POLL: Top ten figures of 2022

[Halichoeres]

Surprised the Mattel Hammond Ceratosaurus isn't up here? It's widely regarded as one of the best Hammond Collection figures.

I actually like it more than the T. rex, it's my favorite HC figure. Why didn't I suggest it? I guess because I want to limit my number of Mattel votes to two and the T. rex is just above and beyond, it's the kind of thing I've waited 30 years for. But the Ceratosaurus should probably be on the list and it might win my vote over the T. rex, in the end.

Thanks for the suggestion, I would never have thought of it!

And thanks to everyone who offered BOTM rex data points. That's definitely a close call, but it does seem like it was available at least some places before year's end, so I'll include it. I think I'll include an entry for 1:18 and an entry for 1:35, but not for paint variants, unless people feel strongly that one paint variant would earn their vote while another would not.

[Faelrin]

Oh well now I gotta rethink my list again lol. I think combing the color variants into just the scale differences is better. If people prefer a particular color they can comment on it. The sculpts are the same, but modified for scale, and I think that's the heart of what matters. I definitely want to vote for the big 1:18 one though (no color preference), even though I have a feeling the 1:35 will take the lead here. Still can't get over how impressive seeing the prototype in person was. I mean the smaller ones were great too (I pledged for the 1:35 WWD one), but they lack the wow factor of the bigger ones, from being big.

Honestly I just hope David gets his spot in the top ten either this year or next year. Almost criminal his works never get that many votes here, despite being some of the best dinosaur figures out there, in accuracy, and sculpt work. I know a lot of folks don't like the scale or articulation, but I don't think the work underlaying that all should be neglected to the wayside merely because of those factors.

This either may or may not be the first year I vote for like two-three T. rex figures also. I'm pretty settled on the Rebor Kiss and at least one of the BotM ones though. Debating if I want to include the HC T. rex as well. I'm also reconsidering if I'll vote for any other Mattel figures. Safari I might need to reduce to one or two. Very tough selection this year. If I recall last year was rough as well for me to choose.

Edit: I think having an other option like last year's would be good. I know it would cover the occasional late comer not mentioned here.

[Halichoeres]

Speaking of past years, I notice that Rebor's Smilodon was included in last year's poll. Was there a repaint this year, and if so, is it so outstanding as to warrant an entry this year? If not, I will probably delete it.

It is a bit odd that the BotM figures don't get more votes, but I guess they are out of a lot of people's budget. Maybe that will change with the little 1/18 guys.

And good call on including an 'other' option, I'll be sure to include that when I launch the poll.

[Thialfi]

@Halichoeres ah, my bad. I really thought Rebor's Smilodon was a 2022 product but some initial copies must have just made their way to people in 2021. There have been a bunch of pretty repaints, but they're essentially the same figure - keeping it out of the list seems reasonable.

[Faelrin]

@Halichoeres There was the Year of the Tiger repaint, and the Jungle version. I haven't paid much attention to when they released but it was probably in 2022.

[Halichoeres]

Thank you both. If anyone wants to vote specifically for the repaints, let me know and I'll keep them in.

[Halichoeres]

Any more nominations? I think I'll close nominations on Friday and launch the poll over the weekend. If you don't get your favorite nominated by then, you'll just have to use the 'other' option on the poll.

[dragon53]

[Paleo Flo]

I would like to nominate the CollectA Spinosaurus and Edmontosaurus

[Lynx]

Do you mind if I nominate all of Schleichs dinosaurs for this year? Yes, I will vote every single one of them.

[MLMjp]

May I nominate the Mattel Extreme Damage Allosaurus? Alongside the Therizinosaurus, it was one of their best mainline figures this year.

[Halichoeres]

Your wish is my command!

Here's the current list. If you want to vote for anything not on the list, get the nomination in today!

Ancestors Edmontosaurus annectens
CollectA Cooperoceras
CollectA Edmontosaurus
CollectA Geosternbergia/Pteranodon sternbergi
CollectA Paraceratherium
CollectA Smok
CollectA Spinosaurus
CollectA Triceratops
Creative Beast 1/18 Dromaeosaurus
Creative Beast 1/18 Linheraptor
Creative Beast 1/18 Protoceratops andrewsi
Creative Beast 1/18 Protoceratops hellenikorhinus
Creative Beast 1/18 Psittacosaurus
Creative Beast 1/18 Velociraptor
Creative Beast Medusaceratops (Fan's Choice repaint)
Creative Beast Tyrannosaurus 1/18
Creative Beast Tyrannosaurus 1/35
EoFauna Diplodocus
EoFauna Konobelodon
F-Toys Anomalocaris (any paint scheme)
F-Toys Hallucigenia (any paint scheme)
Kaiyodo Dakotaraptor
Kaiyodo Hydrodamalis (Steller's sea cow)
Kaiyodo Megatherium
Kaiyodo Ornithomimus
Kaiyodo Platybelodon
Kaiyodo Thylacosmilus
Kaiyodo Triceratops
Kaiyodo Tyrannosaurus
Kaiyodo Urile (spectacled cormorant)
Mattel Allosaurus (Extreme Damage)
Mattel Ceratosaurus (Hammond Collection
Mattel Dilophosaurus (Hammond Collection)
Mattel Dreadnoughtus
Mattel Lystrosaurus
Mattel Therizinosaurus
Mattel Triceratops (Hammond Collection)
Mattel Tyrannosaurus (Hammond Collection)
Mojo Fun Mammuthus
Nanmu Brachiosaurus JP3
Nanmu Carnotaurus 2.0 "Ranger"
Nanmu Spinosaurus "Supplanter"
PNSO Acrocanthosaurus
PNSO Centrosaurus
PNSO Deinocheirus
PNSO Lingwulong
PNSO Sinopliosaurus (Spinosauridae indet., cf. Siamosaurus)
PNSO Sinraptor
PNSO Styracosaurus
PNSO Suchomimus
PNSO Therizinosaurus
PNSO Torosaurus
PNSO Tsintaosaurus
PNSO Zhuchengtyrannus
Rebor Triceratops "Trident King/Horn of Doom"
Rebor Tyrannosaurus "Kiss"
Rebor Tyrannosaurus "Tusk"
Safari Ltd Albertosaurus
Safari Ltd Cryolophosaurus
Safari Ltd "Nanotyrannus"
Safari Ltd Patagotitan
Safari ltd "Stygimoloch"
Safari Ltd Zuul
Schleich Amargasaurus
Schleich Majungasaurus
Schleich Nothosaurus
Schleich Parasaurolophus
Schleich Styracosaurus

[Halichoeres]

Dragging my feet on this, sorry! I'll get the poll started soon.

[Halichoeres]

OK, poll is live! You can vote for up to ten options. This definitely introduces some artifacts, and in the absence of a ranking system maybe in the future we should consider limiting the number of votes to 3 or 4.

[Samrukia]

i believe PNSO Deinocheirus, Rebor Kiss and Eofauna Diplodocus will make it top 5, for sure

[Lynx]

I am determined to get a Schleich figure in the top twenty, we can do it, dear Styracosaurus

[Sim]

Thanks for organising this Halichoeres!  For me 2022 has been the best year for prehistoric animal figures.  For the first time in one of these polls I'd like to vote for more than 10 options!  However I'm going to wait until I get all the 2022 figures I want before voting.

[Gwangi]

I voted, and it was difficult, but here are my picks...

CollectA Cooperoceras: The only CollectA figure that gets my vote this year. The Cooperoceras is a unique, unexpected, and well executed figure. I adore it.

Creative Beast Tyrannosaurus 1/18: I don't collect these but the BoTM T. rex is such a monumental achievement that I had to vote for it. I'll never own it but I can certainly appreciate it. It's the best T. rex collectible ever produced in plastic.

EoFauna Diplodocus: I never thought I would bother with getting another Diplodocus with the Carnegie figure already in my collection (unless I found Battat's) but I own this one now and I love it, it's the definitive Diplodocus for me.

Eofauna Konobelodon: Hard not to vote for a proboscid when it comes from Eofauna. For me, this is my first one from Eofauna and I will definitely have to get the rest.

Mattel Tyrannosaurus (Hammond Collection): I've waited nearly 30 years for this thing. Despite a few shortcomings and compromises it is a monumental achievement from Mattel. Certainly among the best JP toys ever made.

Mattel Dreadnoughtus: Just when we thought big sauropod toys were dead Mattel starts delivering. This one is somehow bigger and better than its predecessors. I don't want to say "monumental achievement" a third time but...

Mattel Ceratosaurus (Hammond Collection): I wasn't going to vote for 3 Mattel toys originally but seeing as how I do collect them, I had to give this one a vote. I actually think this is the best figure in the Hammond Collection. The perfect blend of articulation, paint application, and proportions. Better than the T. rex, even if not as significant to the hobby.

PNSO Deinocheirus: Because of their rising cost I don't buy too many PNSO toys these days and still do not own this one. But this is a must have, and I will get it in time. One of my favorite dinosaurs and this figure looks to be one of the best dinosaur toys ever made. I have to have it, I had to vote for it. Figure of the year!

PNSO Therizinosaurus: I've waited a long time for a really good Therizinosaurus and this is the one. I don't have it yet but I will definitely be getting it.

Safari Ltd. Albertosaurus: I've waited a long time for a good Albertosaurus too and Safari delivered it this year. I even like the controversial paintjob.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Honorable Mentions

CollectA Smok: A brave choice from CollectA but some artistic choices, combined with the unknown classification for the genus, keep it off the list.

Mattel Dilophosaurus Hammond Collection: My favorite of the smaller HC toys. A few design choices keep it off the list. Should have given it that white edging along the darker green patterns.

Mattel Quetzalcoatlus: It's not even on the list but it is my favorite mainline figure from Mattel this year, after the Dreadnoughtus.

PNSO Centrosaurus: One of the few PNSO figures I bought in 2022. A favorite ceratopsian I've waited a long time for. The muddy looking paint app keeps it off the list.

PNSO Suchomimus: I will be getting this figure, but it didn't make the cut.

PNSO Zhuchengtyrannus: PNSO's best tyrannosaur to date. Another one I plan on getting.

PNSO Tsintaosaurus: Possibly PNSO's best ornithopod but the ridiculous price tag for this small toy keeps it off the list.

Safari Ltd Cryolophosaurus: One of Safari's best paintjobs ever! But since I have the Battat and Carnegie Cryo I probably won't get it.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Best figure of the year: PNSO Deinocheirus

Worst figure of the year: Schleich Nothosaurus. Certainly the most disappointing, for me. I've wanted a Nothosaurus for a very long time but I refuse to pay money for this abomination.

[Dusty Wren]

Voted. Thanks for putting this together, @Halichoeres.

I try to be as objective as I can when voting, in the sense that I'll vote for a figure of a genus I have no interest in if a company makes a pretty enough version of it. So congrats, PNSO, you forced me to vote for a spinosaurid, because that Suchomimus is too lovely to ignore. Credit where credit is due  

[Faelrin]

It was very tough, and I feel bad I had to leave some stuff off, but anyways, I went with:

Creative Beast Studio 1/18 Medusaceratops (FC repaint)
Creative Beast Studio 1/18 Tyrannosaurus (either color)
Eofauna Diplodocus
Kaiyodo Ornithomimus
Kaiyodo Thylacosmilus
PNSO Acrocanthosaurus
PNSO Deinocheirus
PNSO Suchomimus
Rebor T. rex "Kiss"
Safari Ltd Zuul (Dino Dana)

Honorable Mentions:

Spoiler

Creative Beast 1/35 Tyrannosaurus (either color)
F-Toys Anomalocaris and Hallucigenia sets (funky color options, and more figures of these the better)
Mattel Dreadnoughtus (not accurate, but still a beautiful giant sauropod toy, and the first of this genus)
Mattel Lystrosaurus (far from accurate, but I still quite like it. Shame its distribution and short production run has been terrible, no doubt also because of it being part of a set with a girl character, as happened in the past)
Mattel HC Tyrannosaurus (best painted T. rex in their line so far)
Mattel Therizinosaurus (best feathered dinosaur in their line so far)
PNSO Lingwulong
PNSO Therizinosaurus
Safari Ltd Albertosaurus
Safari Ltd Cryolophosaurus

[close]

Honestly it was a toss up between the two Kaiyodo figures I went with, and remaining two Safari Ltd figures for what I was choosing last minute. I ultimately went with the Kaiyodo figures because of representing rarely made genera, also from groups that are largely neglected. To see them made in a post 2020 world is also to be commended where companies are heavily skewing towards (large predatory) theropods. With how neglected non-Deinocheirus ornithomimosaurs are, the Kaiyodo figure was a very fresh breath of air. Thylacosmilus is also not only a prehistoric mammal, and one I've had my wishlist for years now, but is part of an otherwise neglected group. The only other figure I am aware of is the retired Geoworld figure, and Kaiyodo's is a much needed up to date take on it. Likewise of the three Safari Ltd figures I was leaning on, I ultimately choose Zuul because I've wanted a figure of it since it was described in 2017, and although it's become outdated in some ways already, it's still a gorgeous figure that was accurate with the information that was available prior. It even had the asymmetrical tail characteristic of the holotype specimen.

Two of the PNSO figures I voted for are of animals are of animals I wanted updated figures of for a while now, more so the Acrocanthosaurus, but I've quickly come to love the PNSO Suchomimus, and it has helped given me a new fondness for this animal I didn't have before (JWE2 also helped too). The third, the Deinocheirus, is easily up there as it was a beautiful surprise, and although I still like my Safari Ltd one, this one has stunning gorgeous colors, and has a nice balance between a naked and feathered look. For the two honorable mentions they are also genera I've been wanting figures of for a while (the former which had no figures prior, and I have been wanting one since it was described a few years back).

I imagine this will also be the first and last year I vote for Tyrannosaurus twice. If it weren't for a very otherwise impressive lineup this year, the Mattel HC one might have joined them. It's certainly not up there with the rest of my favorite dinosaurs these days, like when I was a kid, but the figures coming out for it this year have all been fantastic in their own ways, and they deserve the recognition and praise they get. They aren't complete without some criticisms (such as the Mattel HC excessively large feet, the neck piece on the BotM figures I've seen complaints about, or the poor implementation or quality control of the articulated jaw on the Rebor "Kiss" figure), but nonetheless they fill in some niches that have since been opened up on the market, and that may seem like a shocker considering how many bloody figures this animal gets. But now if you want an anatomically accurate T. rex with lips and without feathers in both an articulated or static form you have several options, and if you want a highly articulated near film accurate JP T. rex, you got one now too.