Mattel loves Pseudosuchians, or so it would seem. Just this year they released five of these crocodile-line archosaurs. Not since Bullyland’s heyday have we seen so many representatives of the group made by a single company, and I think Mattel must surely win the award for most Pseudosuchians ever produced.
Review: Dearc (Deluxe by CollectA)
4.4 (61 votes)
Discovered in the Lealt Shale Formation on the Isle of Skye in Scotland in 2017, Dearc sgiathanach (pronounced ‘jark ski-a-naw-ka’) was a Middle Jurassic rhamphorhynchine pterosaur, and quite a large one at that. Its precise size is uncertain, but the estimated wingspan is between 1.9 and 3.8 metres, which makes it the largest known aligerous animal of its time as well as one of the largest known rhamphorhynchids.
News: Upcoming releases from Playmobil (New for 2024)
3.4 (25 votes)
After several years of battle-themed dinosaur series, Playmobil is returning to their more peaceful, research-based theme. Unfortunately, every single dinosaur is a repaint yet again. On the plus side, they are all rather attractive repaints and the sets look fun to play with, as always.
Archaeological (no, that should be Paleontological, Playmobil!) Dig with Dinosaur Skeleton.
Review: Medusaceratops (‘Fan’s Choice’ version, Beasts of the Mesozoic Ceratopsian Series by Creative Beast Studio)
4.3 (51 votes)
This figure is technically a repaint of the original sculpt, but since it wasn’t reviewed here yet, I feel I might as well give some background on the production of it. For starters, Raul Ramos initially sculpted a 3D model of the skull (first revealed on July 6 2019), which was then printed and served as a base, for sculptor Simon Panek to use for the final flesh reconstruction of the figure (revealed July 8, 2019).
Review: Dilophosaurus & Dracovenator (Dinosaurs &Co. by De Agostini)
2.8 (22 votes)
Would you like a side of miniatures with your rubber monsters?
Not every dinosaur toy is equal. Not every absence of inaccuracy means inaccuracies are absent. Dilophosaurus is frequently plagued by imaginary features ingrained into pop culture due to a certain Universal/Spielberg blockbuster; but just because a toy of the two-crested reptile eschews the frills doesn’t mean the rest of the design gets a free pass.
Review: Dilophosaurus Ambush (Jurassic Park 30th Anniversary by LEGO)
4 (25 votes)
“Season’s greetings, fellow dinosaur lovers! Yes, it is us once again, Dr. Bella Bricking and my invaluable partner Beth Buildit, here to share some comfort and joy with the reviewing of yet another Jurassic Park 30th Anniversary set!”
“I can barely see with this thing on, Doc!”
“Let’s stick to the script, if you please, Beth.
News: Upcoming releases from Haolonggood (New for 2023)(Pt. 14)
4.6 (54 votes)
What a year it’s been for Haolonggood, and they’re certainly showing no sign of slowing down! The many-horned chasmosaurine Kosmoceratops from Utah is their newest ceratopsian. The red version with its contrasting blue-splattered frill is definitely my favourite of the two colour schemes.
News: Upcoming release from PNSO (New for 2023)(Pt. 14)
4.6 (61 votes)
I guess this will still count as a 2023 release? Meet Aymen, the latest in a long line of modern Spinosaurus toys and I believe the first one to be depicted in a bipedal stance as opposed to hunched over or swimming. Naturally, he will come with a clear plastic support rod like other PNSO theropods just to be safe.
Review: Xuanhanosaurus (Jurassic World Dino Trackers Danger Pack by Mattel)
3.8 (43 votes)
I, Emperor Dinobot, recently posited a question around, and it was the following: Could Mattel be designing dinosaur figures and naming them afterwards? We already have an example: Roarivores Sinoceratops is actually a Pachyrhinosaurus, but it got a name change due to the fact that Universal wanted to market Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom to the massive Chinese audience, and Pachyrhinosaurus was substituted by Sinoceratops, a dinosaur which represented China.
News: Upcoming release from Mojo Fun (New for 2024)(Pt. 2)
1.6 (42 votes)
Well, it turns out that Mojo Fun does technically have some brand new prehistoric figures in store for 2024. Like those from CollectA and Papo, the miniatures in this tube are all based on preexisting larger figures, and older ones at that. You’ve got Ankylosaurus, Brachiosaurus, Mandschurosaurus, Parasaurolophus, Pteranodon, Smilodon, Spinosaurus, Stegosaurus, Triceratops, Tyrannosaurus rex, Velociraptor, and the woolly mammoth.
News: Upcoming releases from Mattel (New for 2024)(Pt. 9)
4.3 (32 votes)
Take a look at two more interesting 2024 Mattel Jurassic World Danger Pack toys. First is Craterosaurus, an Early Cretaceous stegosaur from England known from just a partial vertebra (which clearly didn’t deter Mattel).
And the other is Kileskus, a Middle Jurassic tyrannosauroid from Russia.