Matchbox Cars

Old Favorites, New Looks by Lea Smith

Barbie games, Matchbox cars and other toys have seen some dramatic changes over the years.

Ever wonder what happens to the toys we left behind? Those with children of their own are able to revisit the latest versions of old favorites, but for those who haven’t had an excuse to check out Etch-E-Sketch 2.0, here’s a breakdown.

Realistic Barbie
Doctor, lawyer and killer flight attendant, Barbie has done it all in three inch heels and tiny skirts. But now, after almost fifty years of controversy, Barbie has developed a new, thicker look. The original Barbie was designed on a scale of 1/6. This means the real life Barbie would have been 5’9.†The proportions of Barbie, however, were entirely unrealistic. She would have had a 36 inch bust and 18 inch waist. Her original weight of 110 pounds would make her at least 35 pounds underweight for her height.

But after years of concern and scorn about Barbie promoting unhealthy body images and unrealistic standards for the young women who played with the many versions of the doll, Barbie is a new woman. In 2000, Barbie gained a belly button and a wider waistline. Her waist also moved up into a more natural position, ostensibly to make more modern fashions fit more appropriately, but some wonder if the changes are a long overdue response to criticism. Waistlines aside, Barbie games are still intensely popular with girls of all ages, and Barbie games have also gone online where they are reaching even more enthusiastic fans.

LITE-BRITE Flat Screen
Like the flat screen in your living room? Modern flat screen technology has a broad reach and now you can enjoy flat screen technology while you play with your LITE-BRITE. Decades ago, LITE-BRITE took tiny colored pegs and backlit the designs you created through black paper with a standard light bulb. The set-up was large, bulky, but good for hours of fun.

Today, you can use a boxy set-up or the new flat screen. If you opt for the box, you now have four sides to choose from. Gone is the console style backing in place of a newly designed lit cube ready for your latest and greatest designs †four at once, that is. Or keep things compact, but opting for the flat LITE-BRITE instead. While it might not be HD, it’s definitely a step up from what we had a short generation ago.

Matchbox Cars
You might have played with Hot Wheels or Matchbox, but the style of cars was the same. Tiny metal cars to collect, bury in the sandbox and leave painfully underfoot have been enjoyed be generations of vehicle enthusiasts. Today, the basics are the same, but the styles and accessories have been very updated. Naturally, the cars produced today are indicative of the available auto lines produced the world over.

But in addition to that, children paying with Matchbox cars have much more to do with their cars than we did a generation ago. If we were lucky, we were able to secure a track and possibly a ramp for our cars. All sound effects and aerial acrobatics were performed by the driver †you. Today, you can buy the basic die cast cars or you can branch out and buy the ones that make noise, play inspiring music, or run on their own. Accessories for the cars include elaborate cities, race tracks, and parks where cars can be levered or moved without your assistance. While most of the Matchbox cars remain true to the classic nature of the toy, if you want a digital micro-car experience, it is readily available.

Lea Smith is a barbie dolls enthusiast and she loves to play various Barbie Games.She is also the webmaster of www.barbie-dressupgames.com wherein you can find tons of great online flash games to play.

Article Source: http://www.earticlesonline.com/Article/Old-Favorites--New-Looks/486845

FEATURED PRODUCTS:

A great place to shop for Matchbox Cars products is Amazon.

Check out these fine shops that offer Matchbox Cars products:

Mattel Matchbox 10 Pack $13.7 Each of these ten-packs of Matchbox vehicles contains a variety of ten vehicles. Type: Cars & Trucks Gender: Male

Matchbox Wolf Mountain Adventure Playset $29.99 They say there's a treasure hidden somewhere on Wolf Mountain. Will you be the one to find it? Brave the abandoned coal mine, falling boulders, a rickety bridge and more in your treasure quest. The quick and daring will bring home the prize. Working car elevator and dynamite blast area, while a wolf howls and flashes red eyes at conquering cars. Set includes: one Matchbox Wolf Mountain, includes one Matchbox vehicle. One Matchbox 20-Pack Type: Cars & Trucks Gender: Male Age: Child

Matchbox City Ambulance with Mega-Pullback Power $14 Matchbox City Ambulance with Mega-Pullback Power. Type: Cars & Trucks Gender: Male Age: Child

Matchbox Garage Adventure Set by Mattel $15.73 Matchbox is the place for all kinds of adventure and fun. These playsets feature the places where the action really happens. Keep the city safe from fires, tune up your favorite cars and keep them squeaky clean. These three realistic playsets are great for kids to play out real-life adventures, each with a Matchbox vehicle. Type: Cars & Trucks

Matchbox Assorted 20 Car Set by Mattel $29.99 The classic Matchbox 20-pack makes a perfect gift with sets of twenty detailed, die-cast vehicles in adventurous themes. Collecting the entire line of die cast Matchbox cars has never been more exciting. In 2008 there are 100 cars to collect with the great variety of models and decos that you've come to expect from Matchbox. Size: 1.5 inches. Type: Cars & Trucks

Matchbox Service Center 5 Pack $5.99 The classic Matchbox 5 pack makes a perfect party gift with sets of five detailed, die-cast vehicles in twelve adventurous themes. Eye catching 3-dimensional presentation. Colors and decorations may vary. Type: Cars & Trucks Gender: Male Age: Child

Matchbox Nickelodeon Penguins of Madagascar - 5 Pack $13.99 This is a set of 5 different Matchbox vehicles that are metal die cast push vehicles. Each vehicle features one or more characters from from the popular Nickelodean TV show, The Penguins of Madagascar. Type: Cars & Trucks

Matchbox $11.99 Track Listing: (DISC 1:), (DISC 2:), 1. Honky Tonk Babe, 1. Movie Magg, 2. Turn Around, 2. What You're Doin' When You're Cryin', 3. Gone, Gone, Gone, 3. You Can't Make Love to Somebody, 4. Dixie Bop, 4. Let the Jukebox Keep on Playing, 5. Be Honest With Me, 5. Blue Suede Shoes, 6. Honey Don't, 6. Sweethearts or Strangers, 7. Tennessee, 7. That Don't Move Me, 8. Boppin' the Blues, 8. Lonely Street, 9. All Mama's Children, 9. Pink Pedal Pushers, 10. Caldonia, 10. Everybody's Tryin' to Be My Baby, 11. Dixie Fried, 11. Roll Over Beethoven, 12. I'm Sorry I'm Not Sorry, 12. Put Your Cat Clothes On, 13. Her Love Rubbed Off, 13. Matchbox, 14. You Can Do No Wrong, 14. Your True Love, 15. Drink Up and Go Home, 15. Only You (And You Alone), 16. I Care, 16. That's Right, 17. Forever Yours, 17. Y.O.U., 18. Lend Me Your Comb, 18. Try My Heart Out

Matchbox Smokey The Fire Truck by Mattel $39.99 Get ready for hours of imaginative fun with Smokey the Fire Truck from Matchbox. With his ability to speak, sing, dance, and launch "water" balls, Smokey is a playmate that really interacts with your child during play. Whether putting out a fire together or learning a new song-and-dance routine, Smokey and your child will form a fun friendship and be ready for anything together. Smokey has multiple modes for different kinds of interactions. Depending on his positioning, Smokey can operate in one of two main modes--character mode or truck mode. Smokey is in character mode when he is half or fully upright, and says phrases such as, "Smokey here! Reporting for duty!" When Smokey is on all six wheels, he is in truck mode and can be pushed forward and pulled backward to activate lights and sounds. Using motion sensors and sound activation, Smokey is always on alert. He knows how to say over 95 phrases and can sing 4 different songs. He won't sing every time, so keep raising and lowering Type: Cars & Trucks Color: Red Material: Plastic Gender: Unisex Age: Child

Mattel Matchbox MBX All Terrain Metal 1:64 Scale Die Cast Car # 98 - Desert Thunder V16 Race Team 28 $12.5 Matchbox toy cars make great gifts for your child and other collectors of toy car sets. With a variety of styles - from toy sports cars to toy pickup trucks - each Matchbox car is sure to ignite your kid's imagination.

Matchbox Off Road Adventure Set of 5 Cars # 11 $12.95 This is a set of 5 off road vehicles.

Matchbox Mega Rig Recycle Action Pack Building System $55 Matchbox Mega Rig Recycle Action Pack lets you load em up and move em out. Kids will love playing with the Mega Rig garbage trucks innovative features like the motorized chassis that drives the truck. Pieces combine and uncombined for unlimited play options. Attach the street cleaner...or hook up the dumpster...even build your own Mega Rig vehicle! Requires two "AA" Batteries (not included). Ages 4+ Type: Cars & Trucks Color: Green Gender: Male Age: Child

Matchbox Twenty - Exile on Mainstream $16.95 By Matchbox Twenty. Piano/Vocal/Guitar Artist Songbook. Softcover. 130 pages. Published by Hal Leonard

Matchbox - Matchbox (Import) $50.42 Disc 0:No track list availableDisc 1:Rockabilly RebelBuzz Buzz A Diddle ItSeventeenTell Me HowHurricaneEverybody Needs A little LoveRockin` At The RitzHi-Fly WomanLove Is Going Out Of FashionPoor BoyLord Mr FordBlack Slacks

Matchbox Twenty Exile On Mainstream [Book/Cd] $15.26 Hal Leonard Matchbox Twenty - Exile On Mainstream arranged for piano, vocal, and guitar (P/V/G)

Matchbox Off-Road Rider All Terrain #94 Gray Grey $15.94 Matchbox Off-Road Rider All Terrain #94 Gray Grey

Cars $9.99 Track Listing: 1. Real Gone, song - (featuring Sheryl Crow), 2. Route 66 - (featuring Chuck Berry), 3. Life is a Highway, song - Rascal Flatts, 4. Behind the Clouds, song - Brad Paisley, 5. Our Town, song - James Taylor, 6. Sh-Boom, song - Yes, 7. Route 66 - John Mayer, 8. Find Yourself, song - (featuring Brad Paisley), 9. Cars, film score: Opening Race, 10. Cars, film score: McQueen's Lost, 11. My Heart Would Know, song - (featuring Hank Williams), 12. Cars, film score: Bessie, 13. Cars, film score: Dirt is Different, 14. Cars, film score: New Road, 15. Cars, film score: Tractor Tipping, 16. Cars, film score: McQueen and Sally, 17. Cars, film score: Goodbye, 18. Cars, film score: Pre-Race Pageantry, 19. Cars, film score: The Piston Cup, 20. Cars, film score: The Big Race

Matchbox KidPicks Classic Garage Playset $46.05 If your car needs a tune-up, the help of a good two truck, or a premium car wash, the Matchbox KidPicks Classic Garage Playset is your one-stop shop! With three levels of activity, it's always a busy day at the coolest garage around!

Alvin C50102D Conte Crayon Matchbox Disp $77.9 Conté Crayon Matchbox Display. Contents: 24 Pieces of Conte Sketching Crayons. Size: 12-7/8"W x 14"H x 7-1/2"D.

Mattel Year 2010 Matchbox MBX Sports Cars Series 1:64 Scale Die Cast Car #13 - Mid-Engine All-Wheel Drive Red Sport Car AUDI R8 (T8920) $18.69 The pedal is to the metal and the speedometer reads 100. Breaking the speed limit? NEVER! You're zooming down the Autobahn from Berlin to Frankfurt and there IS no posted speed limit! Your Audi R8 with its 420-hp V8 engine is an incredibly smooth ride even at outrageous speeds!

Carl Perkins - Matchbox $27.58 Track Listing: Movie Magg Everybody`s Tryin` To Be My Baby Dixie Fried I`m Sorry I`m Not Sorry Matchbox Your True Love Only You (And You Alone) That`s Right Forever Yours Lend Me Your Comb Turn Around Gone, Gone, Gone Let The Jukebox Keep Playing Blue Suede Shoes Honey Don`t Tennessee Boppin` The Blues All Mama`s Children Honky Tonk Babe Caldonia Roll Over Beethoven Put Your Cat Clothes On Her Love Rubbed Off You Can Do No Wrong Drink Up And Go Home I Care Y.O.U. Try My Heart Out What You`re Doin` When You`re Cryin` You Can`t Make Love To Somebody Dixie Bop Be Honest With Me Sweethearts Or Strangers That Don`t Move Me Lonely Street Pink Pedal Pushers

Used Award Mb10 Matchbox Guitar Direct Box/Speaker Sim $109.99 In Store Used USED AWARD MB10 MATCHBOX GUITAR DIRECT BOX/SPEAKER SIM

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