Toy Review: Playmobil “Knight Rider” Car and Figures

 

“Knight Rider”

K.I.T.T./Figure Set
Playmobil

Our Score 4 out of 5 stars

“Knight Rider, a shadowy flight into the dangerous world of a man who does not exist. Michael Knight, a young loner on a crusade to champion the cause of the innocent, the helpless, the powerless, in a world of criminals who operate above the law. “Playmobil adds yet another classic vehicle/figure set to their ever-growing retro line of toys with the addition of everyone’s favorite talking super car “Knight Rider”. Joining the ranks of previously released vehicles and figures from such classic 80’s films as “Back to the Future “and “Ghostbusters” to television series such as “Star Trek” and “The A-Team”, K.I.T.T. and his dapper navigator Michael are right at home.

Much like every other kid who grew up in the eighties “Knight Rider” was easily one of my favorite shows. Long before Siri could answer all your questions with the click of a button there was K.I.T.T. The snarky, ever loveable mobile companion to the uber cool Michael Knight. Playmobil has captured all that charm and nostalgia with their latest release. Included in the easy to open, displayable packaging along with Michael Knight and Kitt are figures of Devin Miles and Dr. Bonnie Barstow who come with a bevy of accessories to help keep Kitt and Michael going. From Devin’s desk and computer to Bonnies mobile diagnostic lab and tool set this set spares no details. The Michael figure even comes complete with his communicator watch and signature upturned collared jacket. I mean how cool is that?! The real gem in the set much like in the television show is K.I.T.T. From its jet-black exterior to its highly detailed dash and tan interior to its removable roof, flip up headlights and rotating license plate Playmobil nailed it but, that’s not all! With a touch of the hood, you get six different voice and light sequences which only add to the products over all entertainment value. I believe my son and I had just as much fun cycling through the different voicings as we did playing with the set as you never knew what K.I.T.T. was going to say next.

Playmobil continues to outdo themselves with every release and the “Knight Rider” set is no exception. From its eye-catching packaging and easy assembly to the high level of detail included in each piece this set is perfect for both display and or play. Though we did find the front light to be a little too bright for extended play and the volume of the voice sequences to be quite a bit lower than in previous released vehicles we still had a blast playing with the set on its own and integrating it in with other Playmobil products. The easy to open packaging, detailed directions and solid build quality make for a great purchase that will last for years to come. Parents, pop that collar, que up your favorite episode from the television series, grab your youngsters and let “Knight Rider” and imagination do the rest.

 

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Filed Under: Misc, Toys Tagged With: car, figures, knight, playmobil, review, rider, ...

Toy Review: Playmobil “The A-Team” Van & Figures

“The A-Team”

A-Team Van/Figure Set

Playmobil

Our Score 4 out of 5 stars

“If you have a problem, if no one else can help” Playmobil has you covered with the debut of the A-Team Van/Figure set. Pulled from the iconic 80’s television series and delivered straight to your playroom the newest edition to the Playmobil brand comes complete with the team’s signature black and red GMC van, numerous accessories and of course Hannibal, Face, B.A. and Murdock figures.

Having been a huge fan of “The A-Team” growing up upon hearing of this release I was anxious to share my love for the series with my son who has become a fan of all things 80’s and 90’s. After giving him the backstory on the show and answering a slew of questions about each character we popped open the packaging with equal excitement. Before really digging into the assembly process, I had to appreciate the internal packaging which features a fiery insert showcasing the van along with each character which is housed above and denoted by name. From a collector standpoint this makes for a very cool display option. Assembly was pretty straight forward and compared to some other recent Playmobil releases was minimal as was the stickering process. As a parent the quick setup time was a major plus as if you have been in the situation where a toy requires extensive assembly you know how daunting an anxious child wanted to play with that new toy can be.

Once the van had its tires and signature red spoked wheels attached, we loaded up the vehicle through the three opening (rear doors, side door, removable roof) with the included assortment of accessories consisting of a multi piece tool kit, removable welding unit and various other mission-based items (binoculars, walkie talkies, flashlight). However before hitting the rode we had to do some outfitting of the included characters each of which conjured up memorable lines or moments from the show which had since been buried deep within my memory. Hannibal don’s his signature blue shirt/tan p-coat combo topped off with wispy white hair while Face remains dapper as always sporting an ascot and pocket square. B.A. comes decked out with his signature beard an mohawk while dressed in his trademark cut off vest and is adorned with multiple gold chains and bracelets. Last but not least and easily my favorite is “Howlin” Mad Murdock who is fitted with his blue ball cap and leather wolf bomber jacket. With a nod to Season 2 the figures has a “Bring Back the Dodo” shirt and also includes Murdock’s sock puppet sidekick “Socki the Talking Dog”. Yes, you might have some odd looks and additional questions as to why this guy thinks his sock is a talking dog but, that only adds to the fun and interaction between you and you loved ones as you play with these great toys.

Playmobil continues to raise the bar within the play/collector market and the “The A-Team” release is no different. From its colorful display packaging to the quality made toys inside you can be sure that if it says Playmobil you are going to get a quality product. Missing from this release however were lighting and/or sound features. Unlike previous release such as “Star Trek”, “Ghostbusters” and “Back to the Future” which all featured one or both details sadly “The A-Team” did not get this level of treatment. Don’t get me wrong this is still a great addition to any Playmobil or “A-Team” fan, but I can only imagine how much fun it would have been for the van to play the show’s theme song or to have some of those vintage explosion noises synonymous with each episode available at the push of a button. We pity the fool who hasn’t already gone out and grabbed themselves one of these great play vehicles.

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Filed Under: Misc, Toys Tagged With: ateam, figures, playmobil, review, toy, van, ...

Toy Review: Playmobil “Back to the Future” Marty’s Truck & Hoverboard Chase Set

“Back to the Future”

Marty’s Pick-up Truck/Back to the Future II Hoverboard Chase

Playmobil

Our Score 4 out of 5 stars

Playmobil expand on their “Back to the Future” line with the addition of two brand new pieces. “Marty’s Pick-up Truck” and the “Hoverboard Chase” playset are the latest elements from the film franchise to receive the Playmobil treatment allowing both toy and film fans to further recreate classic scenes from the iconic movie franchise right in their very own home.

First up is “Marty’s Pick-up Truck”. If you remember this was the truck featured briefly at the end of Part I that Marty receives from his parents after returned to 1985 thanks to the help of Doc and the lighting strike which struck the Hill Valley Clock in 1955. Included with the all black pick-up truck which features four rubber, oversized tires, light bar and tow hitch are three new figures which coincide with the film scene. You get Marty, Jennifer Parker outfitted as they are in the final scene of the first film along with Biff Tannen who is dressed in a green track suite and comes complete with window spray and a buffing towel. This figure really made us laugh and was certainly a favorite. Just like the previously released DeLorean and Clocktower Advent Calendar pieces no details were spared as Marty’s truck features its own “McFly85” vanity plates and all three figures feature detailed, screen accurate costuming which from a collector standpoint is really nice to see.

Next up we checked out the first entry from the futuristic “Back to the Future Part II”. The “Hoverboard Chase” playset features one of the films most popular scenes as we see Marty get a custom to what skateboarding is like in 2015 when he is chased by Griff Tannen through a futuristic Hill Valley. Included in the set are four screen accurate figures (Marty, Griff, Dr. Brown and Police Officer) along with two hover boards and a police motorcycle which transforms to a hover cycle. Also included is the pond/town square area where this epic scene takes place. Again, no detail was missed as the pond and walk area feature multicolored flowers, signage featuring Mayor Goldie Wilson and the comedic “Jaws 19” movie sign. Playmobil doesn’t stop there! For those who purchased the previously DeLorean you get a couple upgrades in the way of the Mr. Fusion attachment and a replacement cover for the hook holder. My son really enjoyed these additions as not only did it put a fresh spin on an older toy, but it now looked just like the one in the film and, best of all he didn’t have to worry about how he was going his next batch of plutonium.

Playmobil continues to make great products that are enjoyable for children and adults of all ages and these two additions to the “Back to the Future” line is no exception. Both products offer tons of features and details which translate into hours of imagination and play. Though the updated Marty and Doc figures are great, we have already seen a couple versions of these characters be released. I think it would have been better to have provided the updated wardrobe to use on characters you may already own allowing for the inclusion of other figures from the film like Marty’s parents, Mayor Goldie or Principal Strickland however that aside we still had lots of fun with these toys and we can’t wait to see what Playmobil has lined up for “Back to the Future III”.

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Filed Under: Misc, Toys Tagged With: chase, future, hoverboard, martys, playmobil, review, ...

Toy Review: Playmobil Series 18

“Playmobil Series 18”

Playmobil

Our Score:  4 out of 5 stars

Playmobil continues to expand their ever growing universe of characters, play sets and vehicles with their latest release of Series 18 blind bags. The series features 24 figures in all (12 girls and 12 boys) and will fit seamlessly into previously released sets adding new elements of adventure and creativity.

As a parent we have all had that moment where we are at the store with our child or children almost ready to check out and they ask if we can look at the toy section. Of course we all know how this inevitably turns out. Within in seconds you have a toy or two in your cart and that quick stop for a couple items has now turned into a bigger purchase. That’s how we first came across Playmobil Blind Bags. Not only were the figures inside all really cool but it turned into a hunt to find them all given the contents were hidden within shiny reflective packaging that helped make it stand out on the robust shelves. That was several series ago and we are still in love with these figures. Series 18 includes some of the coolest additions to line yet! You have a Top Hat wearing female vampire, a stilt walking clown with real squirting flower, a translucent space adventurer and probably our person favorite a bearded, tattoo clad guitar player!

Each figure is stylized in the traditional Playmobil design and includes one or more accessory which corresponds with the figure. As mentioned before the series features 12 girl and 12 boy figures which are denoted by metallic pink packaging for the girls and metallic blue for the boys. This has been a simple yet effective tool for parents going back a couple series now that help decipher which figure might be inside. It’s especially helpful if the youngster in your life is looking for a specific character or attempting to collect a specific series.

We can’t say enough great things about Playmobil and the Series 18 figures. Not only does the latest series add some rather interesting characters to our growing collection but they also gave new life to some of our older figures by bringing them back into the fold. Our older Vampire affectionately known as “Fizzle Faz” now has a female companion. Our knights and dragons now have a bow and arrow carrying fairy along with an impressively armored young lady. Though I would not recommend these figures for non-school age children given the smaller pieces and the need for assembly which at times can be a bit frustrating, everyone else in the family will certainly enjoy getting in on all the fun possibilities these toys can offer. I know I certainly did.   

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Filed Under: Misc, Toys Tagged With: 18, playmobil, review, series, toy

Toy Review: PlayMobil “Back to the Future”

“Back to the Future”

DeLorean/Marty Mcfly & Dr. Emmett Brown

Playmobil

Our Score 4.5 out of 5 stars

Playmobil goes back to the future! With the iconic DeLorean vehicle and Marty Mcfly/Dr. Emmett Brown figure two packs. Following in the footsteps of the companies “Ghostbusters” and “Scooby Doo” lines “Back to the Future” is the most recent property to get Playmobil’s signature toy treatment. Both kids and nostalgic parents will enjoy reliving their favorite moments from the films time and time again with these recently released toys.

After a brief construction period our in house toy tester was on his way with his brightly lit DeLorean and highly detailed figures time traveling to different areas of the house taking breaks just long enough to refuel his vehicle with the included plutonium and then he was off again before you could say “Great Scott!” The DeLorean vehicle features gull-wing doors, folding wheels for hover mode, an illuminated flux capacitor inside and a blue illuminated exterior. Included with the vehicle is Marty Mcfly and Doc Brown in their outfits from 1985 along with a plutonium case, skateboard, remote control and Einstein, Doc Browns lovable companion. Also available is a two figure set which again features Marty and Doc Brown however this time outfitted in their 1950’s clothing complete with a guitar for Marty. With the DeLorean already including both Marty and Doc it would have been nice to see some of the other characters from the film available before these two but that didn’t halt our testers imagination any as he switched between the various versions of the characters and their included accessories.

As with all Playmobil products the detail on each piece and figures in the “Back to the Future” line is top notch. Even the included cuffs for Marty’s 1980’s attire feature the same print seen in the movie. Very cool! The DeLorean set is priced at $49.99 and for what all is included we thought that was a pretty fair price. You will need to purchase AAA batteries for the lights as sadly those are not included. The two figure set has a price tag of $7.99 which might deter some purchasers as only two accessories are included and the figures are again based off of Marty and Doc. Collectors will definitely want to get both and if you truly want to recreate the scenes from the films then you NEED multiple Marty’s and Doc Browns. With the latest “Back to the Future” release from Playmobil you “don’t need roads”; all you need is your imagination to bring these really fun toys to life.

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Filed Under: Misc, Toys Tagged With: future, playmobil, review, toy

Toy Review: Playmobil The Movie “Del’s Food Truck”

“Playmobil The Movie”

Del’s Food Truck

Playmobil

Our Score:  4 out of 5 stars

By chance siblings Marla and Charlie are drawn into the magical Playmobil universe and separated. To find Charlie again, Marla must embark on the adventure of a lifetime. Fortunately she meets Del, a crazed food truck driver, who helps her to find her way in this fantastic world with its wacky rules. Matching the cinema launch, Is the “Del’s Food Truck” play set consisting of film characters Marla in college jacket and Del, Del’s red food truck with equipment, sleeping serum, magic hay and many other extras that let you relive the adventure of the film and beyond all from your very own home.

Playmobil continues to make their mark on the always growing licensed toy market however this time it’s a license of their own creation. Based off the recently released “Playmobil The Movie” youngsters and fans of the film can relive all hysterical action from the film. We had a chance to check one of the key pieces in the set and from the movie “Del’s Food Truck”. Packed with tons of cool details and accessories this play set will have you up and going on adventures in no time. From a parent’s stand-point there is quite a bit of assembly and sticker-ing which needs to be done so be prepared for several “are you done yet?” questions from your young ones. Also I do want to point out that a lot of the parts in this set are quite small so you will defiantly want to make sure your loved one is passed the “putting stuff in the mouth” phase before handing this over However, once you have the truck assembled and all the food in-place you probably won’t see your loved one for a bit as they surely will be busy providing food and fun to other toys in their expansive collections. Our in-house toy tester Ian provided spicy burritos and magic hay to anyone he could. I think our dog Damon even took part in an adventure or two which was quite entertaining to say the least given his rather anti-social personality.

I can’t say it enough; this is probably one of the most detailed sets to date from the fine folks at Playmobil. From labeled food cans to Del’s removable rubber slides there was no expense spared. I would have like to have seen a few less stickers to put on (mainly the really smalls one) however once on everything looked great. Scale wise everything matches to previous Playmobil sets allowing for seamless play between other sets allowing you and/or your loves ones to create endless scenarios time and time again across all Playmobil licenses.

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Filed Under: Misc, Toys Tagged With: dels, food, movie, playmobil, review, toy, ...

Toy Review: Playmobil “Ecto-1A”

“Ghostbusters”

Ecto-1A

Playmobil

Our Score 4.5 out of 5 stars

There’s something strange in you neighborhood this holidays season as Playmobil has recently introduced a second version of the iconic “Ghostbusters” mobile into their play line. Ecto-1A is based off the vehicle seen in “Ghostbusters 2” and features all the same cool upgrades shown in the film including working lights, siren, updated paint scheme and lenticular marquees announcing that the “Ghostbusters” are back and ready to play! 

I am not sure who was more excited to get this toy, myself or my seven year old son Ian? Having just checked it out at this year’s New York Comic Con and being fans of the movies we were both anxious to get playing. Playmobil’s easy open packaging let us get right to it, well sort of. There is quite a bit of assembly that must be done before you can rid your house of any unwanted paranormal entities. Thankfully the package comes with four figures (Venkman, Spengler, Stantz and Zeddemore) complete with new uniforms, proton packs and slime shooters which can be quickly assembled to help keep the kids busy while you are constructing the heavily detailed vehicle.

Though the instructions could have used a little more detail we got through it with only a couple setbacks (a missing light post and a backwards roof tank). Parents make sure that you double check everything before pushing it completely together as we found it very difficult to make changes once things were together due to how tight the pieces fit. Aside from a small Phillips head screwdriver to install the batteries for the lights and siren no other tools are needed which is always a plus and it certainly helped speed things up.

Once Ian had Ecto-1A loaded up (by way of the removable roof) he was off and running with lights flashing and that famous siren blazing as they set out to conquer any unwanted visitors from the afterlife. Pairing the toys with the downloadable Playmobil App lets youngsters take their imagination even further as included with the vehicle and figures is a hologram pyramid which attaches to one of the included traps. When placed on a mobile device the “Playmogram” projects one of four selectable ghosts which with a touch of the screen be sucked down into the trap just like in the movies. Ian really loved this feature and spent quite a bit of time trapping the various ghosts and yelling quotes like “We got one” and “He Slimed Me”.

As with their previous “Ghostbusters” products Playmobil spared no expense with the Ecto 1-A package as it packed with tons of great details and features. Given what is included in the packaging for the $59.99 price tag (Vehicle, four figures, Multiple Accessories) and when paired with the downloadable bonus content you really can’t go wrong. So “Who You Gonna Call?” when it comes to finding that great holiday gift for that special loved one? We say Playmobil!

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Filed Under: Misc, Toys Tagged With: ecto1a, playmobil, review, toy

Toy Review: Playmobil “Dragons”

“Dragons”

Hiccup and Toothless w/ Baby Dragon & Light Fury w/ Baby Dragon and Children

Playmobil

Our Score 3.5 out of 5 stars

Just in time for the holiday season Playmobil has added several new figures to their “Dragons” line which is based on characters from the film “How To Train Your Dragon 3”. Children and Adults of all ages can now act out all of their favorite scenes from the movie and beyond with the help of newly added characters like “Light Fury”, “Hiccup” and “Deathgripper”. These highly detailed and fully articulate figures are sure to provide fun and enjoyment time and time again and feature solid construction which will hold up for years to come.

Having recently seen some of the “Dragons” toys at this year’s New York Comic Con our in house toy tester Ian was very anxious to get his hands on some of these really great looking figures. From a parents stand point I was pleasantly surprised by the easy to open packaging and minimal assembly that both of these sets required. The last thing any parent wants is an overzealous youngster repeatedly asking if they are done putting a toy together while also trying to manage multiple bags of pieces and highly detailed instructions. Aside from having to use a little extra muscle to get both Light Fury and Hiccup’s wings in place that’s really all there was to it with these sets. Hiccup does require a screwdriver for battery installation for the light up back fin. Aside from that no other tools are needed and you can get your youngster playing fairly quick. Ian really enjoyed the details of each of the dragons which include textured skin on both main figures (Hiccup/Light Fury) and some really cool and intricate paint work. This was a feature I also thought was very well done especially on the Light Fury and Toothless figures which are painted with an iridescent paint that gives off a shiny yellow glow when the light hits it.

Each set along with the main larger dragon comes with a handful of smaller toys as well. The Light Fury set includes a Baby Dragon and two children figures while the Hiccup set includes Toothless as well as its own Baby Dragon figure. Both larger dragon figures feature projectile shooting action which Ian also enjoyed (what kid doesn’t love shooting things at their sibling or parent). Thankfully Playmobil opted for less powerful springs as the smaller sized projectiles can quickly become lost if they went shooting too far. On that note parents of smaller children may want to take caution as most of the accessories are quite small and Playmobil does a solid job making buyers aware of this and with their recommendation of these being for ages 4 and up.

From price point to play Playmobil continues to do a solid job and their latest additions to the “Dragons” line are no different. Even after a couple of weeks of hard play each of the figures still look new and are working as they should. Yes some of the tiny pieces caused a bit of frustration when they inevitably went missing but, it only caused a momentary pause in the play and thankfully did not hurt any of the functions so If you have a youngster on your list this holiday season we definitely recommend checking out Playmobil’s “Dragons” line as they are sure to put a smile on that loved ones face Christmas morning.         

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Filed Under: Misc, Toys Tagged With: dragons, playmobil, review, toy
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