Best Toys

Certain things are always on the list of all-time coolest stuff as far as kids are concerned. Whether its dinosaurs and race cars or princesses and dress-up clothes, just about any toy in that theme will make a child squeal with delight. Lately another classic theme has been making kids eyes light up with thoughts of adventure: pirates. Boys and girls alike are eating up stories of swashbucklers and sword fights. High adventure on the high seas is a big hit with kids and toy makers are catching on to this trend and coming up with new and different ways to get kids saying “Yo ho ho!” The Matchbox Mega Rig Pirate Ship is one such toy looking to set sail with kids’ imaginations and that is what we look for in our best toys.

Description

This is a pirate ship play set that comes preassembled and ready for play time. The hull of the ship is dark grey and brown with a red deck and golden embellishments. There is a lot of detail etched into this toy’s surface, giving it a realistic wood grain look. It has three black sails, all bearing the iconic emblem of Jolly Roger’s skull and crossbones, plus a tiny matching crow’s nest flag at the apex of the toy’s main mast. A single cannon protrudes from the front and the ship’s wheel is at the rear.

Features

The set comes with two figurines, an eye-patch wearing captain and a brown vested first mate. An included giant squid could serve equally well as either an enemy or an ally for the crew. There’s also a plank to walk and weapons to shoot and even a little treasure chest to hold all the pirate booty. This set is more than just a single pirate ship. The Matchbox Mega Rig Pirate Ship is made up of components that can be taken apart and played with individually or recombined and made into other ships. It can become up to 30 different ships. The plastic hulls are durable. Since each is piece is filled with Styrofoam, each will float on its own. The set comes with a picture book for kids so they can put the easy locking pieces together without help from grown-ups. It is one of the best toys 2010.

Critiques

This toy can roll on the ground or it floats in water, which gives it versatility and added value. The Matchbox Mega Rig Pirate Ship could be a bathtub toy or a back yard adventure vehicle, depending on the child’s mood. It would be a good set to keep at grandma’s house or take along for travel since it has so much variety within the one toy. There are several small parts, so keep it in a container or zipper bag for travel. Be sure to keep those little pieces out of the hands of younger children as they could be a choking hazard.