Mattel - New for 2023

[Eatmycar]

Zero paint. We've truly reached Hasbro levels.

No. Not even close. The paint is bland, but the sculpt is still leagues ahead of Hasbro. Mattel gave the collectors their T. rex, why would anyone pay attention to the rest? These are for kids!

All of this. All of this.

This rex is bland, but to compare it to a Hasbro rex, seriously? I kind of wish they'd lose the license to Hasbro again to see this crap come back. It's a run-of-the-mill T. rex and it'll do what it does, sell to kids.

We have our T. rex, it's the Hammond rex.

[Faelrin]

Agreed. The sculpt is decent, and better then Hasbro's attempts. It's just the lack of paint that makes it bland, no doubt a result of them further cutting down on paint apps across the board (but keeping prices up). And yeah after the HC T. rex is still the best T. rex we've gotten despite its issues, as that one also has had the most accurate paint scheme that we've gotten so far. Which is another reason this figure is a pass for me. Granted there was also that decent 2021 T. rex, that this is like a rehash of that folks could just get instead (or unless they already did) with way better paint.

I'm also waiting to see what this 30th anniversary figure will be like. Folks have been asking for a rubbery skin one for ages, so hopefully they deliver like they did for the new large Triceratops.

[Flaffy]

Zero paint. We've truly reached Hasbro levels.

No. Not even close. The paint is bland, but the sculpt is still leagues ahead of Hasbro. Mattel gave the collectors their T. rex, why would anyone pay attention to the rest? These are for kids!

When did I say the sculpt was bad? I don't see how my assessment that these mainline toys are reaching Hasbro levels of bland paint is inaccurate as demonstrated by your examples.

[Gwangi]

Zero paint. We've truly reached Hasbro levels.

No. Not even close. The paint is bland, but the sculpt is still leagues ahead of Hasbro. Mattel gave the collectors their T. rex, why would anyone pay attention to the rest? These are for kids!

When did I say the sculpt was bad? I don't see how my assessment that these mainline toys are reaching Hasbro levels of bland paint is inaccurate as demonstrated by your examples.

You didn't really make it clear that you were only referencing the paint app. I interpreted what you wrote as two separate thoughts and that you were speaking generally about Mattel's quality reaching Hasbro levels. It's a comparison that's being thrown around a lot lately and people enjoy parroting it. Personally, I think it takes more than a simple paint app to reach Hasbro level. If you're ONLY talking about the paint app then I guess that means any toy with a simple paint app is Hasbro level? Based on that logic the Safari Qianzhousaurus is also Hasbro level.  Good sculpt, but the simple paint app makes it Hasbro level. Got it!

[MLMjp]

It´s a retool of the extreme chomping mold, with new head and feet and improved detail.

But the paint and colors...

[Flaffy]

Zero paint. We've truly reached Hasbro levels.

No. Not even close. The paint is bland, but the sculpt is still leagues ahead of Hasbro. Mattel gave the collectors their T. rex, why would anyone pay attention to the rest? These are for kids!

When did I say the sculpt was bad? I don't see how my assessment that these mainline toys are reaching Hasbro levels of bland paint is inaccurate as demonstrated by your examples.

You didn't really make it clear that you were only referencing the paint app. I interpreted what you wrote as two separate thoughts and that you were speaking generally about Mattel's quality reaching Hasbro levels. It's a comparison that's being thrown around a lot lately and people enjoy parroting it. Personally, I think it takes more than a simple paint app to reach Hasbro level. If you're ONLY talking about the paint app then I guess that means any toy with a simple paint app is Hasbro level? Based on that logic the Safari Qianzhousaurus is also Hasbro level.  Good sculpt, but the simple paint app makes it Hasbro level. Got it!

I was clearly referencing the paint by saying "Zero paint", not sure how anyone could miss that. And I don't think you're giving enough credit to how paint apps and presentation can make or break a figure. Take the following two ceratopsids for example, the Einiosaurus is generally liked thanks to it's execution, while the Kosmoceratops is one of the more... controversial figures in the line so to speak. Both figures only have 5 colours present on them.


Another good example. The original JWFK Carnotaurus is one of the more highly regarded figures in Mattel's entire run; despite it's incredibly simple paint app of a patterning and an airbrush spray. The most recent mainline Tyrannosaurus also consists of a patterning + an airbrush spray, but the execution leaves a lot to be desired, and is highly reminiscent of the 2015 Hasbro Tyrannosaurus offerings. Simplistic paint apps can work with the correct colours and application/execution; something both the newest Mattel rex and Hasbro rex(es) sorely lack.


Not a great comparison with the Safari Qianzhousaurus as even it has more paint than the Hasbro rexes. Though the mouldy cheese colouration certainly does it no favours IMO.

[CityRaptor]

Just for the record: The description on Amazon.de says that this T.rex got a desert look.

And yes, that Hasbro comparism does not hold true.

Also one commentor on that one "Hammond Correction" video called the Hammond Collection figures dollar store figures compared to Kenner.

[Faelrin]

@Flaffy I kind of agree with you on this. Things can have simple paint apps, and still look pleasing to the eye if done well. The Mattel Postosuchus for example has only like three colors overall (blue, black, white), but I find it very appealing. Same with the new Herrerasaurus, which seems to have a red orange, dark grey, and brown, but the pattern is pleasing to my eyes. I think if the stripes had continued down the tail, and maybe the legs on this new T. rex, and maybe a different shade of orange, it wouldn't look so bland/bare minimum, but I really don't need another T. rex anyways, unless we get a more film accurate male from TLW (which I'm guessing is the HC T. rex for this year).

[Gwangi]

I was clearly referencing the paint by saying "Zero paint", not sure how anyone could miss that. And I don't think you're giving enough credit to how paint apps and presentation can make or break a figure.

Well, it apparently was not that clear to me, and perhaps the 4 people that liked my post and the one that quoted and agreed with me. Or are you trying to insult my intelligence here? "Zero paint" came across as one thought. "Hasbro level" as another. Maybe if your statement was something along the lines of "this paint app is Hasbro level" it would have read more clearly. Anyway, I'm not really here to discuss Mattel's diminishing paint quality, I'm aware of it, I just think these Hasbro comparisons are overdone and inaccurate.

[Carnoking]

I think Mattel's very worst sculpts are equal to if not still superior to Hasbro's best Jurassic World figures.

That said, you can always lose a good sculpt with bad paint and dress up a bad sculpt with good paint.

[Flaffy]

I was clearly referencing the paint by saying "Zero paint", not sure how anyone could miss that. And I don't think you're giving enough credit to how paint apps and presentation can make or break a figure.

Well, it apparently was not that clear to me, and perhaps the 4 people that liked my post and the one that quoted and agreed with me. Or are you trying to insult my intelligence here? "Zero paint" came across as one thought. "Hasbro level" as another.

You can certainly take it that way. Or alternatively we can chalk this up to a misunderstand as I see no reason to resort to personal attacks/insults in a discussion of dinosaur toys.

I will stand by that I made no reference to sculpting quality, as that is not what I had intended to discuss. Even a blind man can tell that on  average Mattels sculpts and builds are far superior to Hasbro's offerings. But now I see that I could've provided additional context as to what I intended to refer to in my statement to avoid miscommunication.

[Gwangi]

I was clearly referencing the paint by saying "Zero paint", not sure how anyone could miss that. And I don't think you're giving enough credit to how paint apps and presentation can make or break a figure.

Well, it apparently was not that clear to me, and perhaps the 4 people that liked my post and the one that quoted and agreed with me. Or are you trying to insult my intelligence here? "Zero paint" came across as one thought. "Hasbro level" as another.

You can certainly take it that way. Or alternatively we can chalk this up to a misunderstand as I see no reason to resort to personal attacks/insults in a discussion of dinosaur toys.

I will stand by that I made no reference to sculpting quality, as that is not what I had intended to discuss. Even a blind man can tell that on  average Mattels sculpts and builds are far superior to Hasbro's offerings. But now I see that I could've provided additional context as to what I intended to refer to in my statement to avoid miscommunication.

There ya go. Lets do that one. And thank you for clarifying your original statement.

[suspsy]

I do feel that, while Mattel's sculpting still remains superior to Hasbro's, they're relying more and more on gimmicks and less on making dinosaurs that actually look good.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

I do feel that, while Mattel's sculpting still remains superior to Hasbro's, they're relying more and more on gimmicks and less on making dinosaurs that actually look good.

Still better than anything Schleich makes lol sorry had to.

I noticed the lines released between films did this, a lot of repaints and a lot of repacks with other things, with no film or series it's just what they do , make filler , to keep the line going for retailers.  The dinosaur designs now..that fault probably lies with the artists/designers and those that sign off on them. Some are good others terrible. It's a mixed bag.  Film species always look better since they have references.

[suspsy]

Schleich schmeich. An overdone steak with a rotten baked potato on the side is still better than a pile of sheep dung, but that steak and that potato are going to taste terrible regardless.

[Carnoking]

I do feel that, while Mattel's sculpting still remains superior to Hasbro's, they're relying more and more on gimmicks and less on making dinosaurs that actually look good.

Film species always look better since they have references.

Even then they manage to screw up on a couple.

[Lynx]

I do feel that, while Mattel's sculpting still remains superior to Hasbro's, they're relying more and more on gimmicks and less on making dinosaurs that actually look good.

Still better than anything Schleich makes lol sorry had to.

I noticed the lines released between films did this, a lot of repaints and a lot of repacks with other things, with no film or series it's just what they do , make filler , to keep the line going for retailers.  The dinosaur designs now..that fault probably lies with the artists/designers and those that sign off on them. Some are good others terrible. It's a mixed bag.  Film species always look better since they have references.

Comparing these ugly hunks of junk that they call a tyrannosaurus and dilophosaurus to all of Schleich is something I won't ignore. Even Schleichs worst at least have some form of paint effort.

Spoiler

this is in a joking manner by the way, I don't think the comparison is terrible.

[close]

[Lynx]

How can you compare THIS... (and more that I won't put in for the sake of this thread)






To THIS...





I always find Schleich jokes or comparisons funny but this one is kinda shocking to me. Comparing all of Schleichs products to something this horrible is just... wow.

[Gwangi]

@Lynx, you are cherry picking Schleich's best and pitting them against Mattel's worst. It's a meaningless effort, you could do the same thing but in reverse. Both companies have their hits and misses.

Maybe it would be better to compare the same animal? In which case...

[Lynx]

@Lynx, you are cherry picking Schleich's best and pitting them against Mattel's worst. It's a meaningless effort, you could do the same thing but in reverse. Both companies have their hits and misses.

Maybe it would be better to compare the same animal? In which case...

Because they said, and if I am reading this correctly, "Still better than anything Schleich makes lol sorry had to." in regards to a comment about Mattels recent products being worse and worse.
Of course, I am going to be cherry-picking when they claim the entire company is worse. Their figures aren't the greatest and Mattel does tend to be better, I won't deny that, but come on.

If they said "Worse than anything Schleich makes", I know someone would have done the exact same with the Schleich Ceratosaurus, old Baryonyx, Acrocanthosaurus, etc, and Mattel's best. That's how these things always tend to go. I'm plainly tired of dumping on this company whenever a figure looks bad, as I have seen far, far too many times across this forum. These kinds of comparisons are coming off less and less as humorous and more like pointless negativity and dragging brands into things for no particular reason.  Maybe I am missing something here. This isn't meant to be an attack, or some sort of rant, but the behavior here is too hard for me to just consistently ignore.