Author: Marc Vincent
My name’s Marc Vincent although I go by ‘Horridus’ on the forums. My interests include current affairs, dinosaurs (naturally!) and drinking myself to an early grave. Being a shameless populist my favourite extinct dinosaur is Tyrannosaurus; out of those extant it is surely the European magpie, Pica pica. I collect figures in a vain attempt to fill the awful, aching void in my soul and also because, you know, they’re cool to look at, and I find extinct animals fascinating – dinosaurs in particular
All reviews by this author
Review: Ankylosaurus (Papo)
3.1 (21 votes)
First things first – this is yet another “Ankylosaurus” model that is nothing of the sort, instead rather obviously being based on Euoplocephalus (would giving these figures the correct name really harm their commercial prospects that much?). It’s also Papo’s very latest dinosaur, released a few months ago and well overdue the Dinosaur Toy Blog treatment.
Review: Tyrannosaurus rex (Wild Safari by Safari Ltd. – 2011 sculpt)
Review: Torosaurus (Collecta)
3.8 (19 votes)
I know I’ve said it before, but Collecta really have upped their game this year, spurred on by what seems like a genuine urge to please us geeks. It’s much appreciated, as it’d be easy for a company to not give a stuff about accuracy/aesthetics as long as the products were selling (they ARE toys, after all).
Review: Ankylosaurus (Soft model by Favorite Co. Ltd.)
Review: Tyrannosaurus rex (Dinosaur King by Sega)
4.6 (18 votes)
As per the introductory convention, I should probably mention how T. rex is a popular dinosaur rarely done well, and the animal’s pop culture significance, and all that stuff. Sod it, though – just look at this beauty. That’s some serious tyrannosaur sexiness.
A little background: this model is rather scarce these days, and the specimen shown is not actually mine.
Review: Kelenken (Deluxe model by CollectA)
4.7 (21 votes)
This year’s new Collecta figures represent a huge leap forward from their rather ugly forebears, and one of the most handsome in the lineup is this sizeable model of the phorusrhacid ‘terror bird’ Kelenken guillermoi, released as part of the ‘Deluxe’ range. It’s a real treat for anyone who’s recently developed a fascination with these sadly extinct enormous carnivorous avians (as I have).
Review: Polacanthus (Walking With Dinosaurs by Toyway)
4.6 (12 votes)
From a bygone age in which Toyway still made half-decent dinosaur figures comes this spiky beast, their rendition of the British ankylosaur Polacanthus, part of their terrifyingly collectible figure line originally released to accompany the TV series Walking With Dinosaurs (and long since discontinued).
Review: Spinosaurus (Soft Model by Favorite Co. Ltd.)
3.8 (4 votes)
Favorite’s ‘Soft Model’ series is the affordable, plastic-toy counterpart to their more expensive range of ‘Desktop’ polyresin statues, and gains frequent favour for the models’ modern look and the fact that the carnivores stand on their own two feet. So it is with the latest addition to the line, this Spinosaurus.
Review: Parasaurolophus (skeleton) (Dino Horizons by COG Ltd)
4.6 (5 votes)
Now here’s a company whose products have yet to experience the nerdy scrutiny of the Dinosaur Toy Blog. COG Ltd, manufacturers of educational toys, produce a line of dinosaur-themed gubbins named ‘Dino Horizons‘ (beware: site contains horribly inaccurate life restorations and the phrase “T-Rex”. And loads of Flash).
Review: Styracosaurus (Papo)
Review: Brachiosaurus (Museum Line by Bullyland)
4.3 (6 votes)
More Bullyland – and this time it’s their 2005 resculpt of the giant African brachiosaur Giraffatitan (still known at the time as “Brachiosaurus” brancai. And yes, I am going to refer to it as Giraffatitan throughout the review, to annoy you all and because it’s only correct, so there).