Back in 2015, after finishing my Palaeontology degree and wanting to keep a grip on news in that field, I discovered a toy site that seemed quite interesting. Several months later, I bit the bullet and posted my first review. The rest is history, and now I have reached a major milestone, my 100th review!
Type: Figurine
Review: Pteranodon (Zuru)
3.5 (4 votes)
Review and photographs by stargatedalek, edited by Suspsy.
It’s been a long time since I’ve submitted a review to the DTB, and I’m back with something rather unusual. Zuru is a company that makes novelty, largely animal-themed toys that are a sizable presence among toy aisles at most brick and mortar department stores.
Review: Dimetrodon (unknown)
2.8 (9 votes)
Review and Photos by Bokisaurus
Nostalgia: “a sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations”.
So you might be wondering why open a review with this word and it’s definition. A toy, especially one that has been with you for decades can elicit such sentiment, and after years of collecting, its time to look back.
Review: Styracosaurus (Marx)
3.9 (9 votes)
It’s no secret, finding subjects to review for the DTB has become somewhat of a challenge over the last several years. Nearly every figure by all the major players has been reviewed or has a review in the works; Safari Ltd., Carnegie, Papo, CollectA, PNSO, Battat, Invicta, Tyco, and the list goes on.
Review: Fossil Whale/Mammalodon (Yowie Lost Kingdoms, Series B)
3.5 (4 votes)
Recently, a thought occurred to me. I’ve been reviewing ancient fauna for several years but, in spite of having a user name based on ancient cetacea, I have yet to review a fossil whale. Time to change that with none other than THE fossil whale.
Review: Megalodon (Deluxe by CollectA)
4.5 (29 votes)
Anne Bonny is on the chase. She had been following the distant scent of a whale pod when a strange new scent and a distinct sound of splashing caused her to veer hard to starboard in the direction of the islands along the coastline.
Review: Hipparion (Jurassic Hunters by Geoworld)
3.6 (7 votes)
Ancient horses really don’t get much love in the toy market. Aside from Starlux and Bullyland, no one has added to the herd of prehistoric equinids. That is until Geoworld brought out their rendition of Hipparion, one of the most successful horses ever, lasting 22 million years and covering almost every continent, before dying off in the Mid-Pleistocene, possibly being out competed by the modern horse.
Review: Gorgosaurus (Papo)
4 (23 votes)
Review and photographs by Loon, edited by Suspsy
It’s no secret that Papo has always been “inspired” by pop culture depictions of dinosaurs. This isn’t unique, even companies like Safari and CollectA occasionally copy designs and color schemes from time to time. Still, no one does it as frequently and blatantly as Papo.
Review: Qianzhousaurus (Wild Safari by Safari Ltd.)
4.4 (30 votes)
Review and photographs by Loon, edited by Suspsy
For a long time, long-snouted tyrannosaurids like Alioramus weren’t considered a true group. After all, a long snout isn’t uncommon for tyrannosaurs, at least in juveniles, which all known specimens of Alioramus were.
Review: Pachycephalosaurus (Wild Safari by Safari Ltd.)
4.5 (23 votes)
Amongst us dinosaur collectors there are but a few really good Pachycephalosaurus figures out there that are usually referenced. You probably already know which ones they are but in case you don’t they’re the figures by Battat, Favorite, and CollectA. The Battat is of course hard to find, and both the Battat and Favorite are also starting to show their age.
Review: Velociraptor vs Protoceratops “Mongolian Fight” (Favorite Co. Ltd.)
4.7 (6 votes)
Review and photographs by Loon, edited by Suspsy.
Discovered in 1971, the “Fighting Dinosaurs” fossil is particularly special, as it preserved two dinosaurs apparently in a literal fight to the death. Because of this, the combatants, Protoceratops and Velociraptor, have joined the most legendary dinosaur rivalries.
Review: Protoceratops (Dino World by Kabaya)
4.2 (5 votes)
Review and photographs by Loon, edited by Suspsy.
Dino World was a line of small models similar to Kaiyodo’s Dino Tales. Unlike Dino Tales, these toys are sold by the Japanese candy company Kabaya and came packaged with candy. This review will be looking at #12 of 24 in the series, the hatching Protoceratops.
Like Dino Tales figures, this toy is very small.