Review and photos by Cretaceous Crab, edited by Suspsy
This time around, I have the pleasure of reviewing one of my favorite dinosaur toys as a kid: the Psittacosaurus from Playskool’s Definitely Dinosaurs line. I remember carrying this one around everywhere. Of course, in those days, we didn’t think too much on saving toys that may be considered vintage or “collectible” decades later, so when I got old enough not to play with toys (as if! 😀 ), this one probably went the way of a yard sale or donation center. But enough about my nostalgia; let’s take a look at this dino!
At first glance, this Psittacosaurus (we’ll call him “Taco”) is a fairly simple toy from the late 1980s. The figure is made of a soft plastic material, and has basic articulation in the limbs and tail. The hind legs rotate back and forth, as do the arms. However, the arms are connected, so you can raise them to do a double high-five or have them hang down. The hands are pronated, which is anatomically inaccurate: as with theropods, they should be facing inward. The tail rotates around perpendicular to the body, in somewhat of a corkscrew manner. Taco’s feet have three toes each, and his hands have four fingers, although the smallest digits are on the inside, resembling thumbs, when they should be on the outside, resembling pinkies. This toy can stand on its own two feet, but only in a typical tripod stance with the tail. The legs are positioned oddly, as though leaning back for the tail to take more support.
Like all the figures in this series, Taco has a somewhat cartoonish design. His expression is rather neutral, and his yellow eyes gaze forward and slightly upwards. The color scheme is a light blue with a darker blue for his dorsal markings, extending all the way from the top of his head to the end of his tail. In terms of scientific accuracy, his design makes his proportions off, but the target demographic at the time (young kids), that wasn’t really important. He is approximately 7.5 inches long, and roughly 1:6 scale, although judging from the human cavemen figures that were featured in this line, he was initially about 1:18 scale.
One of the best things about this ceratopsian, and all other Definitely Dinosaurs toys, is that they are durable and stand the test of time. By the time this review is published, Taco will be 33 years old! With the exception of being mistaken as a dog’s chew toy, being run over by a vehicle or chopped up by a lawn mower, most Definitely Dinosaurs can still be found intact and in good condition, whether encountered in a yard sale, donation center, or classifieds venue. This Psittacosaurus is no exception. It is definitely (pun intended) worth a grab, whether you are looking for a tough dino toy for a child, or adding it to your collection.
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Looks a lot like John Sibbick’s illustration: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/f7/c4/91/f7c49129aa36c18baf292fa5cbf859c9.jpg
I had this one as a kid too, it was one of my favorites. I remember a Psittacosaurus from the 90’s TV show, Dinosaurs, that looked so much like this one.
One of my favorites! Good job with the review
I have one that is a hand-me-down from my uncle.