Ever since Mattel began making Jurassic World toys collectors have been vocal about wanting a large-scale Triceratops. In fact they’d, Triceratops was the most important ceratopsian to ever exist and but, Mattel’s varied Triceratops toys had been all woefully undersized. Dwarfed by nearly each different ceratopsian that Mattel launched, although these different genera had been a fraction of the dimensions of Triceratops in actual life. Then got here the Hammond Assortment Trike, and though nearer to scale with Jurassic Park’s Triceratops than most individuals understand, it appeared to substantiate that Mattel would by no means give followers the Triceratops that they actually needed. Then final yr, Mattel of their mercy heard our cries and delivered what we’d been wishing for, in what is nearly actually an instance of an organization caving in to client calls for. It solely took about 6 years for the reason that line was launched.
Triceratops is a bigger animal than most individuals understand. I feel that as a result of it superficially resembles a rhinoceros that folks assume it was about the identical dimension as one. The fact is that Triceratops was nearer in dimension to an elephant than a rhinoceros. Triceratops is estimated to have measured as much as 30’ (9 meters) in size, stood over 7’ tall (2.1 meters), and possessed a cranium that measured over 6’ (1.8 meters). The Habitat Defender Trike measures 17” (43.18 cm) lengthy and stands 7.5” (19 cm) tall on the hips. The top alone measures 6” (15.24 cm). Utilizing physique size, the toy comes out to be 1/18 in scale, permitting children and collectors alike to ascertain how huge this animal really was. For comparability, the Hammond Assortment Trike got here out to be 1/30 in scale when scaled down from that very same size.
This Triceratops is dubbed the “Habitat Defender”. In all probability as a result of it’s manufactured from 60% recycled plastic, because the packaging repeatedly boasts. It’s a part of the Dino-Trackers line, and the packaging signifies that it lives in a desert biome. Your complete toy is tough plastic aside from the top, which is delicate and rubbery however nonetheless agency. The torso is hole, however the plastic doesn’t really feel skinny or fragile, like on the Hammond Assortment Carnotaurus.
Though it is a particular toy it’s nonetheless a part of the mainline and the restricted articulation displays that. The forelimbs are articulated on the shoulders and the hindlimbs on the hips. The tail, which is packaged individually and have to be inserted, rotates round and strikes up and down. The top articulation is improbable, with a better vary of movement than the Hammond Assortment Trike.
Most notably, the jaw can be articulated, which is a function that the Hammond Assortment Trike didn’t possess, inflicting quite a lot of outrage amongst collectors. The irony in together with it right here is that followers needed it for the only function of recreating the sick Triceratops scene from Jurassic Park, however the restricted leg articulation and dimension of the toy stop it from getting used to recreate that scene. So, whereas the jaw on this one opens, it can not lay down, and whereas the Hammond Assortment Trike can lay down, it can not open its mouth for Dr. Sattler to look at its tongue. Such is life.
I need to admit that I used to be not initially going to purchase this toy. For me, the Hammond Assortment Trike was adequate. It’s a pleasant sculpt that scales decently sufficient with the one from Jurassic Park and that’s all I actually wanted from a Mattel Triceratops. Plus, I didn’t wish to purchase what I wrote off as merely being a bigger model of one thing I already had. It was solely when I discovered this one on sale for an astonishing $12 that I made a decision to get it. Being low-cost pays off typically. However wow, as soon as in hand I couldn’t consider that I nearly skipped this toy. Footage and video opinions don’t do it justice, that is certainly one of Mattel’s greatest dinosaurs ever!
The element is second to none, each bit as intricate as that on the Hammond Assortment Triceratops. The whole thing of the toy is roofed in small pebbly scales, together with the again of the frill and underside. Even the bottoms of the toes have a wrinkled texture. The beak and horns have deep grooves and cracks. Wrinkles and pores and skin folds are sculpted across the orbits, horn bases, elbows and knees, leg joints and torso. Giant keeled osteoderms are current alongside the again and on the legs and tail.
The toy is a chocolate brown colour, very very similar to the one we see in Jurassic Park. The underside of the neck and stomach are gentle brown. Across the eyes and frill edge there’s some mahogany colour blended in. The osteoderms on the again and thighs are pinkish-brown coloured however these elsewhere are unpainted. The toenails are their very own darkish brown colour however should not painted, they’re fully separate items from the remainder of the determine! The beak and horns are khaki coloured, and the tongue is pink. The eyes are a burnt orange colour with the pupils being the identical darkish brown as the bottom colour. The attention colour and mahogany highlights give the determine an agitated and fired up demeanor.
I actually haven’t any complaints about this toy. Extra articulation would have been good however understanding that it is a mainline toy, I wouldn’t subtract any factors over it. The remainder of the osteoderms being painted would have been good too however once more, that’s a nitpick. I suppose the jugal bones could possibly be a bit extra distinguished.
The dimensions, element work, paint software, and head articulation are all on level and that is simply the very best Mattel Triceratops out there. And that’s coming from somebody that had excessive reward for the HC Trike too. This toy is solely superb, imbued with an intimidating persona and possessing glorious shelf presence. If you happen to had been on the fence about it, like I used to be, I can promise that you simply received’t be upset in it. It’s value getting, irrespective of what number of different Mattel Trikes you will have. The Habitat Defender Triceratops remains to be out there on-line and ceaselessly on sale, get it when you can and provides your Tyrannosaurus toys a formidable foe!
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