Review: Playmobil’s GHOSTBUSTERS Toys Are A Horror Parent’s Dream
Playmobil is a toy company ordinarily known for fantasy and historical releases of the childhood staples like knights and castles, but just a few years back they began expanding their repertoire with licensed properties. Playmobil went pop culture with an entire Ghostbusters line, including the iconic firehouse headquarters and a Stay-Puft Marshmellow Man figure. This year, Playmobil stepped up their game with an entire run of Ghostbusters II playsets, just in time to celebrate Ghostbusters Day on June 8th. I’m proud to confirm that these toys are fantastic additions to any horror household’s playroom.
We all love to collect our NECA figures and Lego playsets and display them on our shelves, but Playmobil doesn’t roll like that. Their toys are meant to be played with. I got a chance to snag the coveted Ecto-1A vehicle, a few of the 6-inch figures, and the Collector’s Set of action figures. For a bonus perspective, I’m including the thoughts of my 5-year old son, we’ll call him Wolfman. Read on to hear how the toys fare.
Playmobil Ghostbusters Ecto-1A
Age: 6+
MSRP: $59.99
Yes, this is the car from Ghostbusters II, lights, sirens, and all. Fully assembled, it’s a thing of beauty and easily the toy that got the most repeat play in our household. If you’re planning on putting this under the Christmas tree ready to play, however, you’ll need to set aside a good hour to set it all up. Open the box and you’ll be greeted with 9 packages with 103 pieces to put together. The light display requires three AAA batteries, which are not included. Once the vehicle is assembled, a detachable roof makes loading and unloading your Ghostbusters a breeze. Wolfman’s grimy paws had no problem reaching in and out of the car, though it got a little cramped when I tried to do the same.
There’s even separate storage space in the back (also accessible by trunk) for the guys’ slime distributor packs, as shown in the movie. The set includes the phantasmic four: Ray Stanz, Peter Venkman, Egon Spengler (with his handheld PKE meter!), and Winston Zeddemore in sequel-accurate black uniforms with detachable (pink) slime blower packs, proton packs, a ghost trap, and a couple of silicone slime splatters. Finally, the set comes with a hologram cone that can attach to the ghost trap which, when synced with a free Playmobil app (download required), projects a ghost upwards. Shut the blinds and turn off the lights in your room and the projection is pretty strong, but the trap is fun on its own. All told, this is the favorite of the toys we reviewed, and Wolfman attempted to sneak the vehicle into his bed two nights in a row. The sirens gave him away, and they’re still going strong (when pressed) a week later. Entertainment-wise, the Ecto-1A is a great value for the price.
Playmobil Ghostbusters Collector’s Edition 6-Inch Figures
Age: 6+
MSRP: $49.99
I was honestly shocked to see what the price was for these figures, because they are easily the most kid-friendly toys in the whole line. The larger size of the figures is great for little elementary-aged hands, and the lack of tiny removable pieces makes these guys fantastic for traveling to Grandma’s house or the local park. The included accessories vary with each figure. We recieved 3 of the 4; all but Winston Zeddemore. The accessories are as follows:
- Venkman: Walkie-talkie, stickable slime, proton blaster
- Spengler: PKE meter, proton blaster
- Stantz: Ecto goggles (these were a hit with the Wolfman), proton pack
The price seems to indicate that these collector’s items are more for adult fans looking to display rather than play, but these larger toys are wonderfully durable for outdoor shenanigans and travel, as there are fewer tiny pieces to misplace. The are fully suitable for the age recommended and as such, I highly recommend them.
Playmobil Ghostbusters Collector’s Set Ghostbusters
Age: 6+
MSRP: $19.99
This complete package gets you all four of your beloved ghost trappers: Ray, Peter, Egon, and Winston. Each figure comes with a removable proton pack, and bonus accessories include Ray’s ecto goggles, Egon’s PKE meter, a walkie-talkie, a sticky slime splat, and the classic ghost trap. The one complaint that Wolfman kept coming to me with was that the small rubber tubes that connect the proton packs to the blasters popped out of place easily and often. I ended up gluing them into their respective sockets, and haven’t had a problem since. For me, this is entirely forgivable for a playset that’s so modestly-priced.
If your child has only seen the first film, this is the set to go with, as it has just about everything needed for both re-enactment of favorite scenes, and for ghost-hunting adventures of their own.
All Ghostbusters playsets reviewed here are now available.
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