The Tyco Monster Traxx is a 9.6v radio controlled model, manufactured by Asashi of Japan, and released in to the US, UK, and other countries worldwide in 1996.
Features
Following the success of the original Tyco Fast Traxx, many successors were created, including the Mini Traxx, Super Fast Traxx, Fast Traxx Eliminator, and Fast Traxx Pickup. As part of their ‘Maximum Heat!’ campaign, Tyco would collaborate with Asashi Japan to take the concept further, with a Dual-Tracked Transforming Vehicle running on 9.6V.
The key feature of this vehicle was it’s ability to transform its shape while moving.
It’s design appears inspired by British WWI tanks, with tracks lining the outer hull.
Performance
While it is a ‘9.6v Turbo’ model, all that grunt is lost to the 4 x Treads and Transformation capability, making this one of the slowest Tyco RC vehicles to date. Despite that, with the ability to traverse over obstacles approx. 30cm high, who cares? Check out this YouTube video. Awesome!
Not manufactured by Taiyo
We can see the Monster Traxx is clearly not a Taiyo designed R/C car due to the overall design language, but the biggest giveaway is the controller. A gamepad style design, it’s heavily inspired by the Super Nintendo controller which would have been popular at the time.
Made by Asahi?
Much like Taiyo, who had manufactured most Tyco RC products throughout the 80s-90s, Asahi was a Japanese manufacturer who got started making tin toys in the 60s-70s and who graduated up to plastic radio control models in the 80s and 90s.
With the relationship between Tyco Industries (USA) and Taiyo Toys (Japan) in decline, it’s no surprise that Tyco would seek to diversify its manufacturing base and have another Japanese R/C toy manufacturer design and produce their latest ‘Fast Traxx’ style product.
My guess is that Asahi may already have had this vehicle in production for its local Japanese market, and Tyco simply snapped it up and rebadged it, the same way they did with Taiyo products.
Yet this is the only Tyco toy we know that Asahi ever produced – do you know of any more? Tell us in the comments below!
Note this is Asahi, not ‘Asashi’ as seen on some Dickie Toys models.
Recommendation
This is a niche model amongst a niche hobby, so whether or not you invest in this item is up to you, and your personal preference.
For me, it’s a part of the ‘Tyco Mid 90s Black/Yellow Boxed’ series (photos below), the best of which are the Rebound 4×4 and Mutator boxes, with absolutely incredible artwork and flip-top designs that really hyped you up for playing with the toy. And while the Monster Traxx may not have been as good, or as successful, it’s still a great example of why these toys fill so many with that 90s nostalgia today.
(Above) Photos of the Tyco ‘Black/Yellow’ boxed era, with incredible artwork on the front, and often flip-top box designs, of which the Rebound, Mutator, and Maxx Traxx were a part of.
wpDiscuz
