Welcome back to Toy Aisle, Gizmodo’s regular round up of the latest and greatest in toy news. This week, Lego gives you a much smaller Eiffel Tower than the five-foot monster it recently revealed, Nerf’s armory grows ever weirder, and a new Gandalf figure comes to us at the turn of the tide. Check it out!
LEGO Eiffel’s Apartment
Revealed a day before LEGO announced its five-foot tall, 10,001 piece Eiffel Tower replica, Eiffel’s Apartment pays tribute to the designer of Paris’ most iconic and visible landmark. Although listed with a $US20 ($28) price tag on LEGO’s website, the 228-piece set that recreates Gustave Eiffel’s private office atop the tower is currently only available as a Gift With Purchase for those dropping $US680 ($944) on the Eiffel Tower set itself. The apartment features period authentic decor and a teeny tiny replica of the Eiffel Tower, but it’s unfortunately not designed to integrate with the 10,001-piece set that’s not built to minifigure-scale.
Nerf LMTD X League of Legends Jinx Fishbones Blaster
Hasbro’s latest edition to its Nerf LMTD crossover line is leaping into the world of League of Legends with Fishbones, the zany rocket launcher of choice for Arcane star Jinx. Alas, Hasbro has yet to develop the technology for Nerf rocket launchers to somehow fire payloads that can burst into Nerf darts, so you’ll have to make do with a blaster that can hold 18 darts at once in its opening shark mouth, firing three-dart bursts with a press of the trigger. For when you’re not raining foam doom upon your foes, the blaster can be displayed on a stand inspired by Jinx’s aesthetic in the game. Preorders are available now for the Fishbones Blaster, which will cost $US170 ($236) ahead of a release early next year.
Hot Toys Marvel Thor: Love and Thunder Gorr Sixth-Scale Figure
We’re still a little saddened that Christian Bale’s performance as a scene-stealing MCU baddie wasted on a film like Thor: Love and Thunder, but at least we’re getting a great Hot Toys sixth-scale figure out of it. The 12-inch figure features a new and distressingly lifelike Christian Bale as Gorr head sculpt with rolling eyes that are individually adjustable. The figure also includes lots of hand-sculpted scarring, over 30 points of articulation, five pairs of swappable hands, the Necrosword and a battle-damaged alternate version, plus Stormbreaker with battery-powered LED glowing effects. Availability is expected sometime in early to mid-2024.
Asmus Toys The Lord of the Rings The Crown Series Gandalf the White and Shadowfax Sixth-Scale Figures
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has renewed interest in the tales of Middle-earth, and not just the adventures of characters that predate Bilbo and Frodo. Asmus Toys is releasing a new LOTR figure set featuring a sixth-scale Gandalf the White featuring an excellent likeness of Ian McKellen, 36 points of articulation, and accessories that include alternate hands, a staff, Glamdring and a sheath worn on Gandalf’s waist, and multi-layered fabric robes. It’s just too bad his horse Shadowfax is cast in solid polystone with no articulation at all. The set is available for pre-order from TheBigBadToyStore for $US380 ($528), with shipping expected sometime in the first quarter of 2023.
Lego Tribute to Lego House
Lego announced a handful of Gift With Purchase sets this week, including one for Lego fans who may never have a chance to visit the Lego House museum in Billund, Denmark, where many exclusive sets are made available. This GWP, currently listed on Lego’s website for $US30 ($42), includes five smaller recreations of Lego House exclusive sets like the Wooden Duck, Brick Moulding Machine, and Dinosaurs on display at the museum. The 583-piece set is larger than most GWP sets, but that’s probably why it’s only going to be available to those who spend $US250 ($347) on Lego’s website on November 19 and 20 for Lego VIPs, or November 25-28 for everyone else.
Super7 Run-DMC ReAction Figures Holiday 3-Pack
“It was December 24th on Hollis Ave in the dark, when I see a man chilling with his dog in the park…” Run-DMC’s “Christmas in Hollis” has earned its place on holiday playlists alongside festive staples like “Jingle Bells” and “Deck the Halls,” and now you can add Joseph Simmons, Darryl McDaniels, and Jam Master Jay to your festive decor as well. Super7 has introduced a festive variant of its ReAction Run-DMC figures in a $US65 ($90) Holiday 3-Pack that includes Santa Hats, a sack of money, Santa’s wallet, and an “ill reindeer.”
Hidden Valley Ranch Ranch on a Branch
Too creeped out to participate in the Elf on a Shelf phenomenon and having that tiny Elf staring at you from random hiding places every day? Hidden Valley Ranch has introduced an alternative that’s either more cursed or less cursed than the original — we can’t decide. Instead of an Elf, the Ranch on a Branch features Ranchie, an anthropomorphized character who, according to an included story book, dreams of becoming a real bottle of Hidden Valley Ranch dressing one day; a dream so many of us share. For $US30 ($42) you can start a new holiday tradition with your family and hide the 13.5-inch tall Ranchie all over the house, and then on Christmas day tell the kids he came to life and now has to live in the fridge otherwise he’ll spoil. A true Christmas miracle.
Want more Gizmodo news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water.