I was first introduced to CollectA (then labeled as the brand Procon) in 2007, when the summer issue of Prehistoric Times mentioned two new waves of dinosaur figures being released by the company. Most of these early figures, like their take on the iconic sail-backed Spinosaurus, bear their own sort of charm, but generally haven’t aged well in the years since.
Author: Fembrogon
An aspiring artist, Fembrogon (who goes by Eric in real life) has been drawing dinosaurs and strange creatures since he was capable of walking and talking, and probably will be for a long time to come. Although energetic and admittedly absent-minded at times, prehistoric life is one of a few subjects which has never failed to engross him wholly. Dinosaurs – theropods in particular – are unsurprising favorites (special shout-outs to the remarkable Dilophosaurus, the massive Giganotosaurus, and the bizarre Deinocheirus); but he admires a wide range of prehistoric life from Cambrian invertebrates to pterosaurs. Fembrogon first discovered the Toy Blog (and Forum) around the year 2012, and found it an indispensable reference for the expanding world of dino collectibles. Since joining the review team, he’s enjoyed covering a varied assortment of figures, from classic to modern and mainstream to obscure. When he isn’t absorbed in prehistory, Fembrogon also enjoys modern wildlife (birds & reptiles are favorites), nature walks, special effects films, and traditional animation.All reviews by this author
Review: Allosaurus (2000)(Bullyland)
4 (12 votes)
Many of Bullyand’s figures have yet to be covered here on the Dinosaur Toy Blog as of this writing. The subject of this review, their 2000 Allosaurus, is actually my first piece from the company. Allosaurus remains a mainstay in dinosaur merchandise today, with a wide range of pieces in varying degrees of quality, but at the turn of the century, this Walking With Dinosaurs-inspired offering would have been one of the best among a much smaller pool of choices.
Review: Pteranodon (2019)(Wild Safari by Safari Ltd.)
4.9 (24 votes)
Despite surprising levels of controversy surrounding it upon release, this is an excellent model that reflects scientific understanding to the best detail currently possible.
Pteranodon is the default popular image of the pterosaurs (often misidentified broadly as “pterodactyls” – although Pteranodon IS nestled deep in suborder Pterodactyloidea).
Review: Wuerhosaurus (Vitae)
4.7 (10 votes)
Wuerhosaurus is one of those obscure names I often saw in books as a kid, but mostly just to complete an alphabet of dinosaur names. We don’t know exactly what this fragmentary stegosaur looked like, but Vitae’s model is well-detailed and adequately accurate for our current understanding.
Review: Brachiosaurus (ANIA/Animal Adventure by Takara Tomy)
4 (9 votes)
Brachiosaurus marks the fourth prehistoric animal Takara Tomy produced for their Animal Adventure (ANIA) line, following Tyrannosaurus rex, Triceratops, and Stegosaurus. The figure is a decent – if unremarkable – depiction of the long-necked giant, which I think it’s safe to say has eclipsed Apatosaurus/Brontosaurus as the default iconic sauropod.
Review: Balaur (Beasts of the Mesozoic: Raptor Series by Creative Beast Studio)
4.8 (49 votes)
An unfortunate case of science outpacing merchandise, this highly-detailed and articulated dino-bird still has many merits.
Balaur bondoc is a good example of how quickly scientific understanding can change, as well as how risky reconstructions from partial fossil remains can be.
Review: Stegosaurus (Animal Adventure/ANIA by Takara Tomy)
3.5 (6 votes)
Takara’s figure is a pleasant little rendition of the roofed reptile and a compliment to its fellow dinosaurs from the same line. It’s no surprise that Takara Tomy opted to include the “roofed reptile” as the third prehistoric entry to their Animal Adventure (sometimes branded ANIA) toy line.
Review: Triceratops (Animal Adventure/ANIA by Takara Tomy)
3 (5 votes)
Triceratops is one of those dinosaurs too iconic for manufacturers to leave out of any toy line, yet it’s one of the genera that can easily fall victim to old stereotypes. This review covers Takara Tomy’s take on the classic three-horned face, which reflects some of these ups and downs of the dinosaur’s media depictions.
Review: Palaeoloxodon naumanni (Dinotales Series 4 by Kaiyodo)
3.5 (6 votes)
A smaller relative of true Cenozoic giants, this diminutive figure bears itself in a convincingly lifelike manner with plenty of detail.
Earlier this year, Eofauna floored collectors with their release of Palaeoloxodon antiquus, one of the largest known land mammals ever. While the figure is exceptional, it’s not the first time one of the Palaeoloxodon species has been recreated in toy form.
Earlier this year, Eofauna floored collectors with their release of Palaeoloxodon antiquus, one of the largest known land mammals ever. While the figure is exceptional, it’s not the first time one of the Palaeoloxodon species has been recreated in toy form.
Review: Dinos (Toob by Safari Ltd.)
3 (26 votes)
Safari’s very first prehistory toob is charming, but largely showing its age in the details and aesthetics of the figurines.
Toobs might be the unsung heroes of Safari Ltd.’s toy lines. I see them wherever Safari products are sold, even when their larger, standard-sized kin are absent.
Toobs might be the unsung heroes of Safari Ltd.’s toy lines. I see them wherever Safari products are sold, even when their larger, standard-sized kin are absent.
Review: Straight-Tusked Elephant (Eofauna)
4.9 (35 votes)
Eofauna once again brings their A-game for this release, with astonishingly rich and lifelike details to a stellar prehistoric elephant model.
I must admit, as a kid, I usually overlooked mammals in favor of dinosaurs, reptiles, etc., but even though my preferences still lie with the scaly (and sometimes feathery) folk, I’d be remiss to ignore the impressive fossil record of the mammals, who have their own fair share of oddities, wonders, and sheer giants.
I must admit, as a kid, I usually overlooked mammals in favor of dinosaurs, reptiles, etc., but even though my preferences still lie with the scaly (and sometimes feathery) folk, I’d be remiss to ignore the impressive fossil record of the mammals, who have their own fair share of oddities, wonders, and sheer giants.
Review: Styracosaurus “Gnawhorn” (Plasma Dinosaurs by MegaBloks)
1.6 (10 votes)
Between 2006 and 2008, Mega Bloks produced a line of small toys called “Plasma Dinosaurs” (and Dragons), which could be assembled and re-assembled with each other. Mega Bloks doesn’t appear to have had scientific accuracy in mind for these little monster figure, but as a child’s toy their in-hand playability is decent enough.