

Playmobil had tons of cool stuff this year. Of all the companies we visited, they seemed to have the most new stuff on display. Click below to get the low-down on what we saw, plus what our favorites are.





Stone Age (Available NOW)

The set that excited the most was the now-in-stores Stone Age line. It’s gorgeous. I love how the rock formations of the main cave resembles a mammoth (and the bear cave resembles a bear). There is so much creativity and heart put into this set. I love the main piece, 5100, Stone Age Mansion (that’s my term). When Playmobil conquered the Egyptians, they didn’t just make a pyramid, they made a fully interactive playset with hidden chambers and trap doors and locks. Though a “cave” on paper, there’s tons of little surprises in this set. I like the adhesive cave drawings you can stick wherever you choose, and the flaming tree you can swing down as protection.



And though I love the huge cave playset above, this Mammoth Tent (5101) has two modes of play. Either set it up as a nomadic dwelling for the cavemen, or re-assemble a full Mammoth skeleton out of the pieces. Your very own Museum of Natural History display! It shows the kids how our ancestors used every piece of the animal, and I think it will appeal to the older kids that have the science bug.

Olympic Athletes

I’m also psyched for some of the smaller, collectable sets that are coming out. I’ve been collecting Playmobil for over ten years, but it seems in recent years Playmobil has acknowledged and finally produces toys for, collectors and not just kids. This set is a wide variety of summer games, to celebrate the upcoming Summer Olympics in Britain. My favorite, of course, is one of the most under-rated sports in the world, Beach Volleyball. But check out the gallery below, there’s gymnasts and swimmers, weight lifters, even a pair of fencers. And Kudos to Playmobil, the Judo competition figures are both female. Switch up the norms, give kids (especially girls) positive role models and expectations. And this line is highly collectible. They need to come out with a trophy stand with the 1-2-3 and a series of medals to put around their necks.

Mystery figures

Playmobil is following up the success of their blind-packed mystery figures. Labeled for boys or girls, you won’t know what’s inside. Series 2 is hitting stores now (including this Elvis impersonator) and series 3 is coming out later in August. Check out the gallery below for a few more examples. I like the inmate, the clear robot, and the Shaolin monk the most.

If mysteries aren’t your thing, keep an eye out for the individual specials. I’m definitely picking up the Samurai, who should be in stores now. Sometimes the Specials hint at future themes (Cleopatra pre-dated the Egyptian line) so I’d love to find if this might mean there’s a new theme on the horizon?

Future Planet

The flagship theme for this year however is the Future Planet. Terra-farmers on a distant planet attempt to make it habitable for humans, however an evil band of baddies attempt to steal the energy rocks from the scientists. The primary playset features a working solar cell that powers the fan above the atrium. There’s a hover car that looks great, and the red energy rocks activate several of the vehicles. My favorite piece however is this Aliens power-loader inspired mech suit. Is this the single coolest playset that Playmobil has ever produced. I’m leaning towards yes.

Car Ferry and Port

Playmobil has a love affair with everything nautical (one of my favorite sets is the whale from a few years ago) From their pirate ships to this new ferry, there is plenty of fun to be had on the carpet or in the bathtub. Aside from the kayak, all of these boats have a notch for the battery-operated underwater motor so they’ll zip around a pool or really large tub. This ferry will hold two Playmobil cars and most of the large vehicles. There is also an accompanying port playset with police station and an add-on cafe. The police boat looks pretty sweet as well.

There’s a lot more stuff to check out in the gallery below. (click any large image to visit it’s Flickr page with description and release date) from the new 1-2-3 for the younger kids, to the collectible ponies with stables. These “pimp my ride” style garages feature a lot of mix and match pieces for customizing a smooth ride. Swing by Playmobil.com to buy online, or find a local dealer near your. We love Playmobil at MillionairePlayboy.com, check out all of our coverage, and stay tuned for a lot more this year.

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