wheel back on. For the price I would think it should stay on much better.If I had the choice to get another one of these I would not.This was a gift and had I known it would fall apart this easy I would have returned it without opening it and gotten something different.

falls apart
My son recieved this airplane as a gift because he loves airplanes.However much he liked it I didn't like it at all because he was constantly coming to me to put the wings back on or the tail or the door.It was very annoying and eventually the parts begain to come up missing.There are tiny little red squares that keep these parts on and they began to come up missing first.My son loved it but we had to throw it out because it was in pieces in the end with no way to put it back together.I won't buy this or any other playmobile products for this reason.

Sturdy, high quality and lots of fun!
This playmobil airplane is a really great toy. It is made out of high quality plastic, is easy to put together, and stays together (pretty well) during "enthusiastic" play. It comes with the two airline employees (pilot and steward/co-pilot) and the orange-vested tarmac agent. So funny! There are three little play cartons of juice, and four little cups for attending your customers (easy to lose), the tarmac agent has those yellow paddles and ear protectors for guiding the plane in for a landing. The plane has a side door that opens up but also the entire top comes off for easy passenger seating. There's an undercarriage storage area for any luggage that your passengers might carry.
My boy absolutely loves this airplane toy. He has gathered up a whole airport utilizing his Playmobil taxi, some generic helicopters and passengers from various other playsets (Lego, etc). I think the Playmobil Airport Security Screener set is in his near future (yes! I kid you not!). I am happy that he prefers imaginative play with this airplane than with his structured Hot Wheels playsets. A bit thumbs up!
... Read more

Subjects:  1. Preschool    2. Vehicles    3. Activity    4. Pretend Play    5. Play Sets   

Reviews (41)

good toy, needs specific cars
We just put this together in the last week.It was not hard, but directions needed to be followed carefully.I liked that the parts had numbers on them to make it easier.It works great most of the time.When it doesn't, I do a little tweaking, and then it works fine.I noticed some said the cyborg head didn't work properly.They may not be putting the proper piece down in the head so that it triggers the opening.We bought the 5-pack Cyborg Assault cars, but only 2 of them actually work.They are Overbored and Side Draft.Coincidentally, these are the 2 cars that come with it.Overbored works the best.

This is the one to buy!
This is by far the best track set/play set we have!The cars can get going and go around the track several times.My kids love it and so does everyone that comes over!Don't waste your time on the more expensive Slimecano....This is the best one yet!

Still going after 3 months
We got this for our 4 year old for Christmas. Daddy (me) puzzled over the assembly, and it took a while to get it together.
Once it worked, our son was thrilled and delighted by the action of the cars whipping around and getting eaten, and still plays on and off with this even 3 months after Christmas. More engaging than most toys we've gotten him.

Part of the game, however, is that most Hot Wheels don't work with this, so a systematic search (passing/failing cars) is the main game he plays with it! Most are too heavy, so they wipe out before making the circuit. At least we found 4 (out of about 40!) that work - lucky for us, since the set needs 3 to make the cyborg open his head. He thinks that is great fun as well, and demonstrates it to each new babysitter.

Now if we could only find a few more cars that meet the very limited weight requirements ... ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Vehicles    2. Play Sets   

Reviews (7)

Wanna keep your kids entertained??
My Goodness!We started with such a small little Geotrax set and look at what we wound up with!!My 3 year old got a small set right before his birthday and played with it quite a bit.Then he got MORE for his birthday...and NOW, it is the first thing he plays with when he wakes up and the last thing he play with when he goes to bed!The airport set is probably his favorite by far!But he and his big sister LOVE to take it apart and make new creations with all the tracks and play with the battery operated train, fly the airplane, load cargo, you name it!They really use their imagination and work together with all this stuff!

The only downside is I had to buy a REALLY big tub to put it all in when we don't want to look at it all!The control center, construction set, airplane set and all take up quite a bit of room and there are times when we want it just "put away" for a while.But that's the only bad thing I can say about it...this stuff is just COOL!

I recommend this for ANY kid, probably ages 2 and up.I bought a set for my 2 year old nephew in March and my sister says he LOVES it.If your kids like planes, trains, and automobiles, this is the toy for him!

Another great addition to our geotrax set-up
This is a fun addition to the system.Set up time is less than 2 minutes.My girls love it.The only problem is the fight that sometimes happens over who gets to fly the plane.

To infinite and beyooooond !!!!
To wait for new Geo Trax series... some months.

To deliver it at home... less than a week.

To assemble it ... half hour.

To see the happiest face from my child, when he saw the plane flying... Priceless...... 10 Stars !!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Vehicles    2. Play Sets   

Editorial Review

The Sonic Speedracer Raceway brings the excitement of high-speed racing and car stunts to the preschool set. Packed into a sturdy plastic play set with a carry handle, the raceway unfolds into a large figure-eight race track, complete with a winner's circle, service pit, and a variety of accessories that add a nice realistic touch. The entire set is oversized and simple to use. At first, preschoolers may want to just push the two include race cars around the track. But with a little practice--and maybe a little help from mom and dad--they should have no difficulty revving up the self-powered race cars so that they can perform stunt jumps across the tracks. Adult assembly is required, but no batteries are required for operation. ... Read more

Reviews (68)

Quite Possibly the best toy we ever bought!
We got this race track for our sons (17 months and 3) for Christmas. They learned how to work it themselves very quickly. It's now May and they still play with it almost every day!!

Great fun for parents too!
My 2 1/2 yr old daughter had to have this after playing with it at her cousins house. She loves this toy. She is such a girly girl that we would have never guessed she would like a racecar set. Does not need batteries, you just put the stickers on and a few other pieces and let your child have fun! She loves to play with it with her dad! Very sturdy, folds up and has a little handle to carry it around. The onlynegative is it is pretty large even though it folds up.

speed stars raceway alot of fun even for older childern
My son is 7 just loves this raceway, even though I belive the ages are 7 and under he stills has hours of fun with it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Vehicles    2. Play Sets   

Reviews (4)

Great peice!
My son loves all the Thomas stuff and this fire station is a great, very sturdy addition!

Time For Thomas
The Thomas train sets are great modern versions of the classic indestructible wooden train sets.Simple enough to avoid the toddler age frustrations of getting the cars to run on the track yet complex enough to engage a wide range of ages (up to and including Grandpas).All the stories help with the imagination part....the books & videos provide an endless source of adventures that can be acted out, although most kids are perfectly capable of inventing their own episodes.

Here is my advice, if you are trying to work your way through the maze of start-up options:

First of all, you can spend a fortune on a huge set....even if you can afford it, I would start with something small and give the child the joy of receiving a chain of small but intriguing presents over a long period of time.It fosters the joy of giving/receiving and helps teach them to come back again and again to the same toy...watching it grow, asking for specific items from the stories they hear, etc.Several reviewers suggest painting an old coffee table and this is a great idea.

I suggest the Figure 8 set (the most popular one) or if you want to spend a little bit more, the Conductors Figure 8 set.Both are complex enough to be interesting, but simple enough to give lots of room for growth.Almost immediately I would add a new present of one of the inexpensive engines (you can ask the child which story they like best and get that engine for them....or buy the engine to go with the video or book in the same gift)....these would be Percy The Small Engine, Bill The Yellow Engine, Treavor, (or a bit more $ for:) The Lady Engine, James The Red Engine, Gordon The Express Engine (he's one of the best stories, I think), or Henry The Green Engine.

Now for the good stuff!Give it a month or so, and then reward the child with something really cool like the Barrel Loader or Rusty the Construction 3 Car Set.

I honestly can't see the point in the huge multi hundred dollar system sets.If you want to impress the neighbors or something, go for it, but I'm telling you.....most kids will enjoy a large number of small thoughtful gifts, not a "keep-up-with-the-Jones" effort on your part.

Good behavior can be rewarded with a pick-your-own trip to the store (there are sometimes when a real time shopping trip can't be beat)

By the way, the Thomas stories are based on real restored engines that run in England on the Mid-Hants Railway Watercress line near Winchester (you can read about them an even plan a trip to ride on the real Thomas trains by checking outwatercressline.co.uk).They are a day trip from the London rail stations, although I recommend using a B&B in the Winchester area and staying overnight if you decide to go.Winchester was the center of the old Saxon kingdom of Wessex of King Alfred as well as a major early medieval site (the Cathedral has the tombs of many of the Saxon Kings as well as Jayne Austen and Izaac Walton and it was where Richard the Lionhearted was crowned.)

why is the roof not attached to this toy????????????
Is it just my firehouse? The roof comes off. Why is this? It get's lost and has fallen many times. Overall, this is a fun purchase and addition to our thomas track. I love the little fire truck it comes with. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Train Set Accessories    2. Vehicles    3. Trains    4. Train Accessories   

Reviews (1)

hours of playtime!
We purchased a bunch of the Polly Pocket items and my 3yr old triplets are in love with them.My son won't put down this car, so I had to order another one for the girls to share!They loved that the dog has clothes too, and nothing else has kept their attention as long as these have.I recommend all the Polly Pocket toys.It helps them learn coordination too, because they learn how to put the clothes on, etc.It is also helping them use thier imagination and role playing.Awesome toys!I also sent one to my 4yr old niece who is also discovering the fun of Polly and her friends! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Preschool    2. Dolls    3. Pretend Play   

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   

Editorial Review

Those of us who spend a lot of time looking at, evaluating, and playing with toys often complain that they all start to look alike after a while. After all, a racetrack is a racetrack and a doll is a doll right? But once in a while, a toy comes along that really makes us sit up and take notice. In that vein, the Hot Wheels Slimecano is easily the weirdest toy we've seen in a long time. The idea is to power up your Hot Wheels car (none included) using a special charger at the base of a big brown mountain with a creepy snake face carved into it. Then while the mountain starts spewing slime, you race to the top, avoiding falling boulders and trying to successfully jump over a pit of goo. The mountain shakes periodically and plays five different sound effects. The Slimecano promises a lot of action and happily it's well-designed so everything works pretty well. Although we're not sure how much sustained play value the Slimecano will have over the course of months and years, it at least brings a unique and bizarre element to the racetrack category. --Charlie Williams ... Read more

Reviews (158)

Pick a different playset...
Slimecano takes forever to put together.Once together, My kids had fun with it- but only because of the slime.Cars get stuck and pieces constantly fall off.The slime is the best feature and it makes a mess!We bought Cyborg Attack later and it is so much better.

A piece of junk-don't waste your money!
My 5 year old son was so excited to receive this as a Christmas gift but we were extremely disappointed once it was assembled.The track pieces do not SNAP hard together so they are constantly separating.The crane falls off, the volcano head is too difficult for a child to put back together, the whole toy tips over very easily.The slime is alright as long as you are closely supervising the whole time if you aren't then be ready for a mess! This toy has been made so chep that it should be selling for only $10.I can't believe that we paid almost $40 for it! We pack the toy away because it was falling apart so much.My son just took it back out (3 months later) to try it again and was even more disappointed than before!It seems like such a fun idea but the toy just extremely frusterates children (and parents too)!

Not as bad as the reviews I read
My little boy recieved this as a gift for his fourth birthday.He really, really wanted it and he could'nt wait to get home from his party to get it put together.
Total time of putting it together took about 40 mins. my husband put it together rather quickly even with our four year old standing around asking "is it done can I play with it now!"
We decided we would not use the slime, it looks rather runny and extrememly messy!So we are'nt even going to try it- it would be a hard job to clean!
Once it was together we turned it on and the volcano makes cool sounds and spits the plastic rocks at the cars!My little boy played with this toy most of the night.
The downside of the toy to us was the cars have a very hard time going up the huge hill- its nearly impossible, but he would rather push the car along the track anyhow.
As a gift it was one of my sons favorite toys.The pieces are staying together pretty well too.We have it on our sons table in his room so he can stand up and play with it.I would'nt reccomend the slime though.All and all I am happy with the hot wheels set so far!I gave it four stars because the cars won't go up the hill without some assistance. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Vehicles    2. Play Sets   

Reviews (2)

Holds up to daily playtime!
Santa brought this set for my 3 year old son last Christmas and he has played with it everyday since. With daily use, this wooden set is holding up to his rough play. His favorite piece is Cranky the Crane. It's easy to add onto as we have added the hospital and another bridge. We purchased a Nilo table to put the train on so it will stay together. Well worth the money!

Great for 18 months and up!But expensive...
The Thomas train and train collections are durable toys. Their real value, though, is that playing with the toys allows children to act out the great Thomas and Friends children's stories they read and watch.

This is a nice layout that provides far more track than the usual figure 8 layout that gets purchased first. But it is very expensive. There is generic track available that costs far less. Our kids haven't noticed the difference. IT IS EASY TO CREATE ELEVATED TRACK AND BRIDGES USING LEGO OR DUPLO PIECES AS SUPPORTS.GENERIC CRANES ARE AVAILABLE FOR MUCH LESS.

Kids' imaginations can remarkably supply buildings and water towers and cranes, etc., so that they won't even miss what might be lacking from less expensive sets. And families can build some of these items themselves out of old boxes, etc.

Purchasing recommendation:
* Choose which type of Thomas trains you will 'standardize' on. There are three kinds: This size of wooden trains from Learning Curve; larger, plastic, battery-operated trains from Tomy; and smaller, die-cast metal trains from Ertl. The wooden trains have the most products and accessories available.

* The clickety-clack (grooved to look like real railroad) track in the Thomas series is great, but it's expensive; I recommend buying generic track. ... You can literally save hundreds of dollars by buying these kinds of sets.

* Buy the Thomas and friends engines separately--and wait for sales. The kids care about the characters, so no short-cutting (ie., Brio or generic trains) here.

* Look for trains bundled with VHS videos. You can get a video and a train (on sale) for about the same price as a train alone. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Train Set Accessories    2. Vehicles    3. Trains    4. Train Accessories   

Reviews (5)

1 and a half years later - best toy I ever bought!
I bought this for my son when he was three.It was so easy to pack up and take along when I had errands to run.It has never fallen apart and all the pieces fit into the carrier.He still plays with it one and a half years later.He loves it!Great price for the length of time he's had it.Wish there were more in the series.

can be frustrating to put away
My son got this for his 6th Birthday, and he and his 3 year old brother have a great time with it. We have taken it on several 4+ hour car rides and it has been handy for the bordom. BUT, trying to get all the pieces put away in the case can be a pain in the neck, especially when you are in a hurry (ie, trying to leave a resturant). The noises it makes, while my boys find very amusing (as does my husband) can be a littledisturbing to others in boothes around you.

A Hot Wheels FAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Little Brother Is)
Hi. I got this playset for my 3 year old brother. Because apparently, he LOVES the Hot Wheels series. It is so fun. He even loves the shark sound! Plus, the pieces occaisionally come off, but they're still easy to put back, as well as easy to lose. Plus, the BEST, BEST part, is that you can pack it up and travel with it! Plus, there's even a space on the outside where you can put your name. It's so roomy! Overall, this thing's greaaaaaaaat! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Vehicles    2. Play Sets   

Reviews (1)

Actual Size
I haven't purchased this item yet but I though people would like to know the actual dimensions of this item, it is 48"x32". It took a little work to get this info. so I thought I'd share. I don't have the actual Thomas table, mine is actually a bit nicer but I'm happy to find out this playboard will fit. :}Hope this info. is helpful to someone! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Train Set Accessories    2. Vehicles    3. Trains    4. Train Accessories   

Reviews (9)

DANGEROUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Do not buy this toy. I completely agree with all the reviews about the finger trap. My son has gotten his finger stuck many times. If the car does not go in correctly the head will not turn. My son has been using the tv remote to get it to work correctly. Matchbox should recall these. This is NOT a good toy for any age.

Bought for 4 year old...
My son loves this toy.He has not "trapped" his finger in the skull like I have read in other reviews.I can see how it could happen though.It only has two removable parts, so less to lose.He can put the pieces together himself and uses the playmat even more than the toy itself.We have a lot of these car playsets and this one is one of the best.

I agree to the finger trap!
I agree to the finger trap, it even hurts an adults finger, my husband and I have had this toy it snapped at both our fingers, I am taking this toy back to the store tomorrow.. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Vehicles    2. Play Sets