E-Rangers Collectobot
Review by JoshB
When we first saw this futuristic line of Playmobil toys at Toy Fair we almost passed out from how cool it was. The highlight of the line for me was this small powered suit on display.
Since that time I have been checking the Playmobil section of any toy store I come by to see if it has come out. I was beginning to lose hope when I walked into a store on Cape Cod and saw the whole Future Planet line on display.
The E-Rangers Collectobot comes in a lovely cardboard box with attractive graphics on all sides. I never had Playmobil as a kid, so I didn’t know what to expect when I opened the box.
Inside is a pile of plastic bags inside of plastic bags. The thing is entirely disassembled, and you’ve got to follow the included instructions to put it together. I never knew there was so much assembly with Playmobil. Fortunately, assembly is easy (yes, a child can do it,) and you also get the pleasure of adding lots of stickers.
The finished powered suit is VERY cool.
The top roll cage opens up to reveal a spartan cockpit with room for one figure. An emergency fire extinguisher can clip onto the cage, and two spotlights decorate the top. The spotlights don’t clip on well, and are probably the only weak spots on an otherwise stellar toy.
The included figure can hold on to either of the two control arms which move in unison with the arms of the suit.
Each arm features an extending grabber that has significant length. The right arm has a singular claw, while the left arm has a dual claw that can pivot in many directions. I wish they could have worked elbow joints into these arms, but I understand the omission because of the extending gimmick.
Each leg has tight, detented joints that click with each move.
The included figure uses the same basic body type that has been in use since the beginning of the line. In this case the figure looks to be some kind of science officer, with a helmet with visor, some kind of tablet, and a clear hose that attaches to the helmet of the figure.
The reason this is called the “Collectobot” is that the suit’s primary function is to aid in the collection of these red energy crystals. Included is a clear collection case with several clear red crystals. The case has an opening door and a flexible handle.
I already knew that I loved the design, but I was blown away with how much fun this was. Assembly was easy, the parts were very high quality, and once together I felt like I had a high quality plaything, not just an assembled model. Granted, this may limit customization and interaction with other sets, but as a stand-alone toy it’s great.
Comments
7 comments postedSOLD.
Playmobile has, for many years, sat right on the edge of the fence of "interesting enough to try out" and "unengaging" for me. This may be an exception.
"Brrrrring. Hello? Is this airboats? Yeah, hi it’s me Spacebot. What? Oh just lifting a thousand pounds like it’s an apple. No big deal." - Sterling Archer
I'm digging those extending arms and claws.
I was looking for this line just this weekend, but no luck at the local Playmobil hotspot. I believe the 2012 catalog listed them as coming out in August, so you got an early start. :-)
For anyone not overly familiar with Playmobil, if a set interests you at all, get it! You won't be disappointed. The quality of this brand, combined with the sheer variety of sets, makes it entirely unique. There is pretty much something for everyone. And some sets are wonderfully bizarre or lacking in political correctness, which can be awfully fun. Better still, they tend to fully flesh out their themes, so you are rarely stuck with just one or two specialized sets. More often than not, you can put together a huge display of whatever catches your fancy.
As a Florida boy, this line really interests me due to the EPCOT vibe. The good guys' base reminds me of The Living Seas pavilion, and the aircar strongly resembles a video shown in the old Horizons ride. But as a biologist, I'm down with the whole ecology theme anyway. Heh.
I'm guessing the odd shape of this one is to blame for all the assembly. Most Playmobil toys come assembled. Glad you liked it, Josh!
It's like the AMP Suits from Avatar, but does them one better with the caution stripes and cheesy neon green. Plus the roll cage and headlamps give it that Power Loader feel.
This whole line is an interesting step for Playmobil. Their past futuristic offerings have often been pretty corny... which reminds me, I've gotta go back and find myself copies of these guys:
http://www.collectobil.com/catalogue/items/4528.htm
http://www.collectobil.com/catalogue/items/4604.htm
They've actually got a really nice, modern astronaut in this year's singles. But if you want funky, look no further than their newest blind-packaged offerings that recently hit stores (series 2). Mixed in among the Bavarians, Mexicans, punk rockers, Elvii, skateboarders, knights, pirates, etc were two decidedly tokusatsu/sentai offerings.
I had to pick these up the minute I saw them. The hero character is clearly Japanese inspired. Love the huge belt buckle, chunky gun, helmet, and neckerchief/collar. The Vader-esque fellow could be almost anything, but he looks like the perfect foil for the hero.
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http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z64/japester/toys/DSC02605.jpg
Nooooo! Stop making me want Playmobil toys! I'm already drawn to them as it is. If I wasn't collecting anything else I could make a whole collection out of these friggin' things. Every time I look at them in the toy aisle I see something cool. As it is I've already relented on the blind bagged guys and my wife got me the build-a-robot set from the spy line earlier this year. That one was WAY too cool to pass up.
...and now this does too. In fact, I was similarly blown away by this line at Toyfair. It's going to take a serious amount of restraint on my part to not collect these.
Does it come in yellow?