Editing Matchbox (brand) (section)

===Other products and series===
Numerous additional product lines have been produced and/or sold by Matchbox over the years, particularly in the Lesney era. Collectors catalogues were published in various languages by the company each year starting in 1957, continuing well into the 1980s. Collectors cases were designed for children to carry/store their ''1-75'' vehicles.  From 1957 until the 1970s, a range of garages/service stations was offered in either Esso or BP logos (under the series no. MG-1).

There were also jigsaw puzzles of photographs depicting Matchbox vehicles in realistic-looking situations, race track sets (Superfast track was yellow, as opposed to Hot Wheels' orange, and of a slightly wider gauge), a particularly clever plastic snap-together wall-display system, roadways, and even a slot-car system for standard (non-powered) car models, the Matchbox Motorways.

At several points, in an attempt to move into Mattel and [[Hasbro]] territory, Matchbox produced dolls, first a line of pirate dolls<ref name=furies01>{{cite web | title = Introducing the Fighting Furies action figures | date = December 2019 | url = https://matchbox-fighting-furies.tumblr.com/post/189904906663/introducing-the-fighting-furies-action-figures | access-date = 25 March 2020}}</ref> for younger school-age boys, and later baby dolls for pre-school girls. Numerous other non-die-cast items have been marketed, as well as a number of shorter-lived die-cast series (Historic Inn Signs, [[Disney]] cars, [[Thunderbirds (TV series)|"Thunderbirds"]] models, etc.).

==== Die cast aeroplanes ====
As mentioned above, Matchbox also tried its hand in the die cast aeroplanes area, under the name [[Matchbox Sky Busters|''Sky Busters'']].  The models were not only produced for children; ''Sky Busters'' produced plane models for such airlines as [[Aeroméxico]], [[Air France]], [[British Airways]], [[Iberia Airlines|Iberia]], [[Lufthansa]] and [[Saudi Arabian Airlines]]. However, they were and are designed more for the inexpensive toy market.  Promotional models sold by the airlines themselves more often tend to be models of higher quality, exactness, and price.

==== Matchbox Motorways ====
In the late 1960s, the [[Arnold (models)|Arnold]] Minimobil system (Germany) was marketed as the Matchbox Motorway (UK).  These consisted of easily assembled hard plastic track, designed to look like concrete roads, rather than the soft plastic of Hotwheels and Superfast track. The system worked by means of trackside electric motors driving continuous spring loops which would run in channels. Small plastic pins could be attached to the underside of Matchbox vehicles which would pass through the slot in the track and engage with the spring, allowing the vehicles to be pulled along. There were three main sets: M1, M2 and M3.

Set M1 consisted of a simple oval of track. Small huts, on each side of the main straight track section, contained the individual motors which powered each lane, allowing the vehicles in adjacent lanes vehicles to be raced, although all vehicles in the same lane would travel at the same speed. As the drive spring for the outer slot would be longer than that of the inner slot, the springs were stored in colour-coded bags in the box.

Set M2 consisted of a simple figure-of-eight track, with both drive springs being of the same length. the springs were driven in a similar method to those in the M1 set.

Set M3, known as 'Switch-A-Track', instead of separate motors, had a single motor hidden in a dummy roundhouse in the centre of a roundabout. Whereas set M2 had a simple figure-of-eight layout, set M3 had a track layout consisting of two extended loops, connected by means of the central roundabout. Each of the 4 exits from the roundabout had a rocker switch which, through a mechanical linkage, moved small turnouts which would allow the vehicles to change path.

In addition, there was a set E2, an extension pack which could be added to set M2, which allowed for a greater variety of track layouts.

==== Slot cars ====
{{main|Powertrack}}
[[File:F1 McLaren powertrack car.JPG|thumb|F1 McLaren ''Powertrack'' slot car]]
In the late '70s, Matchbox also produced [[slot cars]] called "[[Powertrack]]" or Speedtrack, which featured working headlights. (Some Powertrack models had parallel issues in the "normal" Matchbox ''1-75'' line.) Other slot car sets from Matchbox included a lane changer (which allowed cars to switch lanes) and a Race and Chase set which featured a police car and chased car which could jump and u-turn.

==== Scale soldiers ====
Also in the late 1970s, Matchbox produced a small range of 1:32 and 1:76 [[Second World War]] [[toy soldiers]] in direct competition to [[Airfix]]. These sets included British, German and American [[infantry]], the [[British 8th Army]] and the German [[Afrika Korps]] and British [[Commandos]]. Though Matchbox's sets featured fewer figures than comparable Airfix sets (15 vs. 29 in 1:32), they included weapons that Airfix did not model (flame-throwers, heavy machine guns), and Montgomery and Rommel figures in the Desert War sets. The figures were popular for their high-quality molding and their different extra weapons and poses as compared to the more common Airfix sets.

==== Action figures ====
During the 1970s Matchbox created its own lines of action figures including ''Matchbox Fighting Furies''—pirate and cowboy figures with separate costumes—in 1974<ref name=furies02>{{cite web | title = The end of the Matchbox Fighting Furies with full chronology | date = December 2019 | url = https://matchbox-fighting-furies.tumblr.com/post/189906863748/the-end-of-the-matchbox-fighting-furies-with | access-date = 25 March 2020}}</ref> and ''Mobile Action Command'', plastic figures with accessories and rescue-themed vehicles. From the 1980s onwards its action figure lines tied in with television and animations such as ''[[Ring Raiders]]'', ''[[Robotech]]'', ''[[Voltron]]'', ''Parasites'', ''[[Monster in My Pocket]]'' and ''[[Pee-Wee's Playhouse]]''. They ceased developing most of such lines when Matchbox was absorbed into Tyco; some of the ''Robotech'' toys were later re-released by [[Playmates Toys]] under the ''[[Exosquad]]'' line.

==== Video games ====
In the 1990s and early 2000s, Matchbox also published several video games that tied into the Matchbox line of model vehicles. These games featured construction and emergency services (fire, police, ambulance, rescue),<ref name=licensees>{{cite web | title = Matchbox licensees | url = http://www.mobygames.com/game-group/matchbox-licensees | publisher = MobyGames | access-date = 7 October 2012}}</ref> with game play involving vehicle-appropriate action sequences (for example, intercepting a robbery with a squad car in ''[[Motor City Patrol]]'').<ref>{{cite web | title = Motor City Patrol | url = http://www.mobygames.com/game/nes/motor-city-patrol | publisher = MobyGames | access-date = 7 October 2012}}</ref> These games were developed by other companies for a variety of platforms, including [[Game Boy]] handheld gamers, the [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]] video gaming system, and [[Personal computer|PC]].<ref name=licensees/>

There were plans to release more Matchbox games on the NES system; however, they only released ''Motor City Patrol''. Matchbox games not released to North America included "Sir Eric the Bold" (which never got past prototype stage), "Matchbox Racers" and "Noah's Ark", only the latter being eventually released in Europe by [[Konami]]. However, due to Nintendo's strict policies against any forms of religion in their games, it is likely that they would have faced internal controversy.

====An overview of the principal die-cast series====
* ''1-75'' (also called the regular series, Superfast series, 75 series); numbered 1-75
* ''Accessories''; numbered A-#
* ''Models of Yesteryear''; numbered Y-#, later YY-#
* ''Major Packs''; numbered M-#
* ''King Size'' (later ''Super Kings'' and ''Speed Kings''); numbered K-#
* ''Scorpions'' (non-metal, rechargeable battery powered cars)
* [[Matchbox Sky Busters|''Sky Busters'']]; numbered SB-#
* ''Two Packs'' (later also called the ''900'' series or ''Hitch 'n Haul'' ); numbered TP-#
* ''Battle Kings''; numbered K-# (K-101 – K-118)
* ''Matchbox Military''; numbered MM-# (MM-1 & MM-2)
* ''Sea Kings''; numbered K-# (K-301 – K-310; nos. K-311 – K-313 were pre-productions)
* ''Adventure 2000''; numbered K-# (K-2001 – K-2006)
* ''Convoy''; numbered CY-#
* ''Dinky'' (Matchbox bought the brand in the late 1980s); DY-#
* ''Real Working Rigs''; number RW-# (introduced in 2009)

In addition to these, a series of Gift Sets (numbered G-#) was sold by Lesney, each comprising models from the die-cast ranges (sometimes from different ranges within a single set).  The sets were updated/changed regularly for various reasons, but mainly to ensure that the models contained therein were current.  Set numbers were often reallocated in the same fashion as for "normal" series.  Some sets included model variations officially released only in the sets (generally, these were variant colours), while others contained additional, non-die-cast items not available without the set.