Mattel - New for 2023

[Gwangi]

The HC collection was kind of a let down in that the articulation didn't really suit the figure, AND it had no articulated jaw.

Not sure why they phoned that figure in when it's clear they CAN make a good Triceratops.

The HC Trike can be posed realistically lying down though, which is critical if you're recreating scenes from the original movie. Without  articulation in the knees and ankles you cannot do that with this one. It will just look like a toy on its side. But, it's mouth can open, which is also critical for recreating the JP scene. Ideally, you would have a Trike with both the leg AND mouth articulation. In this case you gain one and lose the other. So if you want to accurately recreate the sick Trike scene you're screwed no matter which Trike you have. They traded one crucial feature for another.

[andrewsaurus rex]

I still can't get over the fact that the Hammond Triceratops did not have an opening mouth.  When it was clearly intended to replicate the sick Triceratops scene in the movie....this harkens back to my earlier comments about Mattel's poor management of this line, like it's being run by people who are uninterested in or unfamiliar with the subject matter.

The fact that you get the occasional really nice piece out of Mattel suggests there may be different teams working on the various projects, with some teams being more on the ball than others.

[Faelrin]

After everything I have been feeling disappointed from Mattel lately (still butthurt on the HC JPIII male raptor, my favorite JP raptor design, tied with TLW male), this was a nice change of pace.

Very glad we got one with an articulated jaw after the qualms about the HC one not having it (despite basing it on the film scene?), and the fact this is a big one too, after years of wanting a big one is great to see. The only thing I think the smaller HC has over this (well aside from the smaller size also being accurate to the animal in that film), is the paint apps on the face that resemble the animatronic's paint work before it was covered in dirt, and the leg articulation, but that was also the "collector's" version anyways. It will be fun to use the HC figure as a subadult, with this as a proper adult. Much like the Creative Beast Studio Beasts of the Mesozoic subadult and adult Triceratops figures I have.

I'll get the images added to the op.

Oh and I don't know if folks seen this, but on Collect Jurassic's instagram post, he mentions the box length is over 17 inches. This will be the big one people have wanted for many years. I'm also glad it is a retooled version of the HC figure, and not the old JW styled roarivore sculpt.

Can't wait to see how this compares next to the HC Tyrannosaurus, and also the BotM adult Triceratops.

Edit: Oh by the way here's a pic of the in box Epic Attack Carnotaurus. Paint app kind of resembles the older 2018 version, but also somewhat like the Control N Conquer and Toro. I would have preferred a larger demon Carnotaurus, since we only got a figure of the juvenile, but I might get this. It being Carnotaurus also makes this more tempting for me, even though I already have the original 2018 and 2020 Toro. I suppose it is obvious, but it does look quite a bit like that render used there on the box art, with the amber colored eyes, and the dark mottling along the mouth.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

The new Defender Trike looks great, I'll definitely get one. 17" is nice sized, reminds me of the big Allo walmart had last year. It should scale much better with the Rexs. Now we can have that TvsT faceoff the films refuse to give us lol  Now we just need a SC one..

I think and I might be remembering incorrectly, but one of the 3D makers did a Triceratops head with an articulated jaw you can put on the HC Trike?

I like the paint on that Carno, even it's toes are painted. I might get it unless we get a Hammond Collection version first, I sold all my other Mattel ones except for the very first one and the SC.

[Pachyrhinosaurus]

I'm happy with the Hammond Collection triceratops, myself. It might not quite be big enough but the colors are closer to the film and the lack of jaw articulation doesn't really bother me. Also not a fan of the pull-out code that the new figures have. Nice to see they're using the original film's designs instead of the Jurassic World look, though.

[andrewsaurus rex]

hmm...the Crash N Attack Explorer was not what I was hoping for.  Was hoping for something with a crushed roof option that you could flip upside down and would come with the 2 kids as figures with it.

Instead, we get an Explorer where the front of the engine hood breaks off, just like not in the movie (?), and it comes with a Velociraptor as the figure.....because it was a Velociraptor that really damaged the Ford Explorer in the movie, not the T.rex.

[CityRaptor]

Packaging Dinosaurs with vehicles is standard. And if they put in another T.rex with it, people would complain about that driving up the costs.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

sounds like a redo of the Kenner Explorer.

[CityRaptor]

Or of Mattel's own previous Explorer.

Guess another reason why it does not come with a T.rex is because that one came with one. Also the Transformers Crossover one, which also came with one, yeeeessss. All of these also were Explorer 04...we need 05!  I think only Matchbox made 05.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Or of Mattel's own previous Explorer.

Guess another reason why it does not come with a T.rex is because that one came with one. Also the Transformers Crossover one, which also came with one, yeeeessss. All of these also were Explorer 04...we need 05!  I think only Matchbox made 05.

Did the hood come off the previous one?

Yeah I'm not sure why we can't get the "other car" lol We have one you think it would make sense. I'l look at, I bought two to make a custom trashed version at some point just haven't got around to it yet.

[andrewsaurus rex]

no there was no break away hood on the Escape Pack version.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

no there was no break away hood on the Escape Pack version.

That's what I was thinking, so this new one might be a bit of a homage to the Kenner one :

[Faelrin]

Collect Jurassic shared some in box images of the new thicc Epic Attack Dilophosaurus, and JPIII raptor. The JPIII raptor strangely seems to have a better head sculpt then the HC "collector's" version, despite sharing similarities in the overall sculpt. Not sure why the disparity. Downsides to it are mostly the same (dumb light up feature, less articulation, speaker holes on the side., edit: less paint), but with the additional slit pupil. Like the rounded pupils are one of the distinctive characteristics of the JPIII raptors. How do you ignore that? Then again they also did the same thing with the HC Dilophosaurus. At least it would be a simple fix, and the rest of the missing paint (but that would also mean buying paint and paint supplies). Honestly it feels rather disrespectful to the people that were patiently waiting for a mainline male JPIII raptor (especially those of us waiting since 2018) and this was the best they could do?

Also I forgot to mention this earlier, but a bit weird they went back to using that inaccurate color scheme they whipped up for the Dilophosaurus in the Nedry Jeep pack. Easy skip for me, since nothing will beat the Amber Collection one, as its the closest they got to doing it right.

[Flaffy]

Happy Meal toys.

[Pliosaurking]

The JP3 raptors are my favourite raptors in the whole series, and it's such a shame there hasn't been one that looks nice and scales with the rest of the line. I'm hoping we get one that is good eventually, although I doubt it.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

The head looks pretty much the same as far as I can tell. I haven't opened my HC one I just received yesterday yet.  The neck is thicker I believe.

We did never get that first JP3 Raptor with the bigger feet, well we did, but not painted as a JP3 Raptor.

[MLMjp]

Well, the head sculpt does look better that the HC...but remember, you have those speakers on the other side...Like if it wasn't for those I would probably pick this one and give it some extra paint myself. Why couldn't they just have put those on the base of the tail? oh yeah, because of the flip out code...

There is no perfect option. Pick up your poison. HC or this one.

Happy Meal toys.

Not yet, we are getting closer, but not yet

PD: See, you can still put out decent stuff, Mattel!
 

[Pliosaurking]

They seem to do well on their marine reptiles it seems, the only notable exception in my books is the tanystropheus. This Elasmosaurus looks great!

[Faelrin]

I was planning on getting this one when it was initially revealed, but now it is definitely a must have for me. The seafoam coloration looks very nice on it.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

The figure itself is great and I'll get one, I'm a bit curious what the purpose of the vest is? Honestly I feel like they need a cartoon series or something to carry this concept?