Welcome back to Toy Aisle, Gizmodo’s regular round up of the coolest toys and collectibles we’ve seen on the internet lately. This week: Lego gets its build-a-bot on with a new Mindstorms set; for once, someone decides to make an Iron Man figure that’s not actually Iron Man; and Mezco shoots up, up and away. Check it out!
Lego Mindstorms Robot Inventor 5-in-1 set
Seven years after Lego released its Mindstorms EV3 robotic building kit, the company is introducing the first major follow-up with this 949-piece set that includes a new six-port Intelligent Hub that serves as the brain and control centre for other components like sensors and motors. Other upgrades include wireless Bluetooth support like Lego’s Powered Up components, a six-axis gyroscope and accelerometer for detecting movement right out of the box, and a 5×5 LED matrix display that can be used as a semi-expressive face for robots. At $US360 ($527) it remains one of Lego’s pricier sets given the piece count, but with connectivity to an app that allows for easy but robust programming, this set introduces a lot of potential if you’ve got a large Technic collection already.
Kidrobot Back to the Future Plush DeLorean and Lifesize Hoverboard
The pandemic might have put a damper on celebrations for the 35th anniversary of Back to the Future, but that hasn’t stopped toymakers from pushing out some excellent collectibles. As much as we love Kidrobot’s new plush releases, which include a squishy DeLorean which will be available come October for about $22, and a stuffed $42 lifesize replica of the sequel’s hoverboard which doesn’t actually hover, but still looks like the perfect collectible to cuddle up with while re-watching the trilogy.
S.H. Figuarts Tony Stark: Birth of Iron Man Edition
Over the years, Bandai has released enough figures of the Iron Man armour that you could literally build your own miniature-scaled Hall of Armours. Probably several times over! But now the company has decided it would be gauche to launch a new celebratory line of Iron Man products with just another version of one of the very many Iron Man suits. So instead you you can have an action figure of the man behind the mask!
The “Birth of Iron Man” Tony Stark is based off of his appearance in the first Iron Man movie, and includes a swappable top-body-half to trade him between his “well aren’t I just the most charming war criminal” and “oh no, my heart’s gone and now I guess I gotta make an Iron Man” looks from early on the film. Beyond that, he’s got accessories for both flavours of Mr. Stark: a mobile phone for all his MySpace photo opps for War Profiteer Tony; and an anvil, hammer, tongs, and Iron Man Mk 1 mask for the Ironmongering Tony. He’ll set you back about $117 when he releases in Japan later this year. [Toyark]
Arcade1Up Big Buck Hunter Arcade Cabinet
We love how easy Arcade1Up has made it to convert a basement into your own personal arcade, but a lot of the games the company has introduced as scaled-down arcade cabinets are easily accessible and playable on countless of devices. We tend to recommend 1Up’s cabinets with games that are harder to recreate through emulation as a result of their custom controls, including Golden Tee, and one of the company’s newest additions: Big Buck Hunter. It’s Arcade1Up’s first 3/4-scale cabinet featuring light guns, specifically, a pair of pump-action rifles that gamers can use to bring down simulated prey. The cabinet includes multiple versions of the game letting you head out into several different wild environments while you’re still stuck indoors and trying to avoid the pandemic.
Mezco One:12 Superman: The Movie Superman
Mezco’s given us Men of Steel before, but now it’s finally tackling one of the most iconic interpretations of him of all time: Christopher Reeve, as he appeared in the stellar Superman: The Movie in 1978. The 6″ tall figure comes resplendent with two different headsculpts featuring the late actor’s likeness, one stoic, and one smiling. Beyond that, he’s got nine (nine!) interchangeable pairs of hands for posing, a base stylised after the crystalline structure of the fortress of solitude, and five kryptonite-based accessories: three crystals, a larger fragment, and the pendant Lex makes him wear. As a bonus, placing the three crystals in the base makes it light up!
The Superman: The Movie Superman will cost around $185, and is currently set to release sometime between September and November 2020. [Toyark]
Psyduck Lifesize Poké Plush
If there’s one Pokémon who sums up how everyone is feeling halfway through 2020, it’s Psyduck. The exasperated fowl might as well be the poster child for this year, and if you’re looking for someone to commiserate your misery and exasperation with, this 31-inch tall (the exact height listed for a real Psyduck in the official Pokédex) plush recreation might be a welcome addition to your life. Just like therapy, however, this Pokémon doesn’t come cheap. You can pre-order it on the official Pokémon website for a hefty $410, and then still have to wait until the end of the winter for it to arrive.