Lego Goes Deep Into the World of Sesame Street in the Week’s Best Toys

Lego Goes Deep Into the World of Sesame Street in the Week’s Best Toys

Welcome back to Toy Aisle, Gizmodo’s regular round up of the very best in plastic-based goodness on the internet. This week, Hot Wheels celebrates Back to the Future with a nifty board you’ll never want to take out of the packaging, Lego takes a trip down Sesame Street, and Medicom swings the finest ‘90s Spider-Man into MAFEX action. Check it out!

Image: Mattel
Image: Mattel

Mattel Hot Wheels Back to the Future II Hoverboard

It’s been 35 years since the original Back to the Future hit theatres, and while the drool-worthy hoverboards didn’t appear until the sequel four years later, Mattel is celebrating the anniversary with a 1/64-scale Hot Wheels version of what Hollywood assumed would be the big ticket item in 2015. In reality, hoverboards are nowhere near a real thing yet, but to Hot Wheels’ credit, they have managed to make this miniature replica float using a pair of magnets included in the blister pack. That’s also why this tiny Hot Wheels hoverboard will cost around $30.

Image: Medicom
Image: Medicom

Medicom MAFEX Ben Reilly Spider-Man

Whatever your feelings about the wild, ungainly mess that is Marvel Comics’ infamous Clone Saga, Ben Reilly — the one day Scarlet Spider — has become an indelible part of Spidey history. But also, let’s be real: when he was the one and only Spider-Man, having convinced Peter that actually he was the clone? Ben definitely had the better Spider-suit. Medicom’s done a great job translating that suit (and god, its chunky webshooters!) in its latest webslinging addition to the Marvel MAFEX line. Including a myriad of hands for posing, webs to swing around and twhip at foes, a mask to hold, and three heads — two masked, one with squinting eyes, and one unmasked to reveal Ben’s shock of blonde hair — the MAFEX Ben Reilly Spider-Man will cost about $104, and is set to release in September 2021.

Image: Lego
Image: Lego

Lego Ideas 123 Sesame Street

Another fan-created Lego Ideas set makes the jump to toy store shelves with Ivan Guerrero’s 1,367-piece 123 Sesame Street playset. Available November 1 for $199.99, Sesame Street includes Hooper’s Store; the iconic apartment building where Bert, Ernie, and Elmo live along with its front stoop where the locals hang out; and Big Bird’s nest. The set comes with five new Muppet minifigures including Cookie Monster, Big Bird, Elmo, Bert, and Ernie, but Oscar the Grouch’s head also pops out of his trash can, which is as much of the character as most of us have ever seen. It’s a tragedy the Count wasn’t included, and it means that we may never get Minifigure versions of series regulars Gordon, Maria, or Bob.

Image: Hasbro
Image: Hasbro

Hasbro Transformers: Studio Series The Transformers: The Movie Grimlock and Wheelie

Immortalizing another unlikely but iconic Hollywood duo, Hasbro’s Studio Series Transformers line is introducing a Grimlock and Wheelie two-pack which is available for pre-order (or was available, as pre-orders are currently sold out) on HasbroPulse.com for $70, with shipping expected in early 2021.

Based on the characters’ pair-up in The Transformers: The Movie, the updated version of Grimlock goes from T-rex to robot mode in 24 steps, while the smaller-scale Wheelie doesn’t actually transform at all, he’s just an accessory to go along with Grimlock’s included double-barrelled blaster.

Image: Playmates Toys
Image: Playmates Toys

Playmates Toys Voltron Legendary Classic Combiners Set

As remakes go, Voltron: Legendary Defender was a solid update to the original ‘80s animated series that helped popularise the idea of smaller robots combining to form larger robots. But those who grew up with Voltron still have a soft spot for the original version, so come early December Playmates Toys is releasing its Voltron Legendary Classic Combiners Set for $85, which is mostly reasonable given you’re getting five robotic lions that transform to create a 16-inch version of Voltron. The set is made of plastic, not metal, which helps explain the price tag, but this version adds electronic elements including over 60 sound effects and phrases. “And I’ll form the head!”

Image: Hasbro
Image: Hasbro

Hasbro Marvel Legends Series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Role-Play Shield

By now we all know that a face mask is a must-have accessory for keeping viruses at bay when you head to the store, but it’s a mostly useless tool when you find yourself battling for the last can of Clorox wipes. The next time you’re headed off into a crowded setting, you’ll be better off carrying Hasbro’s new Legends Series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Captain America shield as well. While not technically a replica prop, it is based on the shield as it will appear in Marvel’s new The Falcon and the Winter Soldier series, measuring in at 24 inches wide with a pair of adjustable straps on the inside so you can secure it to your arm and deflect anyone not following social distancing rules. When available later this year it will go for $162, which explains why it’s not made from actual vibranium.

Image: Hasbro
Image: Hasbro

Hasbro Transformers: Studio Series Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Devastator

The Transformers movies didn’t exactly give us the IRL version of the original ‘80s animated series that many had hoped for, but some of the character updates at least made certain Transformers fan-favourites more plausible. The Constructicons, six purple and neon green construction vehicles that combine to form the towering Devastator, made their first big screen appearance in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, but as eight more realistic construction machines and vehicles. Hasbro’s new Studio Series Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Devastator, available for pre-order now in the U.S. for a hefty $365, stands 14-inches tall with all of the bots combined, which each also independently transform between vehicle and robot modes. Aside from budgeting a chunk of change to add this one to your collection, you’ll probably also want to budget plenty of time to go through the entire transformation process. Stay tuned for an Australian release date for this one.

Image: Mattel
Image: Mattel

Mattel UNO Nothin’ But Paper Edition

Hot on the heels of Monopoly’s efforts to rebrand the iconic board game with every pop culture brand imaginable, Mattel has been churning out endless iterations of UNO over the past few years, but the latest is a little different. Instead of redesigning the cards with stylish layouts or cartoon characters, UNO Nothin’ But Paper is the first version that’s 100% recyclable. The deck’s plastic wrapper has been replaced with a simple paper band, while new soy-based, non-toxic inks are used to print new nature-inspired designs. The deck will be available sometime this autumn for around $8.