Mattel - New for 2021 (Image Heavy op)

[Gwangi]

Geez, comments in the comment sections for those. Calling them trash and whining about them not being Kenner quality. Saw also one comment in the one of the Amber collection JPIII Raptor talking how it is plastic trash while the Kenner figures all had rubbery real feeling skin ( which is not true at all ).

They're blinded by nostalgia. I love Kenner and I'm definitely nostalgic for the line but looking at Kenner and Mattel objectively, Mattel comes out on top .

I have to disagree there, and I am not blinded by nostalgia cause I was born too late to enjoy the kenner era. I think is 50/50, there are things that Kenner did better and others that Mattel does better.

That's fine, I'm not trying to talk Kenner down or anything, but to say that Kenner is superior and that Mattel is trash, that sounds like blind nostalgia to me. But you're also not the one that said it.

Kenner had better playsets, and I do miss the rubber skin, but Mattel has far superior human action figures that actually look like the cast, and they gave us a Brachiosaurus. They're both fantastic toy lines. Mattel succeeds best when it builds upon what Kenner started.

[Faelrin]

@Carnoking Thanks for the heads up on that. That may be my best chance of getting this one sooner then later.


TL;DR: I have some nostalgia for the Kenner stuff, but I was pretty young when I had them, having been born in '91, and never experienced the larger figures and sets. I think Kenner did some things better (namely the playsets mostly), but Mattel has done a great job as well in the past several years after obtaining the license in 2017 after Hasbro's disappointing line and poor sales.

Toy production costs have also increased dramatically since the Kenner days, hence the reduced paint apps, probably the lack of rubber figures, etc. But many of these feature more articulation then the Kenner figures did, so maybe that's another trade off. I had a few Kenner figures growing up. At least a raptor, and "Junior" the infant T. rex from TLW. I also had the Chaos Effect Amargaspinus, and Compstegnathus which I had a blast playing with. Also really wanted the one classmate's Chaos Effect raptor. Later on (after the JPIII line came out), I had the camo colored Dimetrodon repaint that I also enjoyed quite a bit.

I never however got the chance to experience any of the larger figures, the playsets, etc. I was lucky when I was able to get most of the JPIII figures later on (missed the Alpha raptor, Aqua Spinosaurus, and the pterosaurs, etc), and then the Raptor Attack set, which was a retooled version of the original Kenner Command Compound, which was the closest I got to experiencing it (at least the fences, etc). Got to re-obtain that set a few years back, and it was fully worth it, since nostalgia aside, it has a very fun modern line to work in tandem with.

I think Mattel definitely has done a lot of good in the few years they've had the line, but still many things could be improved (such as poor quality control in some figures, especially the Amber Collection figures which are also higher priced). The lack of scenery playsets (and not just dino-human bundles) is unfortunate. Short of the limited released Lava Surge set, and the new SDCC Ray Arnold set, the line hasn't had a single one since. I know it's probably also the result of the current market changing and what retailers are willing to carry, but it is a shame. What I wouldn't do for a dual sided or transforming/open and closing in scale Visitor Center set for example (my lack of space would beg to differ on the other hand). I'm also not sure what has been up with the slow trickle of the original cast of JP characters since 2018. Doubt we'll get any from TLW or JPIII for example.

I also wouldn't be opposed to seeing more like the Mosasaurus, or the Kenner large T. rex figures. Was hoping the Apatosaurus and Brachiosaurus would benefit from it, but they didn't.

Many other figures have also been heavily inspired by the Kenner figures, such as the running Gallimimus, and spitting Dilophosaurus. Some have even re-used the same colorations. The sense of scale too, was likely inspired by the Kenner line. Short of Beasts of the Mesozoic, and maybe Nanmu, no other dinosaur line really comes close to this (even if some of the figure's scales are not quite accurate, but generally the large animals are large, and the smaller animals are small) these days.

Lastly Mattel has given me a chance to have a near complete set of every film canon animal and most of the variations (still lacking the JPIII raptors, and TLW Pteranodon, Corythosaurus, etc), from all five films so far (and no doubt this will continue into next year's line), and again relatively to scale, without having to shell out for some of those rare figures like the animatronic Spinosaurus (although granted I still paid a hefty sum because Target didn't want to carry the Legacy one, but this year does have a relatively decent alternative, short of the eye color, with much better distribution), etc.

[Prehistory Resurrection]

https://youtu.be/O_9Wo8118r8

[ItsTwentyBelow]

Apatosaurus is 50% off on Target's website!

Oh SNAP! Now this guy knows what's up! That's a crazy deal for it. And I was pleased to have gotten the Brach for 25% off!

Thanks for the heads-up there, CarnoKing...guess I will be taking my receipt back to Target today, like "PLEASE. FIX. THANX."

[Giganotosaurus]

Spoiler

New Dominion blind bags! Apparently we have a yangchuanosaurus and an iguanodon among them. I wonder if yangchuanosaurus will be in the film.

[close]

[Reuben03]

I wonder if yangchuanosaurus will be in the film.

its one of my favourite allosaurids, really beautiful with a gorgeous crest. so given the design of the figure,
i sincerely hope not! it looks really bad in my opinion

[Faelrin]

I got my Apatosaurus today. No stores in PA had it (edit: within an hour's distance) so had to travel an hour + into Maryland to snag it. I'll get pics as soon as I'm able too. Been waiting since 2015 after seeing JW in theaters and Hasbro didn't deliver then. Feels so good having one of my own now.

[Shane]

Of course the 50% off Apatosaurus sale happened after I'd already ordered one at full price. And it hasn't even arrived yet lol.

And now it's out of stock so I couldn't order it for cheaper and return the first if I wanted to.

No worries though, still excited to get it in my hands.

[Lynx]

Where can I get the Apatosaurus for 50% off? I've been trying to get it for a while but it's too expensive.
Edit: Nevermind! 

[ItsTwentyBelow]

Shane, you still might be able to get the deal through customer service! Full price is definitely still worth it and I pulled the trigger for my Apato in a heartbeat in store on Saturday with no knowledge of this sale, but it's just such a stupid price at half off that I knew it was worth following up about. Target was able to help after I went back with my receipt + Apato and asked.

Man I'm excited for all these other new JW toys. We know for sure that is a Skorpiovenator? That's three nice, unique abelisaurids for the Mattel line!

And I still am excited for the Shringasaurus!

[Appalachiosaurus]

Stumbled across the Apatosaurus completely by surprise at my local Target, got to say I wasn't impressed from the production pictures but in person it looks pretty fantastic.

[Shonisaurus]

My congratulations, that apatosaurus is magnificent and immense, it is one of the best Mattel figures I have seen to date. I'm glad for you.

[suspsy]

Came across a slew of new stuff at TRU today, fellow Canucks: Alioramus, Brachiosaurus baby, Apatosaurus, Allosaurus, Ouranosaurus, and another Baryonyx repaint.

[Gothmog the Baryonyx]

I miss Toys R Us sometimes. Not for this but in general

[suspsy]

I miss Toys R Us sometimes. Not for this but in general

I'm very glad it never left here.

[MLMjp]

I miss Toys R Us sometimes. Not for this but in general

I'm very glad it never left here.

My country still has them, but the Jurassic World stock is either nonexistent or terrible in them. Also I used to buy a lot of transformers there but not anymore. And there usually not a lot of people in them...I feel they will eventually close.

For the stuff that I like, any other store is better than Toys R Us right now.

[Prehistory Resurrection]

https://youtu.be/Z3wBMohh1Pk

[Fembrogon]

I happened across one of the original JP Amber raptors the other day, but the jaw looked suspect so I passed on it. That JPIII raptor, on the other hand, will probably be an insta-buy if I find one.

I was also out & about yesterday and found a decent selection of Mattel figures at Kohl's. Get a load of those plesiosaurs! I was almost tempted to get myself an extra one.

[Prehistory Resurrection]

https://youtu.be/VJAbC9gFprg

[Prehistory Resurrection]

https://youtu.be/YQ_7T77wePg