An unfortunate case of science outpacing merchandise, this highly-detailed and articulated dino-bird still has many merits.
Balaur bondoc is a good example of how quickly scientific understanding can change, as well as how risky reconstructions from partial fossil remains can be. Discovered in 2009 on Hateg Island in Romania, the “stocky dragon” was initially described as a robust dromaeosaurid with double sickle claws.
Before we get on with the review, let’s all have a moment of silence for the now extinct Amber Collection. Honestly, I always had my reservations about the Amber Collection and never bothered to get invested in it. I always thought that Mattel should stick with the 3.75” line, and that it was unlikely that anything larger than a Velociraptor would ever be seen in a 6” line.
Review and photos by EmperorDinobot, edited by Suspsy
Hello, everybody and welcome to another review by yours truly. Today we’re going to be talking about the legendary (and ugly) Series 2 Jurassic Park Baryonyx, nicknamed “Snapper” by InGen staff. We’re going to be looking over its colors, playability, and whether it warrants the high price it often goes for, so let’s just get into it!
Brachiosaurus marks the fourth prehistoric animal Takara Tomy produced for their Animal Adventure (ANIA) line, following Tyrannosaurus rex, Triceratops, and Stegosaurus. The figure is a decent – if unremarkable – depiction of the long-necked giant, which I think it’s safe to say has eclipsed Apatosaurus/Brontosaurus as the default iconic sauropod.
This was the first full sized Brachiosaurus in the Jurassic Park line and was released for the Jurassic Park III movie. This marks the begging of Hasbro’s full control of the Jurassic Park toy line after closing Kenner in 2000. It strays away from the playful but not always successful Kenner style and into a less interesting, boring, mass produced, and shall I say lower quality toys.
“It’s, it’s a dinosaur”, these were the first words uttered in Jurassic Park upon seeing the first full sized dinosaur in the film, a Brachiosaurus. We see our protagonist’s reactions first and their acting sets the tone. The music swells, building to the moment we’ve been waiting for. The animal cries its haunting call, and then the camera pans from our perspective along the animal’s body and skywards along its impossibly long neck, showing us the scale of this animal like never before.
Not surprisingly, the Brachiosaurus is HUGE. It stands nearly 27 cm tall and measures 51 cm long, making it the largest animal figure in any Playmobil line.
Review and photos by Faelrin, edited by Suspsy
It has been quite some time since I last reviewed something from the Beasts of the Mesozoic Raptor Series, having been caught up with Mattel’s Jurassic World figures. But with the next Beasts of the Mesozoic Kickstarter campaign only a few months away, it is time I come back and give some much needed attention to this precious line of highly articulated, highly detailed, and mostly scientifically accurate figures.
Review and photographs by Loon, edited by Suspsy
There’s been a trend in Mattel’s Jurassic World line to not only include the various species from the films, but also ones that have only appeared in the books. This explains the inclusion of the obscure Callovosaurus, a dryosaurid known from fragmentary remains found in England.
What makes this particular release stand out is its coloration, which contrasts starkly with the plainer pattern of the figure’s first release.
The 1990s were a stirring time for big theropod news: the crocodile-snouted spinosaur Suchomimus from Niger was described in 1998, new fragments of the now-(in)famous Spinosaurus itself were discovered in 1996 and 1998, and the gigantic Giganotosaurus was officially named in 1995.
It has been a good year for Carchorodontosaurus, as I mentioned in my review of the figure by PNSO. The PNSO figure, along with the one by GR toys, gave sophisticated collectors a fantastic, updated pair of “shark toothed lizards” to display and admire whilst sipping brandy by the fireside.