Nearly 30 years after Jurassic Park released and had helped reform the general public’s perception of dinosaurs, Jurassic World Dominion released in 2022. It is the first film in the franchise to feature fully feathered dinosaurs (and a pterosaur), another major step moving in line with the science that had been going on for decades.
Type: Action Figure
Review: Tyrannosaurus rex Off-road Tracker Pack (Jurassic Park, 93’ Classic by Mattel)
3.5 (6 votes)
The Tyrannosaurus Off-road Tracker Pack represents the last set released in the short-lived Jurassic Park 93’ Classic line, which was replaced last year by the (so far) inferior Jurassic World Reimagined line. I suppose it makes sense that the line wouldn’t last too far past the 30th anniversary of Jurassic Park but I think the entire range of toys released under it are some of Mattel’s best and most fun.
Review: Carnotaurus (Roarin’ Real Feel, Jurassic World Legacy Collection Reimagined by Mattel)
4.6 (5 votes)
In 1994 Kenner released the first ever toy of Carnotaurus under their Jurassic Park line. Although now one of the most popular theropods, Carnotaurus had only been described 9 years prior to the release of the Kenner toy.
Review: Scutosaurus (Jurassic World, Hammond Collection by Mattel)
4.2 (5 votes)
Perhaps the most surprising addition to the Hammond Collection so far, today we’re looking at the Scutosaurus. Scutosaurus has never appeared in any Jurassic media aside from the Jurassic World: Alive augmented reality game but the Permian pareiasaur has popped up repeatedly in Jurassic franchise toy lines.
Review: Pteranodon (ANIA/Animal Adventure by Takara Tomy)
3.7 (6 votes)
Takara Tomy is a millennial industry giant of toy production, whose products have probably found their way into everyone’s homes at least once. Naturally, my introduction to the brand came through their ANIA “Animal Adventure” line of palm-sized action figures featuring extant and extinct animal life.
Review: Diabloceratops (Beasts of the Mesozoic by Creative Beast Studios)
5 (7 votes)
Diabloceratops is a dinosaur in a curious position. Despite relatively little fame or pop culture presence, the “devil-horned face” has been a popular choice of genus for toy companies; Safari ltd., Collecta, Schleich, Mattel, and recently Haolonggood, among still others, have all taken a crack at the animal, with surprisingly good results in general.
Review: Chasmosaurus (Tyco)
4.8 (6 votes)
So, friends, here I am again. It took a little longer, that’s for sure. I was busy writing and marketing my first book about my own and other people´s fascination for prehistory (The Dinosaur Toy Blog and Forum play a big role in it!) and had the usual private and professional struggles.
Review: Masiakasaurus (Jurassic World Dino Escape Fierce Force by Mattel)
3.2 (5 votes)
My heart jumped in excitement when Mattel announced in 2021 that they were going to make one of my favorite dinosaurs, Masiakasaurus knopfleri! I finally get to talk about it which is an added bonus. This particular reconstruction is based on the 20 or so years old depiction that has dominated all sorts of media this animal was featured in.
Review: Jakapil (Jurassic World: Chaos Theory, Danger Pack by Mattel)
2.8 (4 votes)
Jakapil is a genus of basal thyreophoran discovered in the Candeleros Formation of Argentina and described in 2022, it is also one of the coolest dino-discoveries in recent years, although I might be biased since I have a thing for basal thyreophorans.
Review: Lophostropheus (Jurassic World: Chaos Theory, Danger Pack by Mattel)
3.6 (5 votes)
Lophostropheus is a coelophysoid theropod known from the boundary between the late Triassic and early Jurassic. It is known from a single tooth, a handful of vertebrae from the neck, back, and tail, some pelvic material, and an unidentified fragment. Such scant remains practically guaranteed a toy of Lophostropheus from Mattel, and here we are.
Review: Mapusaurus (Jurassic World: Chaos Theory, Epic Evolution Gigantic Trackers by Mattel)
3.2 (19 votes)
Mapusaurus is a carcharodontosaurid that lived in Argentina during the late Cretaceous and is also one of the largest theropods known. It was only slightly smaller than its close relative, Giganotosaurus, and the skeletal differences between them are minimal.
Review: Xenoceratops foremostensis (Beasts of the Mesozoic Ceratopsian series by Creative Beast Studio)
4.7 (23 votes)
I, EmperorDinobot, have a less than healthy obsession with the Beasts of the Mesozoic. These are the dinosaurs I wanted to own as a kid. Dinosaurs that were articulated beyond what Kenner and later Hasbro’s dinosaurs could do. And here I am, roughly two decades later, sitting in bed with my own personal computer doing what I always did as a kid: browsing the catalogs which sometimes came in the boxes, or just the back of the card for some figures, always plotting what I should get next.