Big Trak: The most underrated Toy Vehicle of the 1970s

Welcome back, Satellite Subscribers. Today, the satellite archives are open to discuss a lost piece of legendary playtime machinery that doesn’t get talked about nearly enough. Computer..retrieve information on the most underrated toy of the 1970s..one I have always wanted to own and one day will…The infamous Big Trak!

Transmission begins March 29 2023

Milton Bradley’s Big Trak was, without a doubt, one of the coolest toys of its time. Released in the same year that brought us classics like Alien and Mad Max, Big Trak fit perfectly into the futuristic toy trends of the late ’70s and early ’80s. The toy consisted of a remote-controlled tank-style vehicle that could be programmed to move in any direction and fire a plastic missile from its launcher.

The Big Trak vehicle also included a programmable deck that could be used to program the toy’s movements. It was the design that really made this thing stand out, of course. The tank’s design was sleek and futuristic, with a distinctively sci-fi look that was sure to impress.

But what makes Big Trak so enduringly popular among collectors and retro toy enthusiasts is not just its stylish design or innovative programming features, but also the fun and engaging gameplay it provided. Big Trak resembled a futuristic utility vehicle that could have been used by Moon astronauts or aliens. It has six wheels (two drive wheels), a “photon beam” headlamp, and a keypad on top.

Owners could program up to 16 unique commands, using several presses of the directional directives combining into single commands, such as “move forward 10” or “turn right 90 degrees”. This thing felt real, and there was a real sense of accomplishment when you got this thing moving the way you want. Kids got very creative with this thing, especially with its trailer attachment, which took it from a toy to a working servant that could deliver items to anywhere in the house.

Unlike many contemporary toys, Big Trak had a sense of autonomy and unpredictability that made it feel more like a real robot companion than just a toy. Kids could set up obstacles and challenges for their Big Trak to overcome, and the toy’s ability to fire missiles made for exciting and dramatic action sequences.

Milton Bradley was no stranger to making popular toys in the ’70s and ’80s, but Big Trax remains one of their most beloved and sought-after creations. The company was founded in the mid-19th century by Milton Bradley, who began making board games in Springfield, Massachusetts. Over the years, the company expanded to include toys, puzzles, and even video games. But it was Big Trax that truly captured the imagination of a generation of kids.

Today, Big Trak is among the most popular vintage toys, with a loyal fan base of collectors and enthusiasts. Its enduring legacy can be attributed to its innovative design, engaging gameplay, and distinctive style. While here have been plenty of other remote-controlled toys since then, none have captured the magic of Big Trak quite like the original. So if you’re a retro toy buff looking to relive the glory days of the late ’70s, Big Trax is definitely worth adding to your collection!

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Thanks for joining the satellite crew today for this briefing ..now get out there and track this down for your collection! Happy Hunting!

Flash Transmissions #4 Sectaurs : Warriors Of Symbion

 

 

 

Flash Transmissions #4 Sectaurs: Warriors Of Symbion!

Transmission date: April 22 2014

 

Intercepting a faint transmission from a distant planet. Lock on target..destination the Insect Planet Symbion..Home of the Forgotten clan of Sectaurs..

“On the distant planet Symbion™, a genetic experiment fails. Frightening changes take place that cannot be stopped. The result—a world where insects grow to frightening proportions. A world where the inhabitants have taken on the awesome characteristics of insects. Where the noble citizens of the Shining Realm are locked in mortal combat with the denizens of the Dark Domain. Telepathically bonded (telebonded) in combat, Sectaur Warriors join with their insect companions in the ultimate battle for survival.” Credit Sectaurs.com

 

When you think of Coleco many instantly think of gaming. Well as a kid I remember a friend of mine who had a Colecovision console which I wanted badly. Coleco also manufactured many of my favorite childhood video games and were highly regarded for their efforts in the early 1980s hand held sports gaming market!. Anyone remember Donkey Kong and Ms. Pac-Man?? Coleco was behind the launch of these 80s classics! I was lucky enough as kid to have several Coleco Table top Video Games such as Donkey Kong, Frogger, and Galaxian! That’s another post for another day! The gaming Giant also had significant wins in the toy industry as well..such as it was with their profit explosion with the giant Cabbage Patch Kid craze Coleco also tested the lucrative boys toy market with one of the often forgotten Warriors of Symbion..The Sectaur’s! I had no idea what in the heck these things were as my only exposure to the toys was on a TV toy commercial which was enough to sell me on the line and as it was one awesome Christmas at my house was dedicated to Symbion’s best Warriors, The Sectaurs!!

 

My one Sectaur’s regret is that I never owned a Dargon figure!! One of my friends at the time had the fancy silver series 2 figure that I always secretly lusted after but alas I never acquired the central figure to the entire collection..instead I had the second stringers..Zak, Mantor, Pinsor..and No Dargon!! The toys themselves came in cool windowed packaging and the deluxe figures came with highly detailed fur covered insects that the Sectaur’s could ride on!!

The insects were mounted on a black glove that you could put on your hand and it was your fingers once inserted that would resemble the insects legs!! The insects design were very well done! In-fact if you were stumbling through a bin of old toys it would be the Sectaur’s insects that would stop the common man dead in his tracks. The deluxe sets were amazing and if any of my subscribers has one to give away (Shameless plug) Old Charlton Hero here will certainly help a brother out!

 

 

As with all cool toys of the day they also were backed by Marvel Comics and had a short but great Comic Book series! I collected several of the comic books but I was unfortunately not living in a community known as a hotbed for comic collecting and missed several issues that I later grabbed at a “Nice Price”! Issue #1 was like salt in the wounds with a full blown Dargon cover!! I still love this cover to this day and wonder would Sectaur’s last if released today? I guess we will never know..This writer says YES!

 

Satellite Extra: Even though this is a Flash Transmission not intended to be a long post..for the hell of it I will include all 5 episodes of The Sectaurs mini cartoon series!! Take care Heroes! Enjoy!!