Mattel Matchbox Mega Rig Shark Adventure

I came across this toy in a Toys R Us, and purchased it on a whim for my daughter. Frankly, she was too young for it at the time, and I was a very eager, albeit new parent. Years later, we came across this toy in a box again, and pulled it out. I was amazed at how much fun this toy is. All the pieces snap together, and can be reconfigured in a variety of ways. We now have two kids, and the both spend HOURS playing with this toy. It was a great investment, as it will last for years to come.The toy can be assembled as a large, tanker vessel hunting down a killer shark. Or, it can be disassembled into multiple boats, a small fleet that chases down the bad guys, freeing the poor hunted shark. The largest tanker has detachable wheels. The smaller elements, that can be separated into smaller craft, also have wheels. Whether this gets set up in the playroom, bathtub, or even the pool, it's great fun. Be careful of the smaller pieces though. It really isn't meant for kids under three or four. That's why we had initially packed it away and waited for our kid to get a bit older. But now? Wow. It lives by the pool. There is also a submarine toy that goes with this set, which is also a wonderful buy. Unfortunately, the sub has been discontinued. See my other reviews to read about it. I should mention that I returned to Amazon to buy this particular item again, for a friend's child at Christmas. It was a BIG hit!

I ordered this "shark ship" for our 5 year old son because he saw it online while we were getting ideas for what he wanted "Santa" to bring. He got so excited when he saw the "big great white" picture online, he told us that's what he wanted "Santa" to get him for Christmas. I honestly was hesitant to order this because so many reviews said that it was a cheap toy that came apart easily and did not even float in the water. Now that he has gotten the ship I have noticed that it is by far his favorite toy he got for Christmas, even competing with his adored Angry Birds he got! It has many interchangeable pieces and he can create a different ship every time he plays with it. I was not expecting this ship to be big so I was very surprised when I opened the box and saw it for the first time. AND to add to the surprises, we used it in the tub for the first time yesterday... AND IT FLOATS!!! It did take a couple of tries to get it to float, but we found that keeping the two smaller boats attached in the middle portion of the ship helps to balance it out perfectly. The only piece that kept coming off in the water was the white one that the claw-grabbing-thingy attached to. Overall I think this is a great toy, the only problem I found is that our tub isn't big enough to really have good shark attack action... swimming pool might be something to consider!

First, let me start off by acknowledging all the negative reviews about the harpoon. Sigh. I have no intention of teaching my children to harpoon sea life. This is a toy. I guarantee that unless you are walking around with a harpoon shooting living things, your child will find another use for it. Let's not pigeonhole the imaginations of our children, mmm-kay? My little guy thought it was a "rescuer". He uses it to save the smaller ships when the shark takes a bite out of their boats. Moving on...whew.This is a great toy. If you have a child that loves the water and sea creatures, you can't really go wrong. It is an inventive product and it is not a "bores quickly" type of toy. Matchbox took some time to ensure plenty of building options for the boat. It can also be easily incorporated in a water table, pool or shower/tub play. As all parents know, any toy that can actually go in the water is a homerun in the mind of a child. Does the toy float perfectly? No. Look at it, it's totally top heavy. Did I buy it for its buoyancy and ability to float without assistance? No. I bought it because it's an awesome ship with an awesome shark and my kids think that's, well, awesome.So, if you are looking for a plastic ship that is less likely to shipwreck than the Titanic, this is not for you. If you are looking for a well conceptualized TOY, this one is pretty nifty. I think it would be best suited for ages 3 to 7, but, I can see some interest beyond that due to the multiple ship building options.

This is my son's favorite toy and has been for months! There are SO many ways to build, restructure, and make new vehicles, that it keeps him (4 years old) busy for 45 mins at a time, sometimes longer. I was very hesitant to get this because I didn't like the whole "harpoon the shark" thing, but we decided that when we presented the toy that we would teach our son that the boat was a research vessel and that the goal with the shark was to tag his fin so that the researchers could track it and learn more about the species. It was a fast and easy discussion, and my son never once thought about "killing" the shark or hurting it or the people in any way. He loves to play with the boat in the playroom, but will also take it in the tub. Great toy for science, construction/engineering, and imaginative play. Durable, high quality! Worth the price! Highly recommend.