CONSTRUX | The Vintage Toy Advertiser

Construx. Speelboom, Netherlands.

Some of you may know of the recent Mega Construx building sets by Mattel, featuring well-known franchise entities like Masters of the Universe, Pokémon, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Monster High, Call of Duty and more. But did you know that Mega Construx has its origins dating back to the early 1980s when it was owned by Fisher-Price and known simply as Construx?

Construx. Speelboom, Netherlands.

The original Construx sets can be comparable to Lego, especially Lego Technic sets, in that creations could be built from a choice of interlocking and movable parts. Sets came with large-size beams that acted as frameworks; these were connected to smaller pieces by connector blocks. Hinges, motors, wheels, pulleys and figures added to the build and play experience.

Construx. Speelboom, Netherlands.

Construx production appears to have ended around 1988, with Mattel (current owners of Mega Brands, including Mega Bloks) re-imagining the line for their Mega Construx sets in 2017. When making my research for this post, an overiding sentiment I found among the original owners of Fisher-Price Construx was that it was one of the best construction sets of its time – even better than Lego, with many agreeing it was a toy limited only by the imagination of the builder.