Review: Fisher-Price Imaginext Dinosaur Dimetrodon

One of my favorite age-inappropriate toy lines to pick up is the Imaginext Dinosaur range. I've had a pretty steady streak at finding these for $7 at grocery stores, which continued with a Dimetrodon late in 2012. As our modern descendant of Dino-Riders, they have some neat play features, helmets, and bright colors. Unlike the originals there are no attempts to amp up authenticity and the age range is such that no retail store worker will ever suspect I'm buying them for myself which, as a toy collector, is a fun thing to watch go down. "I bet someone's been really good to deserve this!" I always say "Yes, someone really has been!" I spoil myself.
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Review: Fisher-Price Imaginext Space Alpha Blade

I think I've mentioned more than once that I don't understand why Mattel's imprint Fisher-Price doesn't leverage its brands in Imaginext more. Specifically, He-Man. Older kids won't bite but its winning combination of distinctive and easy-to-remember names plus memorable vehicles would make it the perfect fit for the under-6 set. The Alpha Blade is incredibly similar to the Roton vehicle, which also had a geared gimmick involving a spinning blade. Had this been black and red instead of grey and blue, I'm sure fans would be accusing Mattel of stealing from themselves.
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Review: Fisher-Price Imaginext Space Ion Crab

I had no real reason to buy the Imaginext Ion Crab other than it looks neat. It's amazing to me that one of the more interesting toys in recent memory is a vehicle with a cool, nameless alien figure aimed at toddlers. It's a durable little set and feels like it could withstand some abuse in sandboxes, tubs, and with actual children - which is something I don't think I can say about most toys examined here.

The 3-inch green figure has blue claws and red hair like Blanka from Street Fighter II. His legs are bony, but by and large he could pass as an alien crab. Sure, he's got a little red tail on his butt but who am I to judge? Sculpting is on par with or better than most Imaginext figures (in that it has original sculpting) and he's got a little "i" branded on his ankle. Compared to the creatures in the blind-bags or previous years of Space figures, this is pretty amazing. The detail is positively toylike and the bright, neon colors are sure to blind collectors from its greatness. It wouldn't stun me to see this mold redecorated in the future, warts and all. (It has warts.)
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Review: Fisher-Price Imaginext Space Ion Scorpion

I like toys. I like characters, but toys I like more - mostly because a new toy line could birth a whole new generation of characters and, yes, more toys. The Imaginext Ion Scorpion comes from a space line that feels fresh and also pays tribute to a couple of decades of space toys. The figure looks like it could be the grandson of Repto or Kronos, and the colors are bright and inviting - like most action figures aren't. Were it not for super hero toys, the toy aisle would be an increasingly muted and largely dreary. The 3-inch aisles are where it gets the most interesting with Imaginext and to a lesser extent, Hasbro/Playskool's Robot Heroes and Super Hero Adventures lines. (Jedi Force is effectively dead, so let's keep moving along.) I snagged this set on a tip from the one and only Matt Doughty that they started hitting Kohl's last month, and as an added bonus I found that they were 50% off when I was there. I couldn't say no at that price - Imaginext single blind-bag figures are usually $3. $5 for a figure with a vehicle? I'm sold!
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Review: Fisher-Price Imaginext Collectible Figures Mummy

There's more coming, or so I hear! The Mummy is another good Imaginext figure, in that it's another fine figure that actually adds new sculpted elements rather than slapping paint on the same basic male buck we've seen for years. And yes, I realize the absurdity in nitpicking a toy that's labeled "collectible" and sold to people who aren't tall enough to pour themselves a glass of water yet.
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Imaginext Deals: Dinosaur T-Rex, $22.49 & Superman Playset, $12.44 at Amazon

The Fisher-Price Imaginext Mega T-Rex is marked down on Amazon to a cheap $22.49, about 50% off, right now. It qualifies for free shipping with Amazon Prime, so click here to snag one while you can!

You can also score the Imaginext DC Super Friends Superman Playset for a mere $12.44 - also about half price.

New Imaginext Space Sightings: Ion Orbiter, Alpha Star, More Newness

There's more new stuff to be found - a lot of it!  The previous small vehicles we showed (Ion Crab, Ion Scorpion, Alpha Cutter) are joined by a fourth vehicle - the Alpha Exosuit.  I've spotted this at Kohl's ($9.99, on sale for $5.99) as well as at Walmart ($6.97).

It's not as impressive as the other vehicles, but it is cheaper than the Dinosaur Exosuit available at a store probably near you right now.

Joining these vehicles are two new larger ones - the Ion Orbiter and Alpha Star.  Each one was $22.99 at Kohl's and features electronic lights and sounds, if you're into that sort of thing. Or, you can support this blog and my other projects by buying them at Amazon via the links below!

Old people like myself will remember the name "Alpha Star" as one of the shining gems of the Fisher-Price Adventure People toy line in the early 1980s.  This new version has no real similarities to it, but it warms the heart to see the name used on a new toy again.