Little wheels, big wheels - What's new? Holiday gifts galore - toy cars from Mattell Inc - Buyers Guide

USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), Nov, 2002

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Matchbox cars, Mattel, Inc., El Segundo, Calif., has issued a Matchbox Across America collection of 50 vehicles, each representing one of the nation's states. All come with a mini license plate that can be mounted on a Collector Board, allowing you to keep track of which ones you have and which you need. (Since the cars run about $1.50 apiece, collecting is economically feasible without being oppressive, making them ideal stocking stuffers as well.)

The matching of cars and states is sometimes apropos--i.e., Louisiana, whose plate proclaims it the Sportsman's Paradise, has a raft boat on a trailer, while South Carolina's is a golf cart, perhaps in tribute to its famed Hilton Head course. Other states are more arbitrary, the cars having been culled from the Matchbox stock models, and New York, for one, is steaming over the choice (in its case, a tow truck!). Nevertheless, accumulating all 50 models should prove a lot of fun for youngsters, and the license plates can impart a wee bit of history about each state.

While the traditional Matchbox car is built on a 1:43 scale, the company has some big brothers for more ambitious play. For instance, the Rescue Net Super-Blast Fire Truck ($40) is almost two feet long and is equipped with a water cannon that shoots foam water balls up to eight feet, with impressive sound effects and flashing lights triggered when one is fired. (The flaming building imprinted on the bottom of the box makes an eminently suitable target.)

For emergency vehicles of Matchbox's traditional size, the Emergency Car Wash ($40) offers an ideal opportunity to remove grime after a tough day on the job. A sprawling complex, it contains a spiraling elevator, motorized brushes, bubble machine, spin tank for drying, and wind tunnel. It requires liquid soap to operate, which is not included, nor are the necessary three C batteries, though one emergency vehicle is.

There also is an emergency vehicle included in the Radio Rescue Playset ($20) that has a working microphone that will broadcast the user's voice ("Calling all cars! Calling all cars! Proceed to First City National Bank immediately. There's been a robbery!") Then, just smash the pursuit vehicle into the bank (and watch it crumble) and send the bad guys off to jail with the specially designed trap door that snags their car behind bars.