Author: Gwangi
My name is Arthur but I go by Gwangi on the blogs and forums, as homage to the old dinosaur and monster movies I love so much. In addition to writing about and collecting toy animals (extinct and extant) I also share my home with a variety of living animals, mostly reptiles but a little bit of everything. I have a lifelong interest in all things nature and natural history and most of my hobbies can be linked to those things in some way. I currently live in Maryland with my wife and daughters. In addition to writing on here I also write magazine articles, typically about local wildlife and aquarium fishes.All reviews by this author
Review: Barapasaurus (The First Giants by Schleich)
3.1 (15 votes)
Now here’s a dinosaur you don’t see every day. In fact, until this model was announced I had never even heard of the “big-legged lizard” and assuming you might not have either we’ll do a short introduction. Barapasaurus is a genus of sauropod that was discovered in India and lived in the early Jurassic.
Review: Velociraptor (The Lost World: Jurassic Park Series 1 by Kenner)
4.5 (13 votes)
In my desperation to review a dinosaur model I found something I can review that technically may have been reviewed here already, sort of. In 2010 Marc (Horridus) reviewed the Kenner Jurassic Park Velociraptor for the blog. And yes, this is indeed the same toy that he reviewed.
Review: Stegosaurus (Terra Series by Battat)
3.8 (18 votes)
Before we get on with the review I need to give a special shout out to my fellow reviewer Laticauda for generously tracking down and donating this model for me. This Stegosaurus comes to me courtesy of his generosity and I extend my thanks to him, I owe you one Laticauda!
Review: Woolly Mammoth (Inpro)
Review: Protoceratops (Inpro)
Review: Styracosaurus (CollectA)
Review: Entelodon (Mojö Fun)
4.8 (6 votes)
Despite their appearance and popular designation as “Hell” or “terminator” pigs the group scientifically knows as the entelodontidae are now thought to have been more closely related to whales and hippopotamuses. Regardless of their taxonomic affinity there is no denying the superficial resemblance the entelodonts have to pigs, and one has to wonder if they had a similar temperament to pigs and hippopotamuses as well.
Review: Tyrannosaurus (Dinotales Series 1 by Kaiyodo)
4.1 (9 votes)
While Kaiyodo is probably most beloved for their production of more obscure prehistoric critters they made sure not to neglect the classic fan favorites too. In their 7 series run the Dinotales line produced no less than three distinct models of Tyrannosaurus, not counting the Tyrannosaurus skeleton and the slew of repaints produced for each one.
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: 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: Allosaurus (Soft Model Series 2 by Favorite Co. Ltd.)
4.2 (14 votes)
If you like your dinosaurs well detailed, accurately sculpted, and shrink wrapped in true 1990’s fashion than look no further than Favorite’s latest take on some of our favorite classic dinosaurs. Favorite Co. Ltd. is a Japanese company formally known as Kinto. Their first series of dinosaurs consisted of a line of well-made and mostly accurate dinosaurs, all popular classics, none of them obscure.