Pete's Expert Summary
My human has presented me with a towering plastic monolith they refer to as a "Transportation Center." From my vantage point on the sofa, it appears to be a multi-level structure designed for the express purpose of sending small, hard objects hurtling down ramps. It comes with a diminutive yellow taxi, a whirly-bird for the roof, and a boat for a puddle-like dock attachment. The primary appeal, naturally, lies in these small, flickable prey items. The structure itself, with its five stories, could serve as a moderately interesting observation post, though the "kid-powered" lift suggests it will be accompanied by a great deal of noisy, disruptive activity from the small human. The tiny food cart is a particularly nice touch—a bonus morsel to be batted under the furniture. It’s a delicate cost-benefit analysis: the joy of the hunt versus the inevitable cacophony.
Key Features
- The Matchbox Transportation Center packs loads of adventure in one exciting playset.
- The 5-level parking garage includes a kid-powered lift and gates for dynamic storytelling. It can also be used for storage, holding up to 12 1:64 scale vehicles. (One 1:64 scale car, boat and helicopter are included. Additional vehicles sold separately.)
- Land the included helicopter on the rooftop helipad, press down and send the line of vehicles through the garage and out onto the street.
- Drive over to the seaport to catch the next ferry or take off on a boating adventure. The dock opens to expand the set, creating a pier for watercraft.
- This playset includes a 1:64 scale taxi, helicopter and boat to fully explore each mode of transportation.
- Includes a mini food cart vendor for additional storytelling possibilities.
- The Transportation Center can connect to other Matchbox and Hot Wheels sets for open-ended adventures and is ideal for kids 3 years old and up. (Additional playsets sold separately.)
A Tale from Pete the Cat
The case landed in my jurisdiction—the middle of the living room rug—on a Tuesday. The dame, my human, called it a "playset," but I knew a racket when I saw one. It was a garish, five-story flophouse of ramps and cheap plastic, a vertical slum called the "Matchbox Transportation Center." My initial assessment: a waste of good sunbeam territory. I circled the perimeter, my tail twitching with disdain. A shady-looking lift, a rooftop rendezvous point for a plastic helicopter, and a dock for some two-bit boat trying to look legitimate. It reeked of manufactured fun. My investigation drew me to the ground floor. A single yellow taxi was parked brazenly in the open. A stooge. I decided to lean on it. My first tap was a warning, a gentle *pat-pat* with a sheathed paw. It didn't talk. Figures. I applied more pressure, a firm shove from my educated paw. The taxi squealed on its plastic wheels and shot forward, careening down a short ramp and into the central lift. The small human, the dame’s pint-sized accomplice, then cranked the elevator, hoisting the taxi upwards. A conspiracy, just as I suspected. They were moving the goods to the top floor. From the fifth story, the taxi had nowhere to go but down. I watched, a silent gray arbiter of physics, as a button was pushed and the vehicle began its long, winding descent. It rattled down ramp after ramp, a satisfying clatter that spoke of chaos and momentum. It flew off the final exit, skidded across the hardwood, and came to rest near the baseboard. It was a good chase. I even gave the silent, unblinking food cart vendor a solid flick for being an accessory to the fact. It spun beautifully before disappearing under the ottoman. My verdict came swiftly. The joint was crooked, the clientele were plastic, but the action… the action was first-rate. The structure itself was a mere stage for the drama of gravity and my superior batting skills. The variety of victims—car, boat, helicopter, and the delightful little food cart—offered endless opportunities for interrogation and high-speed pursuits. This case was one I’d be happy to reopen. Daily. The Transportation Center could stay. It had earned its floor space.
