I thought I’d review something a little different for a change. As a kid I was fascinated by the original Monster in my Pocket and managed to collect them all. After the first couple of series the lines started to go downhill though and I eventually lost interest.
Author: DinoToyBlog
Dr Adam S. Smith (aka 'DinoToyBlog' here, and 'DinoToyForum' on the Dinosaur Toy Forum) is a curator and palaeontologist at the Nottingham Natural History Museum, Wollaton Hall, UK. Adam launched the Dinosaur Toy Blog in July 2007 and followed it up with the Dinosaur Toy Forum in January 2008, and the Animal Toy Forum in December 2012. He is particularly interested in marine reptile figures, especially plesiosaurs. Adam also runs The Plesiosaur Directory website and has published several popular articles and technical papers on fossil marine reptiles. He is a children's book author with 'The Plesiosaur's Neck' (2021) and 'The Tyrannosaur's Feathers' (2023).All reviews by this author
Review: Ouranosaurus (Battat)
4.9 (21 votes)
Despite the distinctive and unusual appearance of the sail-backed Ouranosaurus, it is rather rare in toy form. When it comes to iguanodontids, most companies tend to opt for the more generic and more familiar Iguanodon. Starlux, Schleich and CollectA have produced replicas of this fascinating species as well (review of the Schleich Ouranosaurus here), but the Battat figure is by far and away the superior figure.
Review: Baryonyx (Schleich)
1.9 (23 votes)
If this figure looks familiar that’s because it was reviewed here before! The original review of the Schleich Baryonyx was one of several interesting reviews here by former dinosaur toy blogger Tomhetleere. Sadly, Tomhet left the Dinosaur Toy Blog earlier this year and, to everyone’s dismay, removed his valuable dinotoyblog contributions on his departure.
Review: Coelacanth (Wild Safari Prehistoric World by Safari Ltd)
4.9 (16 votes)
This review has moved to the Animal Toy Blog https://animaltoyforum.com/blog/coelacanth-wild-safari-by-safari-ltd/ Although the figure is a modern animal, it is part of the ‘Prehistoric World’ line by Safari Ltd, so I’ll leave this link here on the Dinosaur Toy Blog in perpetuity.
Review: Tanystropheus (Starlux)
4.2 (9 votes)
Somehow, not a single Starlux figure has ever been reviewed on the Dinosaur Toy Blog! I don’t know how we omitted such an influential line all this time but it’s time to finally change that. The delightful line of prehistoric animals produced by French company Starlux, mainly during the 1960s and 70s, is highly collectible today.
Review: Stegosaurus (Desktop model by Favorite Co. Ltd, sculpted by Michael Trcic)
4.9 (7 votes)
I recently decided to give in to a long-lasting urge and purchased my first ever desktop dinosaur models. Given the considerable price tag on some of these statues, it can be a big decision, especially in these days of online shopping when it’s difficult to know if it’s really worth it, and when there’s risk of damage during transit.
Review: Plesiosaurus (Papo)
2.8 (24 votes)
The exciting news in 2010 that Papo was to release a plesiosaur, their first ever marine reptile, was quashed quickly when I saw the early publicity photograph. The picture revealed a disappointing Nessie-like concoction with a chubby body and a swan-like neck. In the flesh, the Papo Plesiosaurus evokes mixed feelings.
Review: Prehistoric Life Toob (Safari Ltd)
4 (10 votes)
Safari Ltd has released several new tubes in 2010, or Toobs, to be funky but grammatically incorrect, each of which contains a selection of prehistoric critters. But before we pour these new toobs out for review, let’s take a look at one of the existing toob sets.
Review: Deinosuchus (Carnegie Collection by Safari Ltd)
4.3 (22 votes)
Review by Cordylus, photos by Plesiosauria
There aren’t many prehistoric crocodilian figures, but out of the very few there are, the Carnegie Collection Deinosuchus stands out.
There aren’t many prehistoric crocodilian figures, but out of the very few there are, the Carnegie Collection Deinosuchus stands out.
Deinosuchus was a big alligator (well technically it wasn’t an alligator- but it was more closely related to alligators than to crocodiles) from prehistoric Texas.
Review: Cryolophosaurus (Carnegie Collection by Safari Ltd)
4.4 (21 votes)
The unusual theropod Cryolophosaurus is the largest carnivorous dinosaur from the Early Jurassic and the most complete dinosaur known from Antarctica. This fascinating dinosaur is one of two new additions to the Carnegie Collection line in 2010. Their second offering, the first ever Carnegie ichthyosaur, is another figure to look forward to this year.
Review: Liopleurodon (Wild Safari by Safari Ltd)
4.9 (24 votes)
One of the first new releases of 2010 is the Liopleurodon from Safari’s rapidly growing and excellent quality Wild Safari line. This is Safari’s first replica of the infamous Jurassic sea monster, originally made famous for its appearance in Walking with Dinosaurs over a decade ago.
Review: Maiasaura (Carnegie Collection by Safari Ltd)
4.6 (15 votes)
The discovery and description of fossil hadrosaur nesting grounds in the Cretaceous of North America provided some of the best evidence for parental care in dinosaurs. The association of fossils at the so-called ‘egg mountain’ site in Montana included eggs, babies and adults of a single species of dinosaur; crushed egg shells indicated that the babies spent time in the nest after hatching and were probably looked after by adults of the same species.