Tonka Construction Walkthrough

And here we have a redo of what remains my most popular video on this channel, Tonka Construction. I actually debated about this for a very long time, but it's finally being done. My old walkthrough was insanely successful, well above my expectations. It did have several problems, though -- namely, I ran it on my main computer. I had to do it as a last resort situation, and even though it could have been much worse, it has major problems running on a modern computer. The biggest problem was that shimmering glitch, which thankfully looked way better in the recording than it did in the game. I now have VMware, which fixed a lot of problems I initially had. It still has its share of problems (short sounds cutting off and the paint can/dropping rocks into the crusher suddenly not working), but it overall works nine thousand times better. I also skipped over several things in my original walkthrough -- I never showed the instructions, the clipboard, or the credits. This walkthrough catches all of those. With all that said, let's go level-by-level now.
Garage: This area always felt like the first area IMO, even though it's probably the weakest part of the game. Maybe that's why it is. I dunno, anyway, I will be showing all of the instructions screens for each of the areas, mostly because they have extra screens not seen in the regular explanations. In fact, the garage doesn't even have any explanations. The clipboard will be seen later. I decided to stick with random colors because, well, I seriously have no idea how you can get creative with them.
Quarry: The rocks into the crusher glitch a lot on VMware, so I actually exited and re-entered off camera to fix it for the gold. I also uncovered the secret cave I never knew about until legoboy186 told me about it. It takes a ton of times to break down before you actually discover it.
Desert: I was hoping to get the "Pull my britches, this road is open! (throws hat)", but I didn't. I also didn't get the "woah, you're not fooling around!", but that's not much of a loss since I got that in my old one. I have little to say here.
Mountain: Thank goodness the snow won't hurt your eyes this time. Don't really have much else to say here besides that.
City: Everyone's favorite part of this game, and for good reason. I put the same stuff in the same place, because quite honestly, I think it works best with that layout. I find it interesting that the skyscraper's instructions mention several things that aren't in the real game. According to it, you were actually going to place the podium and the mail box using the crane!
After that, we learn about the trucks and the credits. That's basically this walkthrough in a nutshell.

[@peterbelanger4094]

I worked at Vortex Media Arts in the 90's. I was one of the digital artists working on this game. I did most of the backgrounds and small animations, tunnel explosions, dirt/pavement/build layers, truck dashboards. I used a combination of Deluxe Paint for DOS (color cycling) and Photoshop 3.0 on windows 3.11, layers were a new feature! I had a lot of fun working on this game. i was 25, things were promising, it was a good time of my life. I am glad so many of you have such fond memories playing this game. Brought a tear to my eye reading all these comments. I had just as much fun making it!!!! 😃

[@MrEightThreeOne]

Oh my goodness this made me so happy to read! I love getting comments from developers of the games I've recorded! I'm very happy that you have positive memories of working on this. I played this game to death as a kid and it feels incredible to know someone who had a hand in such a big part of my childhood is talking to me now. Incidentally I was just practicing learning some programming concepts and I used this game as practice -- and I managed to rip backgrounds from it. How funny that the background artist would soon be talking to me! What are you up to now? What happened to Vortex Media Arts? I never could find anything they did after this game so I'm curious as to what went on. Thank you so much for commenting!

[@HIROTONFA]

Thank you for the good memories!

[@Robertpurdy]

Played this all the time as a kid, I loved it. you were certainly part of making my childhood great :) Thankyou so much from the UK.

[@noeezyfluff]

Thank you! ❤

[@skatersurfersnowboarder3545]

What a legend! Thank you so much for the memories and honesty exceptional game for its time!

[@christianburton6184]

25 years old, and some how I found myself thinking about this game. Nostalgia is an amazing thing

[@Jcguy123]

Same!

[@Rogue-wh5ir]

YO SAME

[@Guasho]

SAME 24 years old at the moment

[@stephen7715]

lmao same scenario XD

[@Dogshotaf]

👋👋👋I’ll hop on the 🚂

[@Battlefield2021]

Played this as a child, still watching videos of it at 24 years old.

[@смиренный-х2б]

I don't remember it being so glitchy. Yet again this was too addicting to even worry about it.

[@zombanator3000]

I didn't even know how to turn the computer on when I would play these games... good times.. we had this and a hotwheels game too

[@_Yohnlegend]

SAME

[@MatMabee]

These sounds straight up made me smile, then I remembered playing this in our computer room when my family was still together. Only my mom and I now :'^(

[@JCarey1988]

And for good reason - the last time I heard Tonka Joe was when my 4 siblings and I were crowded around the ONE family computer, loving the heck out of this game. At this point the memories that this video dug up are sharing a hole with that dinosaur. 8'-(

[@DonderoA7]

It's so cool to see that so many people experience the same nostalgia that I do for this game hahaha.

[@BiolizardthePrototype]

Man, now I remember how hilarious those little workers were

[@ragingphantom]

I remembered the dinosaur. At 22 it still surprised me with a "what the heck is that!" reaction 🤣

[@CJ-tx3tm]

This is the maximum amount of nostalgia ive experienced in life thus far. life was so simple when I used to play this game as a child 20 years ago.

[@JCarey1988]

Not just simple, better.

[@Jcguy123]

@@JCarey1988 yes. No stress

[@Zerox392]

Beyond nostalgia, it's crazy to look back and see how much actual content it had all with unique animations and voicelines. It had a ton of Easter eggs and everything you did was just so satisfying. I remember playing it over and over and over, and watching these little workers do their thing again I can see why.

[@ThatGunslinger]

I completed this game like everyday. Why the hell did I find so much replay value in this?

[@nickk7769]

Top Pupperanian Same!

[@ComicWriter-ml3qt]

Top Pupperanian we were young, we had no idea what was in store for us in our later years.

[@LemonsRage]

As I kid I was notorious for not completing games and playing the first level over and over. I can say that this game is one of the few games I played the sh*t out of haha

[@St4ticImpulse]

@@LemonsRage I'm guilty of this too LOL

[@Blakbox92]

Kids are easily entertained. I totally did the same thing at like seven years old

[@austincampbell7355]

My God. Reaching into the vault deeeeeep for this one. One of my earliest memories. Had no idea what I was doing but I loved it

[@jakoberickson2218]

I played the crap outta this game as a kid and now am a heavy equipment mechanic at a quarry. Sadly, we have yet to uncover secret caves, oil wells, or gold like this game had taught me. Also, don’t paint equipment whatever colors you want, it’s frowned upon

[@MrEightThreeOne]

I'm sure the game at least provided an accurate depiction of what happens when you ram into the portables though! That's really cool though man, neat to hear you're doing cool things!

[@legomaker9613]

So Many Memories. I remember playing it when I was a kid. Thank you for uploading this.

[@JRLSprague3]

I remember printing out all my certificates when I was a kid. I had no idea ink was so expensive :x

[@BeyondInfinity_XD]

I did the same till my mom told me to stop and ask permission first… 😂

[@LowgaenSchmidt]

Did it bother anyone else that they let you paint the trucks in the garage all those cool colors only for them to just wash off at the last second??

[@csxtfarmer]

Made me so mad

[@AkashProductions1]

Wow bad ADVERTISING LMAO 😂

[@Joeyd1184]

YES

[@101Volts]

The fire search & rescue game was the same way. Yes, I was bugged a bit about it as a 5 year old.

[@LowgaenSchmidt]

Like what was the point of stopping to let you paint the car in the first place if it wasn't even going to stay that way??

[@Raptoria]

Ian brought me here. Awesome to see this game done all the way through. Great work!

[@ahe3971]

Ian who?

[@chinhlongtran1662]

Raptor V V

[@justafan4336]

I love you

[@zimloki9801]

At 14:22

[@BenLogterman]

Codename Carrot Bruttalmoose

[@MegaAwesomeY0SH1]

a childhood memory popped into my head today and I couldn’t stop thinking about it until I found this video, this game was such a core memory for me and a huge reason for why I love video games so much today

[@mad__crafter8940]

Relax gentlemen, everything's a-okay! Oh man... Thats the sentence i always remembered. Games used to be great back then.

[@Sir.DiesAlotol]

28 years here and my God I forgot about this until now. Memory is a beautiful thing.

[@asparrow63]

My childhood. What memories

[@SabotSender]

That opening theme is legendary.

[@windyman56]

"IT'S TIME TO GET DIRTY, LITTLE TRUCKSTER!" *slides on gloves* Ruined. Childhood ruined.

[@101Volts]

Only because you think that way. Sometimes, getting dirty really is just about literal _dirt._

[@str5128]

@@101Volts That millennial fuckign dumbass is ruining my nostalgia

[@AmericanIdolz2011]

Y u do dis

[@MJSpiritual]

The little guy shaking his fist at 13:45 used to make me laugh so hard as a child hahaha.

[@Eskimo407]

Literally was at work until all of the sudden I had a flashback of this game, now I’m here and I’m about to cry because of the good memories

[@Lunethex]

As a child I had this. Feels so long ago it's like it never happened. Like the first Lego Island too, haha, that was a crazy trip.

[@lBanjo]

I FORGOT ABOUT LEGO ISLAND

[@ConnecticutEmporium]

Those two and the Tycoon games were the only CD Rom games I ever played

[@mandamartella3146]

I can’t tell you how many times I made that guy come out of the trailer at 13:42

[@BenLogterman]

Yikes! What a hot head!

[@arthurmead5341]

Girls played this too?

[@mandamartella3146]

@@arthurmead5341 Yep. whatever games my brother played, i played too lol

[@amyk9813]

@@mandamartella3146 same!

[@EvanFrenchMusic93]

LOL, I don't remember him

[@Schoobs31]

I loved this game when I was a kid. I almost wanna download it and play it again...

[@BeyondInfinity_XD]

Me too…

[@DJMoonWalker420]

I remember playin this game sooooo Much when I was little ... All I dreamed about was being a construction man .

[@JohnSmith-fs8bu]

Now I’m an alcoholic construction worker with a dissatisfied wife and 3 bastard children!

[@freethinker424]

Holy shit, I remember this from when I was 4 years old.

[@MRBHV]

I must have competed this game a million times. No idea why I was so obsessed with it. Thanks for uploading.

[@MinTiaraK]

OMG THE NOSTALGIA!!! i even remember the wizard at the castle. 27 now and those tiny workers still make me smile.

[@Su1c1d3mal1c3]

28 years old & now reliving my childhood

[@kyleinflight]

The nostalgia!! I would play this for HOURS as a kid, thanks for uploading!

[@br1ns4n]

Anyone find it weird that the dump truck is never used in the game?

[@TRS1225]

The memories are rushing back! It's been too long.

[@Kevery_]

I recently bought a tonka truck from an antique store and I randomly remembered this game. I think I even watched this exact video around the time it came out. Crazy!

[@HappyMan0203]

Holy shit, I just got buried in a tidal wave nostalgia.

[@afdelta0120]

38:24 "Well use Lazer guidance equipment to mark and position the best possible placement of the river." "...but what data are we gonna give Bob?" "Screw Bob. Well leave him to mess it up." "Well without data you might as well blindfold him" "....YOU KNOW WHAT...."

[@mikefresca2758]

I remember the days of screaming to mom when this blue screened..

[@maxm2317]

This was, and still is, my favorite vintage computer game.

[@BeyondInfinity_XD]

Same here among others… 😉

[@bobandmrmecaleb5873]

This one line from the game has stuck with me to this day. "And I thought I was old! Run for the hills, that thing looks hungry!"

[@SquishEESpark]

I always loved the little dudes doing the survey. It’s so satisfying to watch.

[@Jleas24]

This game brings back some memories!

[@SpicePrincess1890]

Gosh I spent HOURS on this game. I used to love to paint the trucks and do all the little tasks. I remember printing out the certificate and putting it on my bedroom wall. Good Lord. This one and Where in the USA is Carmen Sandiego were my CHILDHOOD.

[@JesusThyPotato]

The best game (I think) of my childhood

[@Xxjake85rxX]

I shed a single tear......

[@MrSupersonic2012]

Before the internet this is what I played on my computer as a kid. Such memories.

[@Raphhh997]

While I was driving today I glanced over at a plot of land that was being prepared to have a house built on it. The land was flattened and there were construction equipment/vehicles all around. While I looking at it for a few brief moments, memories of this game came flooding back to me after not playing this as a child or even thinking about it for who knows how many years. Crazy how the mind works.

[@JacobC42069]

Just remembered this game existed and I HAD to look up a video. Serious nostalgia from the late 90s right here. I remember playing this on our old Gateway computer along with some Elmo and Hot Wheels games. Simpler times man.

[@JayCeaV]

Wow this game was AWESOME back in the day lol

[@emery6871]

Computer games were only allowed after 4pm and dad was finally done with work. This, Secret of the Nautilus, Crayon Physics, and that one 3D dinosaur adventure game, on dad's PC in the basement on a Saturday evening. White Grape juice and Pirate's Booty. Brother playing with the Marble Maze in the middle of the room, sitting on a carpet square on the concrete floor, next to the little black space heater. The smell of wood glue and sawdust from the pinewood derby cars. The sound of the dryer running in the scary dark room around the corner, and a cold draft coming in from the bulkhead in the dryer room. Mom said we can watch Rugrats Go Wild on VHS after dinner. It's 2009 and life is good.

[@MrEightThreeOne]

I really adored reading this! The amount of detail you described that in made it easy for me to imagine myself in your own shoes. I also think it's really cool to hear that even though the game was a bit before your time, you still managed to experience it anyway. VHS in 2009 was also a very unusual sight! You had a very unique experience within your generation and have a bit of a connection with the one before which is super cool. Thank you for writing that all, it really brightened my day to hear all about your specific experience.

[@maj0raw3s0m3]

2009? Sounds more like 1999 lol

[@смиренный-х2б]

This is my childhood back when times were so much easier.

[@BeyondInfinity_XD]

Agreed…

[@TheAlienworkshop34]

22 years old and i remember playin this when i was little, always was my favorite back then

[@certified_goober726]

13 and i still remember watching these videos.

[@MrEightThreeOne]

This...actually makes me want to cry tears of joy. My whole intention initially when I uploaded this video was to give people a chance who grew up playing this game a chance to see it again...I had no idea I was going to be introducing it to a new generation too. It makes me so happy to hear that you were outright introduced to this game by means of a video like this. I guess it is a bit of a bummer you didn't get to play it yourself, but if your younger self enjoyed watching it all the same, then I'm equally happy. At first I wondered how you could have seen this video, surely it wasn't that long ago...no, it was ten dang years ago, so you were only 3 when I uploaded this. Wow how time flies. Glad I could create fond memories for you!

[@thebluetrooper15]

​@@MrEightThreeOne man I am old buuuuut I am 11 how??? Am gonna be 12 yay Remembered that I watch this when like 4-8 Born in 2011

[@heathers1025]

My childhood! This was SO great! I want to play this again!

[@A36392]

Heather M Sweeney Me too ;-;

[@cassiebarber4669]

Same

[@AmericanIdolz2011]

"Imma paint dis truck!" *paint washes off after clicking the keys* "Nothing I do matters" 🥺🥺😢😢😭😭

[@BeyondInfinity_XD]

This takes me back to my early days of gaming a little boy… Thanks for the memories! 🥲

[@dennisthebrony2022]

Age 18 now, I remember playing this and Tonka Raceway when I used Windows XP!!

[@maxm2317]

9:05 I love this music! It just SCREAMS “badass” to me.

[@andyhutchings6607]

All i remebered was dumping snow on the builders and getting scared of the skeleton dino when i was like 2-4

[@redx2gaming69]

How’s everyone doing just revisiting some forgotten memories thanks for stopping in

[@coll5342]

My god was that snow section satisfying as a kid and it still is now

[@john77777527]

I nostalgia'd so hard

[@charliedicanio3063]

After school, got my cookies and a bottle of yoo hoo, jumped on my Microsoft computer and played this till the sun went down

[@BeyondInfinity_XD]

I played this every chance I got on my family’s old Getaway PC… The memories!!!

[@nickk7769]

Omg! This Was My Childhood! I Played This EVERYDAY!!! When I Got Home From School, This Was The First Thing I Played!!! Great Memories! My Favorite Level Was The Tonka Garage! I Loved Repairing The Monster Truck. Honking That Truck Horn Was FUN! THATS ONE ROCK AND ROLL BAR!!!

[@nullify.]

CHILDHOOD. CHILDHOOD. CHILDHOOD.

[@BrunaNeptune]

gosh, I loved this game back when I was a kid. I am now 23 years old and just watch this for the nostalgia.

[@warmcaskets]

Core childhood memory re unlocked.

[@benjamin_made]

Thanks for this! Brought back some fun memories. I would play this at the public library, where I would have to sign up for 15 minute time slots to use the computer. The last time I heard those feet shuffling around was probably 24 years ago. Crazy.

[@KevinEdgar]

Wow, my childhood, I randomly thought about this game, so glad you posted this.

[@commentmutant]

I'm so thankful to have been able to play this and all sorts of other PC games when I was a kid

[@groovass65]

I got this free in the mail from with Kool Aid points in the early nineties when I was a little kid. I loved this game.

[@MightyMattTM]

I played this game so much as a kid but I always felt like I was doing it wrong. Great video!

[@Mach_Style]

I was cruising down to my job site in my dump truck today when this game suddenly popped into me head. I had to look it up the moment i got home. So many memories and it makes me wonder that playing this as a kid at 7 years old... was this where my love for heavy machines come from?

[@BeyondInfinity_XD]

Maybe. After this game… I couldn’t stop building or repairing things.

[@DrPepperCat320]

After watching this, I just made a new memory. Nostalgic memories always come to hit ya.

[@ryansun9361]

1:05:50 Those little crew workers always made me laugh when i was young. They still do.

[@LyritZian]

Man, a lot of this is still burned into my brain from when I was a toddler with a CRT monitor. Nostalgia's pretty powerful.

[@thisal6540]

Wow, the nostalgia from this game is unremarkable.

[@firestick25]

I loved this game so much thanks for letting me relive this since I really don’t think this would work on my Windows 10. I definitely would dig up my old disc if I could though.

[@JCarey1988]

This can work with Dosbox, actually! It can be installed on Windows 3.1, which runs happily on Dosbox.

[@TaylorDorsett]

I can still hear that man yelling at me to finish one thing before I started another.

[@therealronaldd]

That cheesed me so much! I thought I wasn't finished so I kept going

[@PERTEKofficial]

Finish one job before you start another!

[@TaylorDorsett]

@@PERTEKofficial Finish one job before you start another! Good rules to live by.

[@kfc28371ify]

32:16 I'm glad I'm not the only one who did that!! 🤣😅 Thank you for uploading this! This was a big part of my childhood too! I used to love playing this game as a kid.

[@delibird1664]

Omg....this brings back such waves of nostalgia and emotion. I miss those times sometimes.

[@peterpiper0002]

Not sure how I remembered this game, it this was the first video game I’ve ever played. Thanks for uploading :)

[@SubTonic]

This game is the reason I wanted to be a construction worker when I grew up. I never did become one, but it was my first ever career choice. Man, the memories...

[@CarlosDiaz-qb7zo]

Played this as a child...im 21 about to turn 22 in August...it hits right home....how I WISH AND WOULD DO ANYTHING TO GO BACK to the good old days....

[@meltedmarshdaddy]

My favorite part was building the city and when the workers stopped at the coffee truck 😊

[@KeeferJ]

This is absolutely one of my favorite Tonka games and I'm not gonna lie.

[@ryannd.528]

I'm tempted to hook my old computer back up and play this

[@jaynederp5236]

This might have been my very first game. Such great memories!

[@meltedmarshdaddy]

This game was great when I was 4 and it still holds up today incredible.

[@ragingphantom]

Just remembered this existed. I played when I was 4. Now the power of nostalgia makes me interested to play again

[@Mp9724]

I remember when I thought this game was great. I was so little.....

[@gordonfreeman320]

Oh man, I used to play this for HOURS as a kid. So much fun to live the memories again!

[@PioneerBread]

This is so nostalgic it almost hurts

[@afdelta0120]

39:43 "Hey wouldn't it be funny if we hooked up bobs hose to a fire truck?" "No Jim that's inappropriate. How could you wish such a thing! It could harm Bob! THREE FIRE TRUCKS!"

[@elfin2865]

Ohhhhmygod I had this game when I was little! I totally forgot about it til now but this sure brings back memories. :')

[@Cptkiller2010]

Watching some of these old gameplays of Tonka, Lego, Scooby-Doo, Freddy Fish, etc is bringing back so much nostalgia. And honestly, these games are still enjoyable today as I'm in my mid 20s :D

[@nathanreifsteck4366]

Yo, the garage, the song that plays in the vehicles, the sound of the worker’s footsteps, and the quarry. Some deeeeeeep memories are surfacing

[@zlarb]

I remember playing this when I was 2...

[@Toasterloaf]

I never got into construction, but I remember this game well as a child. The guides are well-animated, too!

[@skynet_marauder1102]

I would consider this the first ever relaxing or therapeutic-type game I played at 5 yrs old. So satisfying building sky scrapers and the park at my own pace

[@Weasel6]

Playing this on my Grandfather’s old Dell PC at 4 years old is one of my earliest memories.