Review by JoshB

When we first saw this futuristic line of Playmobil toys at Toy Fair we almost passed out from how cool it was. The highlight of the line for me was this small powered suit on display.

Since that time I have been checking the Playmobil section of any toy store I come by to see if it has come out. I was beginning to lose hope when I walked into a store on Cape Cod and saw the whole Future Planet line on display.

The E-Rangers Collectobot comes in a lovely cardboard box with attractive graphics on all sides. I never had Playmobil as a kid, so I didn’t know what to expect when I opened the box.

Inside is a pile of plastic bags inside of plastic bags. The thing is entirely disassembled, and you’ve got to follow the included instructions to put it together. I never knew there was so much assembly with Playmobil. Fortunately, assembly is easy (yes, a child can do it,) and you also get the pleasure of adding lots of stickers.

The finished powered suit is VERY cool.

The top roll cage opens up to reveal a spartan cockpit with room for one figure. An emergency fire extinguisher can clip onto the cage, and two spotlights decorate the top. The spotlights don’t clip on well, and are probably the only weak spots on an otherwise stellar toy.

The included figure can hold on to either of the two control arms which move in unison with the arms of the suit.

Each arm features an extending grabber that has significant length. The right arm has a singular claw, while the left arm has a dual claw that can pivot in many directions. I wish they could have worked elbow joints into these arms, but I understand the omission because of the extending gimmick.

Each leg has tight, detented joints that click with each move.

The included figure uses the same basic body type that has been in use since the beginning of the line. In this case the figure looks to be some kind of science officer, with a helmet with visor, some kind of tablet, and a clear hose that attaches to the helmet of the figure.

The reason this is called the “Collectobot” is that the suit’s primary function is to aid in the collection of these red energy crystals. Included is a clear collection case with several clear red crystals. The case has an opening door and a flexible handle.

I already knew that I loved the design, but I was blown away with how much fun this was. Assembly was easy, the parts were very high quality, and once together I felt like I had a high quality plaything, not just an assembled model. Granted, this may limit customization and interaction with other sets, but as a stand-alone toy it’s great.



