Type: Figurine

Review: Megalodon (Wild Safari by Safari Ltd.)

Genus: Megalodon Brand: Safari Ltd., Wild Safari Classification: Fish, Shark Age: Miocene, Pliocene Type: Figurine

2.2 (17 votes)

MEGALODON! The undisputed monarch of all sharks. Possibly the largest and most powerful flesh-eating animal to ever inhabit Earth’s seas. Star of cheesy novels, cheesier made-for-TV movies, and even cheesier pseudo-documentaries. And surprisingly enough, underrepresented in the world of prehistoric toys. For a long time, the proper scientific name for this animal was Carcharodon megalodon, however, it has recently been reclassified as Carcharocles megalodon.

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Review: Smilodon (Carnegie Collection by Safari ltd.)

Genus: Smilodon Brand: Carnegie, Safari Ltd. Classification: Cat, Mammal Age: Pleistocene Type: Figurine

4 (7 votes)

This is the first Smilodon review on the DTB, so I think it is only fitting that I start with the original Carnegie Smilodon. When Safari launched the Carnegie line in 1988, Smilodon was in the first group of scientific models released.

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Review: Plesiosaur (Invicta)

Genus: Elasmosaurus, Plesiosaurus Brand: Invicta Classification: Plesiosaur Age: Cretaceous, Jurassic Type: Figurine, Monochrome

5 (14 votes)

It is with much trepidation that I attempt to review my next figure. It’s actually one I’ve intended on reviewing for years but when you write for a blog owned by a plesiosaur expert you’re naturally a bit hesitant to review a plesiosaur model, especially based on accuracy.

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Review: Deinonychus and Velociraptors (Playmobil)

Genus: Deinonychus, Velociraptor Brand: Playmobil, playset Classification: Dromaeosaur, Hominid, Reptile (other), Theropod Age: Cretaceous Type: Action Figure, Figurine

2.7 (14 votes)

The Velociraptor pack has come across an unguarded nest of eggs. But a hungry Deinonychus has also found the nest, and he’s not in the mood to share!

The Playmobil Deinonychus is a small figure, standing only up to 9 cm tall and measuring 14 cm long.

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Review: Scelidosaurus (Invicta)

Genus: Scelidosaurus Brand: Invicta Classification: Thyreophora (basal), Thyreophoran Age: Jurassic Type: Figurine

4.7 (16 votes)

Back in April of 2009 the creator of this dear blog posted two pictures of the Invicta Scelidosaurus model with the promise that “a full review of this figure will be added at a later date”. Well that later date is here folks, probably a bit later than originally anticipated but better late than never eh?

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Review: Iguanodon (Invicta)

Genus: Iguanodon Brand: Invicta Classification: Iguanodont (basal), Ornithopod Age: Cretaceous Type: Figurine, Monochrome

4.8 (20 votes)

The Invicta line of prehistoric models is an interesting one. Spanning the years between the early 1970’s and early 1990’s it is a company that was producing dinosaur figures right on the cusp of the “Dinosaur Renaissance”. As a result we have some models from the company that are downright retro in appearance, along with some that in terms of accuracy stand up reasonably well, even today.

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Review: Brontosaurus (Inpro)

Genus: Brontosaurus Brand: Inpro Classification: Diplodocoid, Sauropod Age: Jurassic Type: Figurine

3.2 (5 votes)

Inpro Brontosaurus is a classic figure representing an iconic dinosaur, Brontosaurus. Back in 1972, English company Inpro produced a line of Prehistoric toys, among others amazingly including one of the rare representations of Heterodontosaurus as a figure. More information is available here .

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Review: Stegosaurus (Playmobil)

Genus: Stegosaurus Brand: Playmobil, playset Classification: Crocodile, Invertebrate, Stegosaur, Thyreophoran Age: Jurassic Type: Action Figure, Figurine

4.5 (13 votes)

Another all-new animal in the 2013 Playmobil Dinos line is the famous Stegosaurus. This one is a mother whose eggs are about to hatch, but she’d better keep a close eye on that hungry crocodilian who lives nearby!

This version of the “roofed lizard” measures 23 cm long from nose to tail tip and stands just over 11 cm tall at the tip of its plates.

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Review: Hyaenodon (Mojö Fun)

Genus: Hyaenodon Brand: Mojö Fun Classification: Mammal Age: Eocene, Miocene, Oligocene Type: Figurine

4.7 (9 votes)

Hyaenodon was an interesting predatory animal that first evolved 42 million years ago and lived from the Late Eocene through to Early Miocene. The first thing to know about them is that they are not related to hyenas. In fact, they were a creodont, ‬ a long extinct group of mammals that did not survive the Miocene.

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Review: Guanlong (Wild Safari by Safari Ltd)

Genus: Guanlong Brand: Safari Ltd., Wild Safari Classification: Theropod, Tyrannosaur Age: Jurassic Type: Figurine

3.7 (15 votes)

Review and photos by Nathan ‘Takama’ Morris, edited by amargasaurus cazaui and Suspsy
In the world of dinosaur toys, smaller species are not all that common. Most companies seem to think that members of the general public find them to be boring. But we, as a specialized community of dinosaur enthusiasts, can agree that this is far from true.

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Review: Dimetrodon (Playmobil)

Genus: Dimetrodon Brand: Playmobil, playset Classification: Invertebrate, Pelycosaur, Reptile (other) Age: Permian Type: Action Figure, Figurine

4 (12 votes)

Much to the delight of fans, Playmobil brought back its dinosaurs line in 2013. Although most of the prehistoric creatures were recolours from 2007, there were some new ones as well. These included the familiar and ferocious Dimetrodon.

The Dimetrodon measures a good 17 cm long and is 9 cm tall including the sail.

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Review: Kentrosaurus (CollectA)

Genus: Kentrosaurus Brand: CollectA Classification: Stegosaur, Thyreophoran Age: Jurassic Type: Figurine

4.2 (13 votes)

Review and photographs by Tallin, edited by Plesiosauria.
Kentrosaurus aethiopicus, the ‘sharp point’ or ‘prickle’ lizard, is one of the better known members of the stegosaur family, and though vastly overshadowed by its American cousin – Stegosaurus stenops – it has still managed to have several representations in toy form.

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