Baryonyx (Mojo Fun)

Baryonyx walkeri is a well known dinosaur in this community so I don’t think it needs an introduction. When it comes to replicas there are more than enough to choose from. However, all of these toys differ in quality, with the best ones either being hard to obtain, or simply out of date. The Mojo Baryonyx is not one of the most accurate replicas of the species, but it is an improvement over the very first models that Mojo produced back in the day.

To start things off, I feel I must do something different and address the color of the figure first, because one of the main points of controversy with Mojo’s 2018 line up was that the final products had paint apps unlike their stock photos. The Mojo Baryonyx stock photo depicted a model that was medium blue with a yellow underside and black spots on its back. The final product, however, lacks these spots and is very bright in comparison. The base color of the entire model is this neon blue with neon yellow painted on the underside and a darker blue stripe painted along the spine. The claws, are black, the teeth are white, the eyes are yellow, and the inside of the mouth is painted in a realistic dark salmon-pink.

Now that the most talked about aspect of the animal is out of the way it’s time to talk about the accuracy of the figure. To start with the good points, the animal’s signature hook claws are present on the hands, and the head is nice and elongate like a spinosaur’s head should be. However, these aspects still have issues because the hooked claws look a little too thick, and the head resembles the Jurassic Park Spinosaurus more than a real world Baryonyx. The whole model is also simply too skinny, and the head rather ‘shrink-wrapped’. The body does not have enough ‘gut’ to it. The arms and legs are muscular but still look too bulky in contrast to the rest of the body. The feet are also oversized, but they do not suffer from the “Clown Foot Syndrome” that plagues some of the Jurassic World toys. The tail on the model is also way too long and it is curved down at an unnatural angle. However, this design choice benefits the model for reasons I will address.

When I received this in the mail my first impressions were concerning. The model is not made out of TPR like the hunting T. rex and Allosaurus from 2017, but is instead made out of rigid plastic that gives it an almost resin-like feel. This kind of plastic was common among Mojo figures and is easy to break by kids and shoppers alike. I know this, because broken Mojo figures were a common sight at my local Hobby Lobby for quite some time.

The Mojo Baryonyx is also a large figure and its legs have a tendency to warp out of place, causing the figure to lose its balance. Fortunately, the tail’s downward curve can prop the model up if needed, (similar to what Dan LoRusso did with the Battat Cryolophosaurus), but I’m certainly not going to display this model from a high space, and would rather keep it on its side to make sure it’s safe from potential breakage. The model measures 12 inches long from head to the curve of the tail, and stands 3 and a half inches tall at the hip.

Overall, despite all of the issues, I actually like this figure, but I know that the things I pointed out will turn some people away from buying it. If you do wish to buy one it is available on Amazon, as well as Dejankins Mini Zoo, and Everything Dinosaur. After holding this model in hand I am happy to say that Mojo is definitely trying to turn itself around by creating more modern-looking dinosaur models, even if they still don’t completely hold up in terms of accuracy.

Edited by Dinotoyblog