From the Toysit archive
Hot Wheels Shark Park
Explore Hot Wheels Shark Park through its descending car route, sound effects and resettable shark encounter, then draw a story with two possible endings.
The play at a glance
A downhill journey with a shark at the end
Shark Park turns a car’s trip down a track into a creature encounter. Mattel’s 28707 instructions match the tall structure, curved route and shark head in Toysit’s original photograph. The guide shows a car lift, a launch from the top and a route through the shark’s mouth.
Sound accompanies several actions, including the shark encounter. The track, moving parts and sound effects give a short journey recognizable stages: prepare, descend, encounter and reset.
Give the journey three landmarks
Start at the top of the structure, follow the descending track and find the shark’s mouth. These landmarks make the route understandable even in the small original photograph. A listener can point to the beginning, the approach and the encounter as you tell the story.
The lift and turntable also offer places to pause an imagined journey. A car can arrive, wait for its turn and move on, rather than every scene beginning with an immediate escape.
Notice the sound and the movement
The guide labels sound features separately from the illustrated moving parts. The lift, gate and shark encounter have sound cues, while the jaw support and gates have their own preparation and reset positions.
That distinction helps explain the toy without assuming the shark chooses an outcome. Follow the complete original guide for an actual set. Keep the imagined ocean on the page: the manufacturer specifies dry use.
Let the ending change the next scene
A successful escape can lead to a new destination. A stopped journey can lead to a rescue, a conversation with the shark or another attempt. Neither ending needs to be treated as a failure in a story.
Decide what the driver wants before choosing the ending. Delivering a letter, finding a friend or reaching a celebration gives the trip a purpose beyond simply getting past an obstacle.
Choose a shark-escape ending
- Draw three boxes: the start, the curved approach and the shark encounter.
- Give an imaginary driver a destination and one reason to reach it.
- Branch the last box into two endings: a clear passage and a delay.
- Add one sentence explaining what happens after each ending.
- Return to the start and tell the other version.
This independent paper activity needs no original set. The invented outcomes are story choices, not manufacturer game rules or a prediction of the jaw mechanism.
The historical record
Original Toysit coverage
The complete original description and general shark-playset essay remain below. The essay’s references to underwater scenery, materials and learning benefits are broad historical commentary, not a verified contents list or tested outcomes for Shark Park. The original 18-phrase claim remains attributed to that coverage.
Shark Park Hot Wheels Shark Playset
This Hot Wheels Shark Playset challenges drivers to get their Hot Wheels cars around the entire track without getting munched by the big blue shark near the end. Cars race down a steep roller-coaster track, around a translucent blue curve, and through the gaping jaws of a large mechanical shark. The electronic shark says 18 different phrases, such as Bring it on, It's crunch time, and I love chrome. Lucky drivers will zoom right past his chompers, while unlucky ones will become lunch.
Diecast playsets with a shark theme capture children's imaginations in a thrilling way. The combination of high-quality, durable diecast metal components and the endlessly fascinating world of sharks create a unique play environment. Kids can delve deep into oceanic adventures, recreating suspense-filled scenarios where they dodge shark attacks or perhaps act as marine biologists studying these intriguing sea creatures. Often featuring elements like sunken ships, treasure chests, and detailed underwater landscapes, these playsets provide a tangible way for children to explore the mysteries of the deep sea while safely on dry land. The tactile experience of handling the diecast components adds a level of realism that heightens the overall play experience, making these sets irresistibly fun and educational.
Sources and editorial notes
Mattel’s official 28707 guide was downloaded and visually reviewed. The parts, assembled track and moving-feature diagrams match the original image; pages 4–5 document the jaw support, gates, car lift, sound features and reset. The sea theme does not make this a water toy: the guide says to keep it dry. No voice unit, jaw mechanism or surviving set was tested. The branching story is an independent Toysit prompt.
- Mattel Shark Park 28707 instructions — Original assembly, moving features, sounds and reset diagrams.
Images and descriptions are retained as historical material. How Toysit covers toys.
Created for Toysit by Tabbloza — the artwork in our header.