Review and photographs by Takama, edited by amargasaurus cazaui and Suspsy
On August 11 2014, I made a discovery that took the dinosaur toy community by storm. For those of you who are new, that discovery was finding the first of the newly rebooted Battat line of dinosaurs called “The Dan LoRusso Collection,” which at the time consisted of four species that are available for purchase at Target stores throughout the USA.
Age: Cretaceous
Review: Troodon (Jurassic Hunters by Geoworld)
3.4 (9 votes)
Troodon is an animal that everyone with more than a passing interest in dinosaurs knows about but few people count among their favorites. It’s featured prominently in books and documentaries due mostly for its large brain to body ratio but is otherwise typically regarded as a small, underwhelming dinosaur; similar to dromaeosaurs but not quite as cool and too small to be scary.
Review: Prehistoric Tube A (CollectA)
4.3 (14 votes)
Following in the footsteps of Safari Ltd and Papo, CollectA burst into the world of miniatures in late 2015. Today we’ll be looking at Prehistoric Tube A, which contains no less than ten figures of some of the most popular dinosaurs and other extinct animals.
Review: Spinosaurus (Soft Model Series 2 by Favorite Co. Ltd.)
4.3 (4 votes)
How do you like your Spinosaurus? The reason why I ask, is that when it comes to Spinosaurus, there is still a lot of speculation and hypothesis about its actual anatomy, posture and gait. It leaves it wide open for interpretation for paleo artists and toy makers.
Review: Ceratopsian Collection (Capsule Q Museum by Kaiyodo)
3.9 (7 votes)
The last several years have laid witness to the discovery of an ever more bizarre catalog of those charismatic and intriguing dinosaurs known as the ceratopsians. With outlandish head gear and eccentric names like Diabloceratops, Mojoceratops, Kosmoceratops and Medusaceratops it’s no wonder this group of dinosaurs is among the most popular.
Review: Pteranodon (AAA)
2.6 (10 votes)
Review and photographs by Dilopho, edited by Suspsy
Pteranodon is a Latin word meaning “winged and toothless.” So what on earth was the AAA sculptor thinking when they made this monster? It’s huge, mean and scary–it’s not the Pteranodon we are used to.
Pteranodon is a Latin word meaning “winged and toothless.” So what on earth was the AAA sculptor thinking when they made this monster? It’s huge, mean and scary–it’s not the Pteranodon we are used to.
Review: Pachycephalosaurus (Jurassic World Bashers and Biters by Hasbro)
2 (13 votes)
Review and photographs by Takama, edited by Suspsy
Pachycephalosaurus is common among dinosaur toys with almost every company (including the Chinasaur manufacturers) having at least one model of this species in their collection. The animal was made somewhat famous due to its appearance in The Lost World: Jurassic Park and it would later make a cameo in Jurassic World.
Pachycephalosaurus is common among dinosaur toys with almost every company (including the Chinasaur manufacturers) having at least one model of this species in their collection. The animal was made somewhat famous due to its appearance in The Lost World: Jurassic Park and it would later make a cameo in Jurassic World.
Review: Mapusaurus (CollectA)
2.8 (18 votes)
Despite being one of the largest known carnivorous dinosaurs, and despite featuring prominently in an episode of the BBC’s Planet Dinosaur series, Mapusaurus seems to be far less popular than its close relatives Carcharodontosaurus and Giganotosaurus.
Review: Prehistoric Plants (Safari Ltd)
4.9 (10 votes)
Review and photographs by Lanthanotus, edited by Suspsy
Plants and trees may not be a collector’s first choice of models to collect, and not only because there’s so few around. In general, humans feel more attracted to animals than towards plants despite the fact that we could still live well without keeping or even breeding (and feeding on) animals, but not without plants.
Plants and trees may not be a collector’s first choice of models to collect, and not only because there’s so few around. In general, humans feel more attracted to animals than towards plants despite the fact that we could still live well without keeping or even breeding (and feeding on) animals, but not without plants.
Review: Velociraptor “Charlie” (Jurassic World by Hasbro)
1.5 (11 votes)
I know what your thinking, do we need to see another Jurassic World toy review? Can this toy be any better than its predecessors? Even though I made up my mind not to review anymore toys from Hasbro’s JW line, for some reason I am compelled to give it another try and go down with the ship.
Review: Ankylosaurus (Deluxe by CollectA)
2.8 (21 votes)
As the enemy approaches, the gladiator swings his heavy club from side to side, stamps his foot, and growls defiantly. The tyrannosaur is huge and hungry, but the gladiator has fought many battles and sent many would-be killers limping away bloody and broken.
Review: Masiakasaurus (Wild Safari by Safari Ltd.)
4.4 (17 votes)
Since its description in 2001, fans of the Madagascan abelisauroid known as Masiakasaurus have longed for an affordable yet accurate model of this obscure beast but no one would deliver, not even CollectA despite all their obscure critters. Now, 15 years later, we finally have one and who better to sculpt it than Paleo-artist Doug Watson for the Wild Safari collection.