Welcome back to Toy Aisle, Gizmodo’s regular round up of the coolest collectibles and most marvellous merchandise around. This week, we’ve got a whole host of Marvel Lego to assemble, Transformers goes retro again, and the armoured star of Demon’s Souls braves the world of action figures. Check it out!
Lego Marvel Hulk Mech Armour, Thanos Mech Armour, Rocket Mech Armour, and Ghost Rider Mech & Bike
With 2023 just around the corner, Lego has revealed a mountain of new sets that will be debuting in the new year, including four new additions to the Marvel mech line which give popular MCU characters their own matching Hulkbuster-esque armoured suits. Arriving on January 1 are the 138-piece Hulk Mech Armour (does he really need a power suit?), the 113-piece Thanos Mech Armour (again, since he’s wearing the bejeweled Infinity Gauntlet, does he really need a mech?), the 98-piece Rocket Mech Armour, and the 264-piece Ghost Rider Mech & Bike which, unlike the other $US15 ($21) offerings, is priced at $US35 ($49), as it includes a matching buildable motorcycle.
Super7 Transformers ReAction Figures Wave 6: Ultra Magnus, Cyclonus, Wreck-Gar, Sharkticon, Quintesson, and Unicron
Are Super7’s minimally-articulated ReAction figures starting to grow on us? They’re not our first choice when it comes to stocking our shelves with figures, but designs like these six new 3.75-inch tall figs based on the stars of The Transformers: The Movie are hitting us right in the nostalgic feels. This wave introduces Ultra Magnus, Cyclonus, Wreck-Gar, a Sharkticon, a Quintesson, and a six-inch ReAction version of Unicron, “based on Hasbro’s unreleased vintage prototype.” Individually the figures are $US20 ($28) each (or $US24 ($33) for Unicron) but you can also grab the whole set for $US124 ($172) and save absolutely no money in the process.
Lego Marvel The Hulkbuster: The Battle of Wakanda
Back in October, Lego released a 4,049-piece, $US550 ($764) model of Iron Man’s Hulkbuster armour that was the largest Lego Marvel set to date. But reviews of it haven’t been so great, with many collectors lamenting its design and the gaps around the arm joints, as well as the fact that its legs are locked in place for stability. Lego’s new 385-piece, the Hulkbuster: The Battle of Wakanda set, will be a full $US500 ($694) cheaper when it arrives on January 1, and looks to offer better articulation at a much smaller scale. It also comes with four minifigures: Bruce Banner with an alternate “going green” face, Okoye, and two outriders.
Jazwares Pokémon Flame & Flight Deluxe Charizard
The Pokémon fad shows no signs of slowing down after 26 years, roping in generation after generation of gamers and bringing with it an endless run of toys and collectibles. Jazwares’ new Pokémon Flame & Flight Deluxe Charizard packs the figure with a bunch of electronic features including sound effects, a flame launching mechanism, a light-up tail, and even wings that automatically flap as the toy is played with. It’s available now for around $US30 ($42), and only has an appetite for three AAA batteries and victory.
Lego Marvel The Avengers Quinjet
There have been quite a few Lego versions of the the Avengers’ Quinjet released over the run of the MCU, and this latest version is… another one. At 795-pieces it’s far from the largest or most detailed iteration released yet, but it does include an opening cockpit, retractable landing gear, and a full interior with a rear cargo door that lowers; it also comes with its own display stand for mid-flight poses. It will officially be available starting on January 1 for $US100 ($139), and will come with five minifigs: Iron Man, Captain America, Black Widow, Thor and Mjolnir, and Loki with a scepter.
Goodsmile Company Figma Demon’s Souls Fluted Armour
The “star” of legendary Fromsoftware dark fantasy RPG/stress simulator Demon’s Souls is pretty much just the guy from the cover, considering your hero can be anyone you choose to create and what bits of armour and weapons you loot over the course of dying repeatedly. But the fluted armour set that graces the Knight on both its PS3 and PS5 box arts is as close to “iconic” that the Souls franchise can get, so it makes sense that Demon’s Souls is honoured in plastic form with it. The Fluted Armour figma comes not just standard sword and shield associated with the Knight starting class from the game, but a bevy of extra weapons and shields inspired by it: the Knight Sword, Meat Cleaver, Dark Silver Shield, Iron Knuckle, and the Large Sword of Moonlight. As well as alternate hands, the figure comes with parts to display either of the shields on the back of the figure, and a stand. The Fluted Armour figure is set to release in October 2023 in Japan, where it will cost you around $US115 ($160). [AmiAmi]
Lego BrickHeadz Tusken Raider
Even if your opinion of Boba Fett took a hit after watching The Book of Boba Fett, you undoubtedly walked away from the series with a new appreciation for the Tusken Raiders. We still don’t know what’s under those fierce-looking headpieces, but Lego has managed to make the sand people — dare we say it? — look adorable as a cartoonish BrickHeadz character. This 152-piece set will officially be available starting on January 1 for $US10 ($14), and includes a buildable gaffi stick plus a blaster.
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.
Editor’s Note: Release dates within this article are based in the U.S., but will be updated with local Australian dates as soon as we know more.